Brow of the Hill Near Nazareth
James Tissot, ca. 1890
My dear friends,
In this painting, James Tissot illustrates Luke 4:28-29:
all in the synagogue were filled with rage.
They got up, drove him out of the town,
and led him to the brow of the hill
on which their town was built,
so that they might hurl him off the cliff.
You may wonder what had so enraged them, when prior to this they had been so impressed with his teaching:
"Today this scripture
has been fulfilled in your hearing."
All spoke well of him and were amazed
at the gracious words that came from his mouth.
They said, "Is this not Joseph's son?"
- Luke 4:21-22
What had really infuriated His listeners was his radical assertion that God's grace extended beyond Israel:
"Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb,
'Doctor, cure yourself!'
And you will say,
'Do here also in your hometown the things
that we have heard you did at Capernaum.'"
And he said, "Truly I tell you,
no prophet is accepted in his hometown.
But the truth is,
there were many widows in Israel
in the time of Elijah,
when the heaven was shut up
three years and six months
and there was a severe famine over all the land,
yet Elijah was sent to none of them
except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon.
There were also many
with a skin disease in Israel
in the time of the prophet Elisha,
and none of them was cleansed
except Naaman the Syrian."
- Luke 4:23-27
By citing Elijah and Elisha, Jesus revealed that divine compassion is not bound by nationality or status. This echoes the Bodhisattva path, in which great beings extend loving-kindness beyond tribal identities and social divisions. Such teachings challenge deeply ingrained attachments, often leading to resistance from those who fear the loss of their perceived special place in the divine order.
and went on his way.
- Luke 4:30
Rather than engaging in conflict, Jesus embodied the wisdom of the Bodhisattva who moves with equanimity, free from attachment to praise or blame. Just as the enlightened ones remain unwavering in their path despite opposition, Jesus continued his mission, demonstrating the resilience of compassion and truth in the face of hostility.
This passage reminds us that the spiritual journey calls for a heart vast enough to embrace all beings with impartial love. Whether following Christ’s example or the Bodhisattva ideal, we are invited to cultivate boundless compassion and to walk our path undeterred by rejection or misunderstanding.