Those who are burdened with heavy loads

Those who are burdened with heavy loads The ministry of the ox

The keynote for Luke’s portrait of Jesus is set in his initial visit to the synagogue at Nazareth (4.16–30). Luke’s story is three times longer than the equivalent accounts which occur much later in Mark and Matthew (Mk. 6.1–6; Matt. 13.54–58). It is the crucial curtain-raiser for the rest of Jesus’ ministry. Luke shows Jesus fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy, anointed by the Spirit to preach good news to the poor and release to the captives, blind and oppressed (4.18–21), instead of ‘Repent, the Kingdom of God is at hand’ (Mk. 1.15: Matt. 4.17)…