“Physician, Heal Yourself!”—Jesus’ Challenge to His Own
A Re-examination of the Offense of Nazareth in Light of Ancient Parallels (Luke 4:22-30)
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This article argues that current explanations of the strange sequence in Luke 4, whereby Jesus’ hometown turns from admiration to murderous anger, fail to give a coherent reading of the narrative. It then submits that a re-examination of the meaning and function of the proverb “Physician, heal yourself!” in antiquity sheds significant light upon its use in Luke’s pericope and the fundamental issue between Jesus and his own people. Indeed, rather than reflecting the narrow-mindedness or scepticism of the inhabitants of Nazareth, the proverb should be understood as expressing Jesus’ challenge to his own.
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2
Cf. e.g., Hans Klein, Das Lukasevangelium (Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2006) 184; Jeffrey S. Siker, “ ‘First to the Gentiles’: A Literary Analysis of Luke 4:16-30,” jbl 111 (1992) 73-90; Léopold Sabourin, L’Evangile de Luc: Introduction et commentaire (Rome: Pontifica Università Gregoria, 1985) 132; Joseph A. Fitzmyer, The Gospel According to Luke i-ix (Garden City, n.y.: Doubleday, 1981) 529.
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3
A.R.C. Leaney, Commentary on the Gospel according to St Luke (London: Adam & Charles Black, 1958) 52. Exegetes regularly note the obscurity or lack of smoothness of the sequence of thought in this pericope. Cf. John Nolland, “Classical and Rabbinic Parallels to ‘Physician, Heal Yourself’ (Lk iv 23),” nt 21 (1979) 193; C.F. Evans, Saint Luke (London: scm, 1990) 272-273; Fitzmyer, Luke, 527-528.
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5
Fitzmyer, Luke, 1:528; Evans, Saint Luke, 267; Sabourin, Luc, 134.
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7
Cf. Evans, Saint Luke, 273-4; John Nolland, Luke 1-9:20 (wbc; Dallas: Word Books, 1989) 1:201; Robert L. Brawley, Luke-Acts and the Jews: Conflict, Apology, and Conciliation (sblms 33; Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1987) 13-14.
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17
So Tannehill, Luke, 93; cf. also Moret, “Aucun prophète,” 473.
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23
Hill, “The Rejection of Jesus,” 169; see also Johnson, Luke, 82; Siker argues that Jesus announces a reversal of focus: “The ‘acceptable year of the Lord’ is proclaimed with primary reference to outsiders, that is, to the Gentiles, and is addressed to the Jews only in so far as they are able to accept the inclusion of the Gentiles.” Siker, “First to the Gentiles,” 83.
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“Physician, Heal Yourself!”—Jesus’ Challenge to His Own
A Re-examination of the Offense of Nazareth in Light of Ancient Parallels (Luke 4:22-30)
In: Novum TestamentumSearch for other papers by Monique Cuany in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
This article argues that current explanations of the strange sequence in Luke 4, whereby Jesus’ hometown turns from admiration to murderous anger, fail to give a coherent reading of the narrative. It then submits that a re-examination of the meaning and function of the proverb “Physician, heal yourself!” in antiquity sheds significant light upon its use in Luke’s pericope and the fundamental issue between Jesus and his own people. Indeed, rather than reflecting the narrow-mindedness or scepticism of the inhabitants of Nazareth, the proverb should be understood as expressing Jesus’ challenge to his own.
| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 408 | 45 | 2 |
| Full Text Views | 333 | 10 | 0 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 164 | 31 | 0 |