The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
Because the Lord anointed me
To bring good news to the humble;
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
To proclaim release to captives
And freedom to prisoners;
To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,
To grant those who mourn in Zion,
Giving them a garland instead of ashes,
The oil of gladness instead of mourning,
The cloak of praise instead of a disheartened spirit.
So they will be called oaks of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. Isaiah 61:1-3
It was from this passage in Isaiah that Jesus read from in the synagogue saying “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:21)
It is interesting to note that there are differences between the Isaiah passage and the Luke 4:18-19 quote of what Jesus said. Some of the commentaries speak of these variations.
Barnes’ Notes on the Bible says this: “By the “poor” are meant all those who are destitute of the comforts of this life, and who therefore may be more readily disposed to seek treasures in heaven; all those who are sensible of their sins, or are poor in spirit; and all the “miserable” and the afflicted. Our Savior gave it as one proof that he was the Messiah, or was from God, that he preached to “the poor”. The Pharisees and Sadducees despised the poor; ancient philosophers neglected them; but the gospel seeks to bless them – to give comfort where it is felt to be needed, and where it will be received with gratitude. Riches fill the mind with pride, with self-complacency, and with a feeling that the gospel is not needed. The poor “feel” their need of some sources of comfort that the world cannot give, and accordingly our Savior met with his greatest success the gospel among the poor; and there also, “since,” the gospel has shed its richest blessings and its purest joys. It is also one proof that the gospel is true. If it had been of “men,” it would have sought the rich and mighty; but it pours contempt on all human greatness, and seeks, like God, to do good to those whom the world overlooks or despises.”
In the Isaiah passage the word ‘humble’ was the word for ‘poor’. There are also other slight variations in Jesus’ interpretation reading. What is interesting is to zoom out and look at the macro scale of what Jesus was proclaiming about Himself. To those who actually understood… it was that this was His declaration of being aligned with the Messiah. This was Jesus’ view of His purpose. These are the things He came to do … for you.
These are the things Jesus wants to do for you. Are you allowing Him to do them in your life? Are you entering into fellowship with Jesus – that you are actually experiencing these things in your encounters with Him?
Have you just sat and asked Him to help you understand these things? And what and how these things will be encountered with Him in your life? Do you want the deeper things with God? Do you seek the healing of your soul by Jesus? Do you need Him to set you ‘free’ you from the shackles in your life? (fear, doubt, depression, addiction, low self -worth, co-dependency, evil thoughts, etc.)
Communion with Jesus leads us into freedom. Ask the Holy Spirit to take you deeper with Jesus. Ask Him to reveal Jesus. Invite Jesus through the door of your deepest needs and wounds. You have to open the door of your heart to Jesus. He is knocking. Will you answer Him?