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Commentary on Isaiah 61 verses 1–3
He that is the best expositor of scripture has no doubt given us the best exposition of these verses, even our Lord Jesus himself, who read this in the synagogue at Nazareth (perhaps it was the lesson for the day) and applied it entirely to himself, saying, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears (Luk 4:17, Luk 4:18, Luk 4:21); and the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth, in the opening of this text, were admired by all that heard them. As Isaiah was authorized and directed to proclaim liberty to the Jews in Babylon, so was Christ, God's messenger, to publish a more joyful jubilee to a lost world. And here we are told,
I. How he was fitted and qualified for this work: The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, Isa 61:1. The prophets had the Spirit of God moving them at times, both instructing them what to say and exciting them to say it. Christ had the Spirit always resting on him without measure; but to the same intent that the prophets had, as a Spirit of counsel and a Spirit of courage, Isa 11:1-3. When he entered upon the execution of his prophetical office the Spirit, as a dove, descended upon him, Mat 3:16. This Spirit which was upon him he communicated to those whom he sent to proclaim the same glad tidings, saying to them, when he gave them their commission, Receive you the Holy Ghost, thereby ratifying it.
II. How he was appointed and ordained to it: The Spirit of God is upon me, because the Lord God has anointed me. What service God called him to he furnished him for; therefore he gave him his Spirit, because he had by a sacred and solemn unction set him apart to this great office, as kings and priests were of old destined to their offices by anointing. Hence the Redeemer was called the Messiah, the Christ, because he was anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows. He has sent me; our Lord Jesus did not go unsent; he had a commission from him that is the fountain of power; the Father sent him and gave him commandment. This is a great satisfaction to us, that, whatever Christ said, he had a warrant from heaven for; his doctrine was not his, but his that sent him.
III. What the work was to which he was appointed and ordained.
1.He was to be a preacher, was to execute the office of a prophet. So well pleased was he with the good-will God showed towards men through him that he would himself be the preacher of it, that an honour might thereby be put upon the ministry of the gospel and the faith of the saints might be confirmed and encouraged. He must preach good tidings (so gospel signified) to the meek, to the penitent, and humble, and poor in spirit; to them the tidings of a Redeemer will be indeed good tidings, pure gospel, faithful sayings, and worthy of all acceptation. The poor are commonly best disposed to receive the gospel (Jam 2:5), and it is likely to profit us when it is received with meekness, as it ought to be; to such Christ preached good tidings when he said, Blessed are the meek.
2.He was to be a healer. He was sent to bind up the broken-hearted, as pained limbs are rolled to give them ease, as broken bones and bleeding wounds are bound up, that they may knit and close again. Those whose hearts are broken for sin, who are truly humbled under the sense of guilt and dread of wrath, are furnished in the gospel of Christ with that which will make them easy and silence their fears. Those only who have experienced the pains of a penitential contrition may expect the pleasure of divine cordials and consolations.
3.He was to be a deliverer. He was sent as a prophet to preach, as a priest to heal, and as a king to issue out proclamations and those of two kinds: - (1.) Proclamations of peace to his friends: He shall proclaim liberty to the captives (as Cyrus did to the Jews in captivity) and the opening of the prison to those that were bound. Whereas, by the guilt of sin, we are bound over to the justice of God, are his lawful captives, sold for sin till payment be made of that great debt, Christ lets us know that he has made satisfaction to divine justice for that debt, that his satisfaction is accepted, and if we will plead that, and depend upon it, and make over ourselves and all we have to him, in a grateful sense of the kindness he has done us, we may be faith sue out our pardon and take the comfort of it; there is, and shall be, no condemnation to us. And whereas, by the dominion of sin in us, we are bound under the power of Satan, sold under sin, Christ lets us know that he has conquered Satan, has destroyed him that had the power of death and his works, and provided for us grace sufficient to enable us to shake off the yoke of sin and to loose ourselves from those bands of our neck. The Son is ready by his Spirit to make us free; and then we shall be free indeed, not only discharged from the miseries of captivity, but advanced to all the immunities and dignities of citizens. This is the gospel proclamation, and it is like the blowing of the jubilee-trumpet, which proclaimed the great year of release (Lev 25:9, Lev 25:40), in allusion to which it is here called the acceptable year of the Lord, the time of our acceptance with God, which is the origin of our liberties; or it is called the year of the Lord because it publishes his free grace, to his own glory, and an acceptable year because it brings glad tidings to us, and what cannot but be very acceptable to those who know the capacities and necessities of their own souls. (2.) Proclamations of war against his enemies. Christ proclaims the day of vengeance of our God, the vengeance he takes, [1.] On sin and Satan, death and hell, and all the powers of darkness, that were to be destroyed in order to our deliverances; these Christ triumphed over in his cross, having spoiled and weakened them, shamed them, and made a show of them openly, therein taking vengeance on them for all the injury they had done both to God and man, Col 2:15. [2.] On those of the children of men that stand it out against those fair offers. They shall not only be left, as they deserve, in their captivity, but be dealt with as enemies; we have the gospel summed up, Mar 16:16, where that part of it, He that believes shall be saved, proclaims the acceptable year of the Lord to those that will accept of it; but the other part, He that believes not shall be damned, proclaims the day of vengeance of our God, that vengeance which he will take on those that obey not the gospel of Jesus Christ, Th2 1:8.
4.He was to be a comforter, and so he is as preacher, healer, and deliverer; he is sent to comfort all who mourn, and who, mourning, seek to him, and not to the world, for comfort. Christ not only provides comfort for them, and proclaims it, but he applies it to them; he does by his Spirit comfort them. There is enough in him to comfort all who mourn, whatever their sore or sorrow is; but this comfort is sure to those who mourn in Zion, who sorrow after a godly sort, according to God, for his residence is in Zion, - who mourn because of Zion's calamities and desolations, and mingle their tears by a holy sympathy with those of all God's suffering people, though they themselves are not in trouble; such tears God has a bottle for (Psa 56:8), such mourners he has comfort in store for. As blessings out of Zion are spiritual blessings, so mourners in Zion are holy mourners, such as carry their sorrows to the throne of grace (for in Zion was the mercy-seat) and pour them out as Hannah did before the Lord. To such as these Christ has appointed by his gospel, and will give by his Spirit (Isa 61:3), those consolations which will not only support them under their sorrows, but turn them into songs of praise. He will give them, (1.) Beauty for ashes. Whereas they lay in ashes, as was usual in times of great mourning, they shall not only be raised out of their dust, but made to look pleasant. Note, The holy cheerfulness of Christians is their beauty and a great ornament to their profession. Here is an elegant paronomasia in the original: He will give them pheer - beauty, for epher - ashes; he will turn their sorrow into joy as quickly and as easily as you can transpose a letter; for he speaks, and it is done. (2.) The oil of joy, which make the face to shine, instead of mourning, which disfigures the countenance and makes it unlovely. this oil of joy the saints have from that oil of gladness with which Christ himself was anointed above his fellows, Heb 1:9. (3.) The garments of praise, such beautiful garments as were worn on thanksgiving-days, instead of the spirit of heaviness, dimness, or contraction - open joys for secret mournings. The spirit of heaviness they keep to themselves (Zion's mourners weep in secret); but the joy they are recompensed with they are clothed with as with a garment in the eye of others. Observe, Where God gives the oil of joy he gives the garment of praise. Those comforts which come from God dispose the heart to, and enlarge the heart in, thanksgivings to God. Whatever we have the joy of God must have the praise and glory of.
5.He was to be a planter; for the church is God's husbandry. Therefore he will do all this for his people, will cure their wounds, release them out of bondage, and comfort them in their sorrows, that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that they may be such and be acknowledged to be such, that they may be ornaments to God's vineyard and may be fruitful in the fruits of righteousness, as the branches of God's planting, Isa 60:21. All that Christ does for us is to make us God's people, and some way serviceable to him as living trees, planted in the house of the Lord, and flourishing in the courts of our God; and all this that he may be glorified - that we may be brought to glorify him by a sincere devotion and an exemplary conversation (for herein is our Father glorified, that we bring broth much fruit), that others also may take occasion from God's favour shining on his people, and his grace shining in them, to praise him, and that he may be for ever glorified in his saints.
And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, 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. [Isaiah 61:1-2] And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
(Chapter 61—Verse 1 and following) The Spirit of the Lord God (in the Vulgate it is "God") is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me: to bring good news to the meek, He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted (in the Vulgate it is "broken-hearted"), to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, to grant to those who mourn in Zion: to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit. LXX: The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, to provide for those who mourn in Zion— to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit. They will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, to display his glory. To whom the Psalmist had already said: You have loved righteousness and hated iniquity; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your companions (Ps. 45:7). When "companions" are mentioned, understand the nature of the flesh, because God does not have companions of his own substance. And because it was a spiritual anointing, and by no means of the human body, as it was in the priests of the Jews, therefore it is mentioned that he was anointed above his companions, that is, above the other saints. Whose anointing was completed at that time, when he was baptized in the Jordan, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in the form of a dove, and remained in him (John 1). Of whom this same Prophet also said: A branch shall come forth from the root of Jesse, and a flower shall rise up from his root, and the spirit of God, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and fortitude, the spirit of knowledge and piety, shall rest upon him (Isaiah 11:1, 2). And when the Savior came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, after being baptized in the Jordan, he entered, according to his custom, into the synagogue on the Sabbath day. And when he had risen to read, the book of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. And opening the book, he found the place where it was written: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. When He had rolled up the scroll, He gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. Then He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” And all were speaking well of Him and marveling at the gracious words that were falling from His lips. They were saying, “Is this not Joseph’s son?” He said to them, “No doubt you will quote this proverb to Me: ‘Physician, heal yourself! Do here in Your hometown what we have heard that You did in Capernaum.’” And He continued, “Truly I tell you that no prophet is accepted in his hometown. But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and great famine swept over all the land. Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.” When they heard this, everyone in the synagogue was enraged. They got up, drove Him out of the town, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, in order to throw Him off the cliff. But Jesus passed through the crowd and went on His way. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. He has been anointed with the Holy Spirit to proclaim good news to the poor or meek, saying to them in the Gospel: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. And: Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. And he was sent to heal those who are brokenhearted and say: A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Or according to Symmachus and Theodotion, to preach the remission of sins to captives, the ability for the blind to see, or the opening for the closed, which Symmachus interpreted more clearly as the release of the bound. As it is said above, or rather to whom it is said: Behold, I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, to open the eyes of the blind, to bring out those who are bound, and those who sit in darkness out of the prison house (Isaiah 42:6-7). But understand that the acceptable year and day of retribution, the entirety of his preaching in which he was present in the flesh, refers to a specific time. This is also interpreted by the Apostle Paul in reference to the first coming of the Savior, saying: Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation (1 Corinthians 6:2). We have spoken more fully about this above (Chapter 60). However, if retribution is understood not in the rewards of the good, but in the punishments of sins, then it should be understood in relation to the day of vengeance, which pertains to the Jewish people, upon whom immediately after his passion, the wrath of God came. He consoled all those mourning, saying: Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted (Matt. 5); so that he would console those who mourn for Zion and give them a glorious crown instead of ashes. Among them was also the Apostle Paul who mourned for Zion and said: I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish (Rom. 9): And again: I wished myself to be cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kin according to the flesh, who are Israelites (Ibid., 3). And therefore, mourning and lamenting, they received the oil of joy, seeing that many of the Jews had believed, and received the most pure garment, instead of mourning clothing.
Being God by nature, the Only Begotten is the holy of holies, and he sanctifies all creation and so originates from the holy Father with the Holy Spirit proceeding from him and sending in the power from above to those on earth who recognize him. How was he sanctified? For he is God and man equally; he gives the Spirit to creation but receives the Spirit on account of being human.…“Acceptable” is that year in which we were received, when we took kinship with him, having our sins washed away through holy baptism and becoming partakers of the divine nature through the sharing of the Holy Spirit. Or “acceptable” is the year in which he revealed his glory through the divine miracle attesting the message. We received the time for salvation gladly … the day of reckoning is none other than the time of his dwelling among us in which the reckoning has been given by him to those believing in him through the promise in hope.… For the Savior himself said, “Now is the judgment of this world, now is the prince of the world cast out.” The time of reckoning, then, is in this manner, when Christ illuminated the world.
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SUMMARY
Isaiah 61:2 serves as a pivotal prophetic declaration, articulating the dual mission of the Anointed One. It unveils a divinely ordained period of grace and favor, termed "the acceptable year of the LORD," juxtaposed with a contrasting "day of vengeance of our God." This profound verse culminates in the overarching purpose of bringing comprehensive comfort and restoration to all who mourn, outlining both the salvific and judicial dimensions of the Messiah's work and promising profound liberation and solace to a suffering world.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Isaiah 61:2 masterfully employs several potent literary devices to convey its profound and multifaceted message. The most prominent is Juxtaposition or Antithesis, evident in the stark contrast between "the acceptable year of the LORD" and "the day of vengeance of our God." This pairing highlights the two distinct, yet complementary, phases or aspects of God's interaction with humanity: a period defined by grace and an appointed time for judgment. This contrast is not contradictory but reveals the comprehensive nature of God's character—both infinitely merciful and perfectly just. The verse also functions as Prophecy, specifically Messianic Prophecy, foretelling the future ministry of a divinely appointed deliverer. The terms "year" and "day" are best understood as Metaphorical or Symbolic representations of extended periods or specific, divinely ordained events, rather than literal 24-hour days or 365-day years, emphasizing their theological significance. Furthermore, there is an element of Parallelism in the grammatical structure, with each clause beginning with an infinitive ("To proclaim," "to comfort"), creating a rhythmic and purposeful declaration that underscores the comprehensive nature of the Anointed One's mission.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Isaiah 61:2 stands as a profound theological cornerstone, illuminating the comprehensive nature of God's redemptive plan and the multifaceted character of the Messiah. It reveals a God who is both infinitely gracious, extending an "acceptable year" of favor and salvation, and perfectly just, ensuring a "day of vengeance" where all evil will be confronted and His people vindicated. This tension is perfectly resolved and embodied in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who perfectly manifests both grace and truth. The verse also powerfully underscores the ultimate goal of God's redemptive work: the profound comfort, healing, and holistic restoration of humanity, particularly those who mourn under the weight of sin, suffering, and injustice. It speaks to the divine compassion that drives God's intervention in human history, promising not just an end to suffering but a complete and glorious renewal.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Isaiah 61:2 offers profound hope and a clear understanding of God's character and His unfolding plan, with deep and transformative implications for our lives today. We are currently living in the ongoing "acceptable year of the LORD," a season of unparalleled grace and divine favor ushered in by Christ's first coming. In this era, salvation is freely offered, and spiritual liberation from the bondage of sin and death is available to all who believe. This profound truth calls us to embrace God's unmerited favor, to live in the freedom and new life that Christ provides, and to actively extend this good news of reconciliation and hope to others. Simultaneously, the promise "to comfort all that mourn" is a present reality for believers through the indwelling Holy Spirit, who is our divine Comforter and Advocate. In our own sorrows, losses, and times of distress, we can find profound solace in God's compassionate presence and His unwavering promise of ultimate restoration. This verse also reminds us that while God is infinitely gracious, He is also perfectly just. The "day of vengeance" assures us that evil and injustice will not triumph indefinitely, providing a foundational hope and ultimate vindication for those who suffer unjustly, and serving as a powerful call to live righteously and faithfully in anticipation of His glorious return.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did Jesus quote only part of Isaiah 61:2 in Luke 4:18-19?
Answer: Jesus intentionally stopped His quotation of Isaiah 61:2 after "To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD" and before "and the day of vengeance of our God" when He read from the scroll in the synagogue in Nazareth (Luke 4:18-19). This deliberate omission is profoundly significant, indicating the nature of His first advent. His initial coming was primarily to inaugurate the "acceptable year"—a time of grace, salvation, and spiritual liberation, fulfilling the prophetic themes of Jubilee. The "day of vengeance" refers to God's righteous judgment and retribution, which Jesus will fully execute at His glorious second coming. By stopping where He did, Jesus clearly differentiated between the two distinct phases of His Messianic mission, emphasizing His role as Savior and bringer of grace in His first coming and His future role as the righteous Judge.
What is the profound significance of "the acceptable year of the LORD"?
Answer: "The acceptable year of the LORD" (Hebrew: sh'nat ratzon l'Yĕhôvâh) signifies a divinely appointed period of unparalleled favor, goodwill, and grace. It draws heavily on the rich imagery of the Year of Jubilee in Leviticus 25, a sacred time when debts were canceled, slaves were freed, and ancestral lands were returned to their original owners. Spiritually, it represents the era of salvation ushered in by Jesus Christ, offering profound freedom from the bondage of sin, spiritual debt, and alienation from God. It is a time when God's benevolent disposition is extended to humanity, inviting all to receive His unmerited favor, experience reconciliation, and enter into a new covenant relationship with Him.
How does the "day of vengeance of our God" relate to God's character of love and mercy?
Answer: While seemingly contradictory to God's character of love, the "day of vengeance" (Hebrew: yôwm nâqâm lĕʼĕlôhêynû) is, in fact, an essential expression of God's perfect justice, holiness, and unwavering commitment to righteousness. It is not about arbitrary wrath or personal spite, but about righteous retribution against sin, evil, and rebellion that defy His holy nature and oppress His creation. For those who persistently reject God's grace and cling to wickedness, it signifies ultimate judgment. However, for God's suffering people, it is a glorious day of vindication, where God rights all wrongs, delivers the oppressed, and definitively establishes His perfect kingdom. This aspect of God's character ensures that evil will not triumph indefinitely and that ultimate justice will prevail, reflecting His profound love for His people, whom He will ultimately deliver and restore.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Isaiah 61:2 finds its ultimate, most profound, and comprehensive fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ, the Anointed One (Messiah). When Jesus stood in the synagogue in Nazareth and read from Isaiah 61:1-2a, declaring, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing," He unequivocally identified Himself as the one sent "to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD." His first advent inaugurated this very era of divine favor, offering salvation, spiritual healing, and liberation from the bondage of sin to all who would believe. Through His perfect life, atoning death, and glorious resurrection, Jesus became the embodiment of God's boundless grace, making it possible for humanity to enter into this "acceptable time" (2 Corinthians 6:2). However, Jesus deliberately paused before the phrase "and the day of vengeance of our God," signifying that this aspect of the prophecy awaits His glorious second coming. At His triumphant return, Christ will appear as the righteous Judge, executing divine justice upon wickedness and bringing ultimate vindication and deliverance to His suffering people (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10). Finally, the promise "to comfort all that mourn" is realized both presently through Christ's compassionate ministry, His sending of the Holy Spirit as the Comforter and Advocate (John 14:26), and ultimately in His promise to wipe away every tear in the new heavens and new earth (Revelation 21:4). Thus, Jesus Christ is the comprehensive fulfiller of Isaiah 61:2, embodying both God's boundless grace and His perfect justice, and bringing eternal comfort and restoration to all who trust in Him.