Nuggets From Luke - They Were Offended at Him

“God offends the mind to reveal the heart.”

So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:

“The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor, He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.” 

Then He closed the book…and began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?” 

He said to them, “You will surely say this proverb to Me, ‘Physician heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in Your country.’…Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country…”

So all those in the synagogue when they heard these things were filled with wrath [they were offended at Him - Matthew 13:57; Mark 6:3], and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff (Luke 4:16-29 emphasis added).

Was it only their familiarity with Jesus that caused those in His home town to be offended at Him? Or was it also because Jesus was interrupting their familiarity with the "normal” of brokenness, hardship, disease and death that sin brought? That may sound ridiculous. But is it?

John the Baptist knew he had been sent as the forerunner of Jesus and he operated in his calling with zeal and fervor. But in the wake of being shut up in prison for proclaiming truth to Herod regarding the adultery he was committing with Herodias, his brother’s wife, he wasn’t so sure. In fact, when John got word that Jesus had been healing and raising the dead, he sent two of his followers to Him to ask if He was the Coming One everyone had been looking for (Luke 7:18-20).

It’s interesting that it wasn’t until after Jesus had performed more miracles - the very things that offended in the first place - that He turned to John’s disciples to answer his question.

And that very hour He cured many of infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits; and to many blind He gave sight. Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them, and blessed is he who is not offended because of Me (Luke 7:21-23).”

The word offended in both instances is the Greek word skandalizo. It’s where the word scandalize is derived. Strong’s defines it as: to entrap (that is) trip up…entice to sin…[cause] displeasure. 

Thayer’s Lexicon says the same things but unpacks more of its meaning: To put a stumbling block or impediment in the way, upon which another may trip and fall. To cause a person to begin to distrust and desert one whom he ought to trust and obey. To be offended in one, i.e. to see in another what I disapprove of and what hinders me from acknowledging his authority (emphasis added). 

What?! 

Jesus is fulfilling the prophecies regarding the long awaited Messiah. He’s preaching and demonstrating the Father’s will for the planet. Time and again He heals people of all kinds of disease, raises the dead, and casts out demons. The Kingdom of God has come to earth and is being made plain through Jesus, and His home town is scandalized. Even John the Baptist’s question carried the implication that Christ’s message and actions were scandalous…offensive.

Why?

Over the past three years I have come to realize that physical, emotional, and mental healing are absolutely part of our salvation. All of the Gospels bear this out. Luke in particular, highlights it over and over. But the more excited and passionate I’ve become - the more the revelation’s been shared - the more push back there’s been.  

We say that we believe the Word of God is true, but when it comes to believing that “by His stripes we were healed” - past tense - eyes roll, walls go up, and people are offended. We say that because we believe in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, that our sins are forgiven, and our confession and belief has saved us. But when it comes to expecting the physical manifestation of our salvation that the Bible clearly spells out there’s offense…balking…scandal.

Why have we chosen to settle? Is it because we too have experienced so much death, disease, brokenness, and hardship that we’ve come to expect this as “normal,” and any interruption with our familiarity with it must be shut down?

Is it because we’ve come to trust in doctors and medicine more than God’s Word? We know doctors don’t always get it right, and many of the pharmaceuticals used to “cure” disease have multiple side effects that can create even more disease and even cause death. Yet we keep going back to them.

Is it because we haven’t been taught that healing is for today? Is it due to our ignorance of the laws that govern God’s kingdom and the vital role we have in bringing it to pass? Or are we simply afraid of being disappointed…again? I believe the answer is “Yes” to all the above.

Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever and wants to heal us in every aspect of our humanity. So why aren’t we seeing the Kingdom manifest physically, emotionally, and mentally?

When you strip away all the reasons why, it really boils down to unbelief that God has healed, and is always willing to heal. That’s what Jesus marveled at, and why He could only heal a few in His home town of Nazareth. That’s why John the Baptist sent his disciples with his question. And that’s why we aren’t seeing the results we desire.

I know that’s blunt. I too took exception when healing was first presented to me. I didn’t know until I “knew” that what Christ did on the earth, He finished on the Cross, and forever ratified with His Resurrection. I didn’t know until I “knew” that physical, emotional and mental healing are, without question, part of the lavish and redemptive grace of God, who brought and bought our complete salvation.

Let me encourage you to take up the challenge Holy Spirit challenged me with three years ago: Let Him reveal the truth to you. Lay down every experience, disappointment, question, teaching, and preconceived idea that says healing is not for today. If need be, like me, confess that you too have been offended at Jesus, due to…whatever comes to mind. 

Read the Gospel of Luke with fresh eyes. Study it. Read it out loud. Meditate on it. Listen to it on one of your devices. Take notes. Do this multiple times. Let the Spirit of Truth and the Word of God renew your mind and transform your thinking regarding His desire to always heal everyone - not just spiritually - but physically, emotionally, and mentally - now. He’s the same Jesus that He was then. And He is the same Jesus who will always be.

© 2025 Tawna Wilkinson