As Was His Custom: Reading scripture

Where Yeshua (Jesus) Came From

Nazareth. It’s a small village nestled down in the middle of the cliffs and high hills north of the Jezreel valley. Back in Jesus’ time, this valley was a major intersection for non-Hebrew people groups to travel through and sometimes settle as it was the easiest to navigate east to west from the coast to the Sea of Galilee. (I mean, who wouldn’t want to settle there when there is 365 feet of topsoil in the Jezreel Valley?!?!) This valley holds so much deep meaning for Israel and Christians alike. (For a video by Daily Bread featuring my professor, John A Beck, regarding the importance of Jezreel Valley, click here.)

Today, Nazareth is the fastest-growing city in what was ancient Israel. But this small village is where Jesus’ parents raised him. (Essentially, he was a small-town boy). Surrounded by high cliff faces (see in the above video at time stamp 0.01-0.38), Nazareth was isolated from these Gentile and pagan people groups, to say the least. It was tricky navigating to Nazareth back in Jesus’ time (probably only accessible by climbing on foot or with a donkey or mule). Even today, they’ve had to blast the cliffs to provide transportation to the community.

Due to its isolation, Nazareth could remain strictly orthodox in its Jewish roots. The village most likely had no more than 500 occupants and was spread over roughly four acres. It was an agricultural community with a rock quarry as their main economic booster because the limestone in this area is extremely easy to quarry and shape yet durable for the construction and manufacturing of limestone vessels. The word “tekton” is used for Yosef (Joseph) and Jesus’ profession in the Gospels, and it is essentially the word for craftsman or stonemason, to be more precise. It’s possible that Joseph and Jesus, and possibly his younger brothers, traveled north to a Herodian village called Tzippori/ Sepphoris to help build the buildings found there today. During archeological digs in Nazareth, they’ve also found evidence of glass making, cloth production, craft services, and crop processing for smaller communities to their north. There was a small synagogue in the village, where our narrative for today originates.

Jesus’ parents were practicing Jews and celebrated all of the Jewish Appointed Times (feasts and festivals), so they made the trek to Jerusalem (a 4-10 day trip on foot, depending on who joins you) regularly. Jesus continued these customs and regularly traveled back to Jerusalem for feasts and festivals. He traveled by foot, camped out a bunch (Matthew’s Gospel shares about this), stayed with friends and family, and never owned a home we know of. He lived, essentially, as an itinerant preacher.

The Custom of Reading Scripture

We know that one of Jesus’ regular customs was reading Scripture. He was probably a star student when it came to learning God’s Word, as the teachers in the temple seemed to be flabbergasted by his knowledge and understanding of the Scriptures when Jesus was only 12 years old (Luke 2:41-47).  

But when we read Luke 4:14-21, something compelling is going on. It reads,

“He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day, he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read,  and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it was written:

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
    because he has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
    and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
     to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today, this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

What in the world is going on here?

Underneath the Translation

Okay, a bit of background. Notice how when Jesus was done reading, He sat down? In rabbinic culture, the teacher sitting down was a signal that he was starting a sermon. But Jesus’ sermon was just,

“This scripture is fulfilled right now.” 

The year of the Lord’s favor is also known as the year of Jubilee. According to the Bible, in the year of Jubilee, debts were paid, enslaved people were freed, and all land mortgaged would be returned to the original owners. Jesus is blatantly saying to them, “I am paying your debts you cannot pay. I am setting you free from the sin that enslaves you. And I am giving you back the eternal life the Fall has taken from you. I am the Messiah.”

They spoke well of Jesus… until His words sunk in. Then they tried to throw Him off that very cliff I mentioned in the early section of John A. Beck’s video. Reading Scripture gave Jesus His very identity. It told Him who He was. At 12, He amazed His teachers (Luke 2:46-47). Before this narrative, He used Scripture as an offensive weapon when the Spirit tested Him in the wilderness for forty days (Luke 4:1-13). He knew it inside and out and recognized when the enemy misquoted it. (This is definitely convicting for me!) Jesus also quoted God’s Word heavily in His teachings (Matt. 5:21; Mark 10:5-9).

How Can We Follow Yeshua in This Way?

First, as I mentioned in the previous post, “As Was His Custom,” we will never be as perfect as Jesus. But we can aim to be like Him. There are several ways to read God’s Word, such as reading with fresh eyes, losing sight of what we’re reading, or turning it into a lullaby (and tuning it out since we’ve heard a particular passage so much).

1. Read the Bible aloud through a physical copy, and have your phone opened to the Bible app while you do it. Pull up another version (different from your physical copy), and after you have read it from your Bible, read the alternate translation as well. Ask yourself,

   1. What’s different?

   2. What’s the same?

   3. What stands out to me?

2. Listen to what your churches teach through classes or Sunday morning services.

   1. Carry and open your physical Bible when they begin reading a passage.

   2. Take notes if it helps you follow along.

   3. Write down any questions you have.

3. Listen to podcasts on the Bible or sermons online.   

   1. BEMA Discipleship podcast

   2. The Bible Project podcast

   3. Bible RECAP podcast

   4. Kingdom Roots podcast

   5. Verity with Phylicia Masonheimer

4. Attend an online Bible Project class or audit a seminary class online

5. Listen to an audio Bible

   1. Streetlight app

   2. Dwell app

   3. The Bible app (specific versions have audio; hit the audio button in the top right corner and hit play)

The Goal of Reading Scripture 

With every habit, the goal of reading Scripture is to learn more about who Jesus is and who our God is. The object here is to JUST KEEP READING. Listen to the audio Bible during your car ride to drop kids off at school or on your way to work. Set your Bible next to your bed, opened and ready for you to read the next section. Carry a pocket Bible in your purse or laptop bag. Just find every excuse to read His Word. And if you’re struggling to want to read the Bible, don’t worry. I’ve BEEN THERE.

In 2017, every time I opened my Bible, it felt dry and unfulfilling. I finally reached a breaking point because I felt it was affecting my relationship with Him. I found myself on my bedroom floor, crying out to Him, tears streaming down my face, and my Bible in my lap. I cried, “Father, make me SO HUNGRY for Your Word that I cannot get enough! Give me a desire to learn more about Your Son and the story You wrote for us.” 

Boy. When I say He did- HE DID.

 Within six months, I could not GET ENOUGH of my Bible. I began to study Hebrew and told my husband I wanted to look into seminaries. That prayer started me down the path that led us to the Behold Collective.

Watch out because He will come through for you when you are earnest and desire to know Him more. ;)