Abstract
What are the most troubling New Testament verses for Jewish–Christian relations? Matthew 27.25 or John 8.44 perhaps? I am increasingly disturbed by Luke 4.28–30, particularly after hearing sermons that take the story at face value, seeking to explain why the Nazareth synagogue worshippers turned into a lynch mob, rather than questioning why Luke published such a calumny. This article examines the explanations given in biblical commentaries for the behaviour of the Nazareth congregation. It argues that we ought to be looking instead to Luke’s context, and the complex dynamics involved in Gentiles adopting Israel’s Scriptures, prepared to acknowledge the violence of New Testament rhetoric.
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