Fourth Sunday after Epiphany: Gospel, Luke 4:31-44          

Luke 4:31-44

Jesus continues in the regions of his “familiarity” in this week’s gospel. Last week his childhood hometown of Nazareth. This week, his adult “center of operations,” Capernaum. A marvelous reading all through, but the first two verses catch my notice. Jesus is continuing his teaching ministry as a weekly habit, “on the Sabbaths” (4:31). There is something about teaching the word of the Lord, especially when you are its author. But one gets the sense, observing the Savior, that He simply had to “get the word out.” Here He is in the hub of His ministry.

Verse 32 reads, “And they were astonished at His teaching, for His word was with authority.” There is something about listening to Jesus. May I caution that we must not set the “red letters” in our Bibles that may have the words of Jesus in red print over and against the rest of the text as if to say, “Jesus’ words are more ‘God’s words’ than the rest. No. All Scripture is inspired by God (2 Tim. 3:16). But we can only imagine what it must have been like to be in the very presence of the author, the speaker of the word of God. Mystery. I label it, “the Word made flesh having His way.”

Jesus speaks and the crowd recognizes “authority.” The very word contains “author,” does it not? The source, the fountain. His word carries authority for the simple reason that it is HIS word. Now go and read the entire passage. Remember who is speaking. This IS the gospel of the Lord.