What does Luke 4:29 mean?
What is the meaning of Luke 4:29?

They got up

– The congregation in Nazareth abruptly rose in unified outrage right after Jesus declared, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21).

– Their action shows the volatility of a heart confronted with truth it does not want: much like the Sanhedrin that “rose up” against Stephen (Acts 7:57-58) and the Thessalonian mob that “stirred up the crowd” (Acts 17:5).

– Even among His own people, Jesus meets rejection—John 1:11 says, “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.”

– This verse proves the prophetic reality of Isaiah 53:3, “He was despised and rejected by men,” and warns that simple exposure to truth never guarantees acceptance.


Drove Him out of the town

– Nazareth’s citizens did not merely ignore Jesus; they forced Him outside the city limits, mirroring later moments when crowds sought to seize Him (John 7:30; John 10:39).

– Their hostility fulfills Luke 4:24, “No prophet is accepted in his hometown,” and prefigures the eventual rejection culminating at Calvary (Matthew 27:22-23).

– The push to expel Jesus is the same spirit that asked Him to depart from Gadara after the deliverance of the demoniac (Matthew 8:34), illustrating that miracles or teaching alone cannot soften hearts hardened by unbelief.


And led Him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built

– Nazareth sits on rugged high ground; the mob strategically chooses a vantage point suitable for execution.

– Their calculated march echoes Genesis 37:20, where Joseph’s brothers plotted, “Come, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits,” reminding us that murderous intent often masquerades as righteous zeal.

Psalm 2:2 foretells, “The kings of the earth rise up…and the rulers take counsel together against the LORD and against His Anointed.” Even this small-town crowd aligns with that ancient prophecy.

– Yet, Jesus calmly allows Himself to be “led,” demonstrating sovereign control; later He will say, “No one takes My life from Me” (John 10:18).


In order to throw Him over the cliff

– The goal is not intimidation but execution. Like later attempts to stone Him (John 8:59; 10:31) or push Him from the Temple precincts (John 7:19), this is premeditated murder.

– Their method bypasses Roman oversight; a cliff-fall mimics Old Testament judgment scenes such as those implied in 2 Chronicles 25:12.

– Nevertheless, Luke 4:30 records that Jesus “passed through the crowd and went on His way,” proving His hour had not yet come (John 7:30). Divine timeline overrules human rage.


summary

Luke 4:29 reveals hometown hearts unmasked: rising in anger, forcing Jesus outside, positioning Him for a deadly shove, and plotting His death—all because truth confronted their comfort. The verse underscores humanity’s innate opposition to the Savior, the literal fulfillment of prophecy, and the absolute sovereignty of Christ, who walks away untouched until the appointed cross.

How does Luke 4:28 reflect human nature's resistance to challenging truths?
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