02-05-06-Christ the Healer
If you wanted to start a business venture in an area what would be the first thing you would do? Go to a place where no one would recognize your abilities as a leader—your home town? Tell the people things that would make you sound like John D. Rockefeller, Donald Trump, and Bill Gates all rolled into one? Antagonize the leaders to the point that they would literally want to throw you out of town? No, to us that would seem silly and a certain recipe for failure.
Yet, when Jesus began His ministry in Galilee that is pretty much what He did. He had already been ministering and performing miracles in Judea, which in around Jerusalem, but when John the Baptist was imprisoned He decided to come to Galilee. So why when He came to His home town of Nazareth would He not do the same things He had been doing already. Why would He say things that would upset the leaders? Why would He claim to be the one who they had been looking for as the Messiah? Wasn’t he smart enough to know that His approach was all wrong and doomed to fail from the beginning? Today, I want to start to look at the healing aspects of God by examining the primary scripture that Jesus read to confirm who He was and why He was there.
Luke 4:16-21 (NIV) He went to Nazareth, where He had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day He went into the synagogue, as was His custom. And He stood up to read. 17 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. Unrolling it, He found the place where it is written: 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 20 Then He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on Him, 21 and He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
NASB And He came to aNazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, bHe entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and cstood up to read. 17 And the 1book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the 1book and found the place where it was written, 18 “aThe Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are oppressed, 19 aTo proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.” 20 And He aclosed the 1book, gave it back to the attendant and bsat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your 1hearing.”
Isa 61:1-3 (NIV) 1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.
NASB 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, to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners,2 To announce a year of favor from the LORD and a day of vindication by our God, to comfort all who mourn;3 To place on those who mourn in Zion a diadem instead of ashes, To give them oil of gladness in place of mourning, a glorious mantle instead of a listless spirit. They will be called oaks of justice, planted by the LORD to show his glory.
Notice the revolutionary implications of the Messiah’s mission. He came to deal with the enormous problems that have afflicted mankind throughout history:
Poverty. To preach the gospel to the poor.
Sorrow. To heal the brokenhearted.
Bondage. To proclaim liberty to the captives.
Suffering. And recovery of sight to the blind.
Oppression. To set at liberty those who are oppressed.
In short, He came to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord—the dawning of a new era for this world’s sighing, sobbing multitudes. He presented Himself as the answer to all the ills that torment us. And it is true, whether you think of these ills in a physical sense or in a spiritual sense. Christ is the answer.
It is significant that he stopped reading with the words “ ... to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” He did not add the rest of the words from Isaiah “ ... and the day of vengeance of our God.” The purpose of His First Coming was to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. This present age of grace is the accepted time and the day of salvation. When He returns to earth the second time, it will be to proclaim the day of vengeance of our God. Note that the acceptable time is spoken of as a year, the vengeance time as a day. [i]
18. Anointed. See on Christ, Matt. 1:1.
To preach good tidings. See on Gospel, Superscription of Matthew.
To the poor (πτωχοῖς). See on Matt. 5:3.
To heal the broken-hearted. The best texts omit. So Rev.
To preach (κηρύξαι). Better as Rev., proclaim, as a herald. See on 2 Pet. 2:5.
To the captives (αἰχμαλώτοις). From αἰχμή, a spear-point, and ἁλίσκομαι, to be taken or conquered. Hence, properly, of prisoners of war. Compare Isa. 42:7: “To bring out captives from the prison, and those who sit in darkness from the house of restraint.” The allusion is to Israel, both as captive exiles and as prisoners of Satan in spiritual bondage. Wyc. has caytifs, which formerly signified captives.
To set at liberty (ἀποστεῖλαι) Lit., to send away in discharge. Inserted from the Sept. of Isa. 58:6. See on ch. 3:3, and Jas. 5:15.
Them that are bruised (τεθραυσμένους). Lit., broken in pieces. Only here in New Testament. Wyc., to deliver broken men into remission. The same Hebrew word is used in Isa. 42:3: “a crushed reed shall he not break,” which the Septuagint translates by τεθλασμένον, a word which does not occur in the New Testament. In the citation of this latter passage (Matt. 12:20, on which see) the word for bruised is συντρίβω, which the Septuagint uses for break.
19. To preach (Rev., proclaim) the acceptable year of the Lord. As on the first day of the year of Jubilee, when the priests went through the land proclaiming, with sound of trumpet, the blessings of the opening year (Lev. 25:8–17). Note ver. 10, where liberty is to be proclaimed to all in that year. Wyc., the year of the Lord pleasant. A literal interpretation of the word year gave rise among some of the Christian fathers to the theory that our Lord’s ministry lasted but a single year.[ii]
Luke gives this sermon prominence as an introduction to the ministry of Jesus in his Gospel, though the actual inauguration of His ministry probably occurred almost a year earlier. Mark records this rejection of Jesus by the people of Nazareth about the end of the first year of His ministry (Mark 6:1–6). There could have been two such rejections, one at the beginning of His ministry and one later, but as v. 23 indicates, there has been a ministry at Capernaum already.
4:18 Jesus reads from Is. 61:1, 2 and interpolates a phrase from Is. 58:6, following the LXX. By stopping in the middle of Is. 61:2, Jesus calls attention to “the acceptable year of the Lord,” which compares the blessings of His ministry to the ancient Year of Jubilee.
4:19 The accuracy of Jesus and subsequently of Luke is remarkably demonstrated in a significant omission in Jesus’ quotation of Is. 61:1, 2. Jesus quotes the passage, omitting the phrase, “the day of vengeance of our God.” The Isaiah passage is messianic; but in the First Advent ministry of Jesus, the latter affirmation was not fulfilled. That fulfillment awaits the return of Christ. Therefore, Jesus omitted the last phrase in His concluding remark, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (v. 21).[iii]
19. acceptable year—an allusion to the jubilee year (Le 25:10), a year of universal release for person and property. (See also Is 49:8; 2Co 6:2.) As the maladies under which humanity groans are here set forth under the names of poverty, broken-heartedness, bondage, blindness, bruisedness (or crushedness), so, as the glorious Healer of all these maladies, Christ announces Himself in the act of reading it, stopping the quotation just before it comes to “the day of vengeance,” which was only to come on the rejecters of His message (Jn 3:17). The first words, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,” have been noted since the days of the Church Fathers, as an illustrious example of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost being exhibited as in distinct yet harmonious action in the scheme of salvation.[iv]
To be a great prophet. He was anointed to preach; that is three times mentioned here, for that was the work he was now entering upon. Observe,
(1.) To whom he was to preach: to the poor; to those that were poor in the world, whom the Jewish doctors disdained to undertake the teaching of and spoke of with contempt; to those that were poor in spirit, to the meek and humble, and to those that were truly sorrowful for sin: to them the gospel and the grace of it will be welcome, and they shall have it, Matt. xi. 5.
(2.) What he was to preach. In general, he must preach the gospel. He is sent euangelizesthai— to evangelize them; not only to preach to them, but to make that preaching effectual; to bring it, not only to their ears, but to their hearts, and deliver them into the mould of it. Three things he is to preach:—
[1.] Deliverance to the captives, The gospel is a proclamation of liberty, like that to Israel in Egypt and in Babylon. By the merit of Christ sinners may be loosed from the bonds of guilt, and by his Spirit and grace from the bondage of corruption. It is a deliverance from the worst of thraldoms, which all those shall have the benefit of that are willing to make Christ their Head, and are willing to be ruled by him.
[2.] Recovering of sight to the blind. He came not only by the word of his gospel to bring light to them that sat in the dark, but by the power of his grace to give sight to them that were blind; not only the Gentile world, but every unregenerate soul, that is not only in bondage, but in blindness, like Samson and Zedekiah. Christ came to tell us that he has eye-salve for us, which we may have for the asking; that, if our prayer be, Lord, that our eyes may be opened, his answer shall be, Receive your sight.
[3.] The acceptable year of the Lord, v. 19.
He came to let the world know that the God whom they had offended was willing to be reconciled to them, and to accept of them upon new terms; that there was yet a way of making their services acceptable to him; that there is now a time of good will toward men. It alludes to the year of release, or that of jubilee, which was an acceptable year to servants, who were then set at liberty; to debtors, against whom all actions then dropped; and to those who had mortgaged their lands, for then they returned to them again. Christ came to sound the jubilee-trumpet; and blessed were they that heard the joyful sound, Ps. lxxxix. 15.
It was an acceptable time, for it was a day of salvation.
2. Christ came to be a great Physician; for he was sent to heal the broken-hearted, to comfort and cure afflicted consciences, to give peace to those that were troubled and humbled for sins, and under a dread of God’s wrath against them for them, and to bring them to rest who were weary and heavy-laden, under the burden of guilt and corruption.
3. To be a great Redeemer. He not only proclaims liberty to the captives, as Cyrus did to the Jews in Babylon (Whoever will, may go up), but he sets at liberty them that are bruised; he doth by his Spirit incline and enable them to make use of the liberty granted, as then none did but those whose spirit God stirred up, Ezra i. 5.
He came in God’s name to discharge poor sinners that were debtors and prisoners to divine justice. The prophets could but proclaim liberty, but Christ, as one having authority, as one that had power on earth to forgive sins, came to set at liberty; and therefore this clause is added here. Dr. Lightfoot thinks that, according to a liberty the Jew allowed their readers, to compare scripture with scripture, in their reading, for the explication of the text, Christ added it from Isa. lviii. 6, where it is made the duty of the acceptable year to let the oppressed go free, where the phrase the LXX. uses is the same with this here.
(4.) Here is Christ’s application of this text to himself (v. 21) : When he had read it, he rolled up the book, and gave it again to the minister, or clerk, that attended, and sat down, according to the custom of the Jewish teachers; he sat daily in the temple, teaching, Matt. xxvi. 55.
Now he began his discourse thus, "This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. This, which Isaiah wrote by way of prophecy, I have now read to you by way of history." It now began to be fulfilled in Christ’s entrance upon his public ministry; now, in the report they heard of his preaching and miracles in other places; now, in his preaching to them in their own synagogue. It is most probable that Christ went on, and showed particularly how this scripture was fulfilled in the doctrine he preached concerning the kingdom of heaven at hand; that it was preaching liberty, and sight, and healing, and all the blessings of the acceptable year of the Lord. Many other gracious words proceeded out of his mouth, which these were but the beginning of; for Christ often preached long sermons, which we have but a short account of. This was enough to introduce a great deal: This day is this scripture fulfilled. Note, [v]
V. 17–19. The words differ in some things from the words of the prophet out of which they are quoted, Isa 61:1, where is nothing of recovering of sight to the blind; but they exactly agree with the Septuagint version, only, Luke 4:19, they have καλέσαι, to call, and Luke hath κηρύξαι, to preach, according to which probably the copies of the Septuagint in use with them were. It was their manner in the synagogues for the minister (an officer appointed to that purpose, see Luke 4:20) to bring the book of the law or of the prophets which was to be read, and to deliver it to him that officiated for that time, who, when he had read, redelivered it to the same officer to be laid up. Their writers tell us, that the books of Moses were divided into several portions, which they were tied to read in order; but for the books of the prophets, he that officiated was more at liberty to read in what place and proportion he pleased. Our Lord readeth Isa 61:1, which, according to the Septuagint copy, was as Luke here translated; and by the way, this custom of the writers of the New Testament, (writing in Greek), to quote texts out of the Old Testament, very often according to that Septuagint translation, may, first, give us some account of the difficulty we met with Luke 3:1–38, where Sa Lam was made the son of Cainan, and the grandchild of Arphaxad, whereas Moses mentions no Cainan, Ge 11:1–32 Luke, taking the quotation of the Septuagint, might put it in according to them, for they have it in Ge 11:12.
Secondly, it may learn us not to be too curious as to minute things in Scripture, for had it been a thing of moment, the Holy Spirit of God had certainly never suffered Luke to write after their copy, either there or here. God never had a church in any place, but he soon stirred up some to make an interpretation of the Scriptures for their use, and so far assisted them, that though they might differ from the Hebrew text, or the Greek, in some minute things, yet they differed not in any thing of moment necessary for us to know and believe in order to salvation. And the frequent quotations we have in the New Testament out of the Septuagint, incline us to think that it is the will of God, that particular persons in churches should make use of such versions, and take them for the Holy Scriptures, not lightly and ordinarily varying from them; the translating of Scriptures, being not an ordinary ministerial gift, but the work of some stirred up by God unto it, and whom he more than ordinarily so assists, as that they have not erred in any momentous thing. If this may be admitted, we need not lay the fault upon those who transcribed Luke’s copy. But let us come to the text itself.
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me.” Anointing may signify two things:
1. The endowment of the person with gifts and abilities fit for his work. Thus, 1 John 2:27, “the anointing” is said to “teach us all things”; and Christ is said, Ps 45:7 Heb 1:9, to be “anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows”, which the Baptist seemeth to interpret, John 3:34, “God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.”
2. Anointing also was a symbol of God’s calling out and sending a person to the execution of an office, 2 Ki 9:6.
3. I find also anointing used as a symbol of God’s purpose and designation of a person to an employment, to the performance of which he did not presently call him; thus David was anointed, 1 Sam 16:13.
By “the Spirit of the Lord is upon me,” I conceive is meant, exciting and quickening Christ to the present execution of that office to which God had anointed him; that is:
1. Of old designed him;
2. Fitted him, giving him the Spirit not by measure;
3. Now called him to the exercise of it: and because the Lord had so designed him, so prepared, and now so called him, the Spirit now excited and quickened him.
God stirreth up none to take upon them the office of the ministry, whom he hath not fitted with gifts for the discharge of it. But what was this employment to which Christ was anointed? εὐαγγελίσασθαι, “to preach the gospel to the poor”. This was the great work of our Lord and Saviour, to preach. And what? The gospel, the glad tidings of salvation. To whom? πτωχοι̂ς: it is used to signify those that are mean in the world, and, by a figure, those that are miserable and afflicted; and this I should take to be the sense here, in conformity to that other phrase which our Saviour useth to John’s disciples, Mt 6:5, and to that of the apostle, 1 Co 1:27. Christ was first sent to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel”, who were all at this time in a poor afflicted state and condition, and amongst them chiefly to the meaner sort. The rulers believed not on him, John 7:48; to teach ministers what Erasmus saith, “Nul Lam nobis anima vilis videri debet, pro qua Dominus gloriae mori non est dedignatus”, That they are too proud that despise the poor, and that we ought not to count any soul vile for which he who was the Lord of glory disdained not to die: we may add, to which the great Minister of the circumcision took himself to be anointed to preach.
I had rather thus understand it, than of such as are poor in spirit; which seem to be understood in the next words, “he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted”, whether wounded in the sense of sin, or melted in the sense of mercy: the whole hearted are such as see no need of repentance, no need of a Saviour; Christ came not to heal these; “The whole need not a physician.”
It followeth, “to preach deliverance to the captives;” to let them know, that are yet slaves to sin and to their lusts, that there is a way for their deliverance.
“And recovering of sight to the blind;” to let all blind sinners know, that there is an eye salve discovered, which if applied will recover their spiritual sight.
“To set at liberty them that are bruised”: it is of the same significance with binding up the broken in heart.
“To preach the acceptable year of the Lord;” the true jubilee, when every soul may be set free from the bonds of its sins, 2 Co 6:17; the year of God’s good will; that the time was now come, when in every nation he that feared God, and wrought righteousness, should be “accepted with him,” Ac 10:35.[vi]
9:18 the needy … the poor. The phrase “the poor and the needy” (35:10; 74:21; Prov. 31:9; Ezek. 18:12) is a fixed expression in the Old Testament, and the words also appear frequently in parallel (72:12; Job 24:4; Is. 32:7; Amos 8:4). The meaning is frequently literal poverty, but the words may also be used figuratively to express total dependence on God (40:17; 86:1; 109:22; also Matt. 5:3 and Luke 6:20). Poverty is not itself meritorious, but God gives special attention to the cries of the oppressed (12:5; 72:4 note). Jeremiah equates bringing “justice and righteousness” to the “poor and needy” with “knowing Me” (Jer. 22:15, 16). This was an explicit responsibility of those in power.[vii]
4:18, 19 acceptable year: An allusion to the OT Jubilee year, which proclaimed liberation for indentured servants and for the land (Lev. 25:8–55). However, Jesus would proclaim a greater liberation—a time of reconciliation with God and freedom from the results of human sin. He uses the quotation from Isaiah to announce His ministry and describe six aspects of it. See article “Major Messianic Passages.”[viii]
| Major Messianic Passages |
Major Messianic
The Hebrew word Messiah, meaning “Anointed One,” is translated “the Christ” in the Greek language. In the Old Testament, the word is often associated with the anointing of a prophet, a priest, king, or other ruler. God’s promise to Abraham that in him and his descendants all the world would be blessed (Gen. 12:1–3) created the expectancy of a kingdom of God on earth among the Hebrew people. The reign of David as king of Judah further shaped popular messianic expectations that the coming kingdom would be one like King David’s (2 Sam. 7).
As the Hebrew kingdom divided after Solomon’s time, the idea of a messianic deliverer became popular. The people of Israel looked for a political ruler to deliver them from their enemies. The “salvation” spoken of in the Psalms and some prophecies of Isaiah and Jeremiah was interpreted as referring to deliverance from Israel’s enemies, especially threatening world powers (Ps. 69:35; Is. 25:9; Jer. 42:11). The Hebrew people tended to overlook or ignore such prophecies as the Suffering Servant message of Isaiah 53, which foretold that the Messiah would suffer and die.
Major Old Testament passages indicated that the Messiah would be born of a virgin (Is. 7:14), in Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2), and that He would be a descendant of the house of David (2 Sam. 7:12). He would be “a Man of sorrows” (Is. 53:3) who would suffer rejection by His own people (Ps. 69:8), followed by betrayal by a friend (Ps. 41:9), and crucifixion between two thieves (Is. 53:12). As the Messiah died, His spirit would be commended to His Father (Ps. 31:5). He would be raised from the dead (Ps. 16:10) to take His place at God’s right hand (Ps. 110:1).
Jesus fulfilled these prophecies as Prophet, Priest, and King, but He came to deliver humankind from the reign of sin and bind us into God’s family (Luke 4:18, 19; Acts 2:36–42). “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36), He told Pilate. He ruled by serving (Matt. 20:25–28). As a priest, He offered not the blood of animals, but Himself, as a full and final sacrifice for sins (John 10:11–18; Heb. 9:12).
4:17 The prophecy of Is. 61:1, 2 describes the deliverance of Israel from exile in Babylon in terms of the Year of Jubilee, but its ultimate fulfillment awaited the coming of the messianic age. Jesus boldly claims to be the promised Messiah, and His defined ministry here becomes the ongoing essence of the good news of the gospel of the kingdom of God. Luke later makes it clear He passed this same ministry on to the disciples (9:1, 2) and ultimately to the entire church (Acts 1:1, 2).[ix]
The Preacher (14–30). The Spirit not only gives us victory, but He leads us (v. 14) and empowers us for service (v. 18). The text for our Lord’s message was Isaiah 61:1–2. It describes what Jesus came to do and what He is still doing in lives today. The people in the synagogue wanted a comforting sermon, not a convicting sermon. When Jesus mentioned God’s grace to the Gentiles (vv. 23–27), the people became angry and threw Him out! They forfeited His blessings because they rejected His word.[x]
The Spirit of the Lord is upon … You!
4:18 If you’ve ever assumed that God’s work in the world is accomplished primarily by ordained clergy, then you need to look carefully at Jesus’ words to the hometown crowd of Nazareth. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,” He declared, applying an Old Testament prophecy to Himself (Luke 4:18–19; Is. 61:1–2). “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21).
The promise fulfilled was that the Messiah had come and would do all of the things foretold in the ancient text. But the text went on to make more promises about what would happen after the Messiah’s initial work: “You shall be named the priests of the Lord, they shall call you the servants of our God” (Is. 61:6).
This would be a profound change. The tasks of “ministry” would no longer be done just by priests, rabbis, or clergy, but by all of God’s people. Just as the Spirit of the Lord had come upon Christ, enabling Him to accomplish God’s work, so the Spirit would enable Christ’s followers to accomplish God’s work, too.
If you are a believer in Christ, God has empowered you with His Spirit. Are you carrying out His assignments for you?
Paul affirmed the idea of everyday believers carrying out the work of God in Eph. 4:12–13. Likewise, Peter calls us “a royal priesthood” in 1 Pet. 2:9–10.[xi]
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Rev. Revised Version of the New Testament.
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a Luke 2:39, 51
b Matt 13:54; Mark 6:1f
c Acts 13:14–16
1 Or scroll
a Is 61:1; Matt 11:5; 12:18; John 3:34
a Is 61:2; Lev 25:10
a Luke 4:17
1 Or scroll
b Matt 26:55
1 Lit ears
[i]MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. (1997, c1995). Believer's Bible Commentary : Old and New Testaments (electronic ed.) (Lk 4:16). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
Wyc. Wycliffe’s Version of the New Testament.
Lit. Literally.
Sept. Septuagint Version of the Old Testament.
[ii]Vincent, M. R. (2002). Word studies in the New Testament (Vol. 1, Page 3-291). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
[iii]New Geneva study Bible. 1997, c1995. C1995 by Foundation for Reformation. (electronic ed.) (Lk 4:16). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[iv]Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., Fausset, A. R., Brown, D., & Brown, D. (1997). A commentary, critical and explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments. On spine: Critical and explanatory commentary. (Lk 4:19). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
[v]Henry, M. (.). E4's Matthew Henry's Complete 6 Volume Commentary (electronic ed.). :: ,.
[vi]Matthew Poole. (.). Matthew Poole's Commentary on the New Testament (electronic ed.) (Lk 4:20). :: ,.
[vii]New Geneva study Bible. 1997, c1995 (electronic ed.) (Ps 9:18). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
Major Messianic
The Hebrew word Messiah, meaning “Anointed One,” is translated “the Christ” in the Greek language. In the Old Testament, the word is often associated with the anointing of a prophet, a priest, king, or other ruler. God’s promise to Abraham that in him and his descendants all the world would be blessed (Gen. 12:1–3) created the expectancy of a kingdom of God on earth among the Hebrew people. The reign of David as king of Judah further shaped popular messianic expectations that the coming kingdom would be one like King David’s (2 Sam. 7).
As the Hebrew kingdom divided after Solomon’s time, the idea of a messianic deliverer became popular. The people of Israel looked for a political ruler to deliver them from their enemies. The “salvation” spoken of in the Psalms and some prophecies of Isaiah and Jeremiah was interpreted as referring to deliverance from Israel’s enemies, especially threatening world powers (Ps. 69:35; Is. 25:9; Jer. 42:11). The Hebrew people tended to overlook or ignore such prophecies as the Suffering Servant message of Isaiah 53, which foretold that the Messiah would suffer and die.
Major Old Testament passages indicated that the Messiah would be born of a virgin (Is. 7:14), in Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2), and that He would be a descendant of the house of David (2 Sam. 7:12). He would be “a Man of sorrows” (Is. 53:3) who would suffer rejection by His own people (Ps. 69:8), followed by betrayal by a friend (Ps. 41:9), and crucifixion between two thieves (Is. 53:12). As the Messiah died, His spirit would be commended to His Father (Ps. 31:5). He would be raised from the dead (Ps. 16:10) to take His place at God’s right hand (Ps. 110:1).
Jesus fulfilled these prophecies as Prophet, Priest, and King, but He came to deliver humankind from the reign of sin and bind us into God’s family (Luke 4:18, 19; Acts 2:36–42). “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36), He told Pilate. He ruled by serving (Matt. 20:25–28). As a priest, He offered not the blood of animals, but Himself, as a full and final sacrifice for sins (John 10:11–18; Heb. 9:12).
[viii]The Open Bible : New King James Version. 1998, c1997. Includes indexes. (electronic ed.) (Lk 4:18). Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.
[ix]Spirit filled life study Bible. 1997, c1991 (electronic ed.) (Lk 4:17). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[x]Wiersbe, W. W. (1997, c1991). With the word Bible commentary (electronic ed.) (Lk 4:1). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[xi]Word in life study Bible. 1997, c1996 (electronic ed.) (Lk 4:18). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.