When a rabbi was present at the synagogue, he was expected to deliver the sermon, and any Israelite might give the reading from the prophets. Upon this Sabbath Jesus was requested to take part in the service. He "stood up to read. And there was delivered unto Him a roll of the prophet Isaiah." Luke 4:16, 17, R. V., margin. The scripture which He read was one that was understood as referring to the Messiah: 237 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To preach deliverance to the captives, And recovering of sight to the blind, To set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord."

Når en rabbiner var til stede i synagogen, ventede man, at han skulle bolde prædikenen, og enhver israelit havde lov til at foretage oplæsningen af profeterne. På denne sabbatsdag anmodede man Jesus om at tage del i gudstjenesten. Han "stod op for at forelæse, og man gav ham profeten Esajas' bog". Luk. 4,16-17. Det skriftord, som han læste, var et, som man regnede for at vise hen til Messias: