“Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:21)

According to the Jewish custom, the ceremony into the synagogue on Sabbath started with the reading aloud of the books of Law. Afterwards, the book of the prophet Isaiah was read followed by the sermon.

Jesus deliberately opened and read chapter 61 of Isaiah where he posted the prophetic words on himself in order to tell the people about the coming of Messiah:

“The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; He has sent me to bring glad tidings to the lowly, the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners, to announce a year of favor from the LORD.”

Did the wealthy not have a place in the heavenly kingdom? Please listen to the dialogue between Jesus and a rich man:

“An official asked him this question, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

Jesus answered him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.

You know the commandments, 'You shall not commit adultery; you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; honor your father and your mother.'" And he replied, "All of these I have observed from my youth."

When Jesus heard this he said to him, "There is still one thing left for you: sell all that you have and distribute it to the poor, and you will have a treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

But when he heard this he became quite sad, for he was very rich.

Jesus looked at him (now sad) and said, "How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!

For it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God."

Those who heard this said, "Then who can be saved?"

And he said, "What is impossible for human beings is possible for God." (Luke 18: 18-27)

The conversion of the two tax collectors, Matthew and Zacchaeus have shown the best example, with the former giving everything up to follow Jesus; while the latter donated half of his possessions to the poor and repaid four times over for any extorted.