Bugman --
Not everything is explicitly written in the Bible.
When the people met in the synagogues or the
Temple each Sabbath, someone read from the
Law, then another was called up to read from
the Prophets. After this, someone expounded
the points made in the Law and how these related
to the reading from the Prophets. This is not so
much known from reading the Scriptures
themselves but from history, and this is the
practice that continued for years after our Lord
was involved as a man.
However, when our Lord was called up to read
in the synagogue in Luke 4, we catch sight of this
practice. It was His practice to attend synagogue,
and that day, He attended in Nazareth. The people
who wished to aliyah, or go up to read, let it be
known that they were available.
The Law had already been read, because He read
from Isaiah--what is called the haftorah. He read
the portion that had been chosen for the day, gave
the scroll back to the shammash, and sat down.
He was then expected to make His comments on
the Scripture, because, as it says, everyone was
looking at Him, waiting for His sermon. Part of His
serrmon was, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in
your hearing," then He went on to enlarge upon
this. We know this because the Bible says that the
people were astounded and excited, with joy,
because of what He told them.
But when He continued His sermon, as happens
many times in the synagogue, people don't like
everything they hear. This time, the Bible says
they were ALL furious with Him and they drove
Him out of the town.
In the synagogues then, just as today, the pre-
chosen Scriptures are read, then someone gives
the sermon. During the sermon, people make
comments, ask questions, request clarification,
etc. These can be very lively discussions, and
on occasion, as in this case in Luke, tempers can
flair.
At my synagogue recently, the sermon barely
touched upon what we call "lashon hara"--evil
speech, or gossip. One man became upset and
accused the pastors of using lashon hara
because they had taken a stand against a
particular sin. This became a heated discussion,
probably not unlike that here in Luke. Rather
than driving the speaker out, however, we lost
some in our congregation as those of us who did
not want this particular sin coddled firmly backed
our pastors, and the others walked away. We
miss these people terribly, thinking of them fondly
and often, but the integrity of the group must be
maintained.
