Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
Anointed me (exrisen me). First aorist active indicative of the verb xriw from which
Christ (Xristov) is derived, the Anointed One. Isaiah is picturing the Jubilee year and the release of captives and the return from the Babylonian exile with the hope of the Messiah through it all. Jesus here applies this Messianic language to himself. "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me" as was shown at the baptism (Luke 3:21) where he was also "anointed" for his mission by the Father's voice (Luke 3:22).
To the poor (ptwxoiv). Jesus singles this out also as one of the items to tell John the Baptist in prison (Luke 7:22). Our word Gospel is a translation of the Greek Euaggelion, and it is for the poor.
He hath sent me (apestalken me). Change of tense to perfect active indicative. He is now on that mission here. Jesus is God's Apostle to men (John 17:3, Whom thou didst send).
Proclaim (khrucai). As a herald like Noah (II Peter 2:5).
To the captives (aixmalwtoiv). Prisoners of war will be released (aixmh, a spear point, and alwtov, from aliskomai, to be captured). Captured by the spear point. Common word, but here only in the N.T.
Set at liberty (aposteilai). First aorist active infinitive of apostellw. Same verb as apestalken, above. Brought in here from Isaiah 58:6. Plummer suggests that Luke inserts it here from memory. But Jesus could easily have turned back the roll and read it so.
Them that are bruised (teqrausmenouv). Perfect passive participle of qrauw, an old verb, but here only in the N.T. It means to break in pieces broken in heart and often in body as well. One loves to think that Jesus felt it to be his mission to mend broken hearts like pieces of broken earthenware, real rescue-mission work. Jesus mends them and sets them free from their limitations.
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Luke 4:18:
Matthew 4:13
Mark 1:21
Mark 5:17
Mark 10:51
John 7:5
John 9:39
Acts 4:27
Ephesians 4:8
Hebrews 1:9
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