The Good News of Salvation
Because the Lord bhas anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me cto heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim dliberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
And bthe day of vengeance of our God;
cTo comfort all who mourn,
aTo give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
bThe planting of the Lord, cthat He may be glorified.”
They shall raise up the former desolations,
And they shall repair the ruined cities,
The desolations of many generations.
And the sons of the foreigner
Shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.
They shall call you the servants of our God.
bYou shall eat the riches of the Gentiles,
And in their glory you shall boast.
And instead of confusion they shall rejoice in their portion.
Therefore in their land they shall possess double;
Everlasting joy shall be theirs.
bI hate robbery1 for burnt offering;
I will direct their work in truth,
cAnd will make with them an everlasting covenant.
| << Isaiah 61:1 | Isaiah 61:3 >> |
Isaiah 61:2
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord - (see the notes at Isaiah 49:8). There is probably an allusion here to the year of Jubilee, when the trumpet was blown, and liberty was proclaimed throughout all the land (so Leviticus 25:9-10). In like manner the Messiah would come to proclaim universal liberty - liberty to all the world from the degrading servitude of sin. The time of his coming would be a time when Yahweh would be pleased to proclaim through him universal emancipation from this ignoble bondage, and to restore to all the privilege of being the freedmen of the Lord.
And the day of vengeance of our God - (See the notes at Isaiah 34:8). This is language adapted to the deliverance from Babylon. The rescue of his people would be attended with vengeance on their enemies. This was not quoted by the Saviour in his discourse at Nazareth, or if quoted, the fact is not recorded by Luke (see Luke 4:19). The text which the Saviour took then as the foundation of his discourse Luke 4:21, seems to have ended with the clause before this, It is not to be inferred, however, that he did not consider the subsequent expressions as referring to himself, but it was not necessary to his purpose to quote them. Regarded as applicable to the Redeemer and his preaching, this doubtless refers to the fact that his coming would be attended with vengeance on his foes. It is a great truth, manifest everywhere, that God' s coming forth at any time to deliver his people is attended with vengeance on his enemies. So it was in the destruction of Idumea - regarded as the general representative of all the foes of God (see the notes at Isa. 34; Isaiah 35:1-10); so it was in the deliverance from Egypt - involving the destruction of Pharaoh and his host; so in the destruction of Babylon and the deliverance of the captives there. So in like manner it was in the destruction of Jerusalem; and so it will be at the end of the world Matt. 25:31-46; II Thessalonians 1:7-10.
To comfort all that mourn - The expression, ' all that mourn,' may refer either to those who mourn over the loss of earthly friends and possessions, or to those who mourn over sin. In either case the gospel has afforded abundant sources of consolation (see the notes at Isaiah 25:8).
Other Barnes' Notes entries containing Isaiah 61:2:
Leviticus 25:47-54
Psalms 69:13
Isaiah 42:7
Nahum 1:2
Matthew 3:11
Matthew 5:4
Luke 4:17
| << Isaiah 61:1 | Isaiah 61:3 >> |
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