Isaiah 61:1

The Spirit. This is one of the most striking chapters of the book of Isaiah. For every Christian this is clearly a Messianic prophecy, one that Jesus applied to Himself in His home town of Nazareth (see on Luke 4:16-21). The speaker is Christ, in His role as God’s Servant (see on Isa. 41:8). The subject matter of ch. 61 is closely related to that of ch. 60 (compare ch. 61:3 with ch. 60:9, 15, 18, 20, 21).

Ancient Jewish expositors recognized the Messianic import of this and many other passages in Isaiah. Verses 1-3 present a graphic picture of what the Messiah was to have accomplished for His people Israel as individuals and as a nation. Because of their rejection of Jesus as the Messiah (see pp. 30-33), however, the nation as such forfeited the ministry and favor of Messiah.

Anointed me. Heb. mashach, from which is derived the noun mashiach, “anointed one,” or “Messiah” (see on Ps. 2:2; Matt. 1:1; Luke 4:18). Mashach might thus appropriately be translated, “made me Messiah.” At the ceremony of anointing, an individual was set apart for some particular office or mission. Aaron was anointed by Moses to be high priest (Ex. 40:13). Both Saul and David were anointed by Samuel (1 Sam. 10:1; 16:13). Elijah was to anoint Jehu as king and Elisha as prophet (1 Kings 19:16). Christ was to be anointed by God the Father (Ps. 45:7) through the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:38) at the time of His baptism (Mark 1:10; Luke 3:21, 22).

To preach. The great work of Christ on earth was to proclaim the “good tidings,” or “good news,” of salvation (see on Mark 1:1). After His anointing, Jesus went about from place to place preaching His message of forgiveness and acceptance with God (Luke 4:14, 15, 21, 31, 43, 44; 5:32; 6:20; 8:1; etc.).

The meek. Following the LXX, NT writers read “the poor” (see on Luke 4:18; cf. Matt. 11:5). Christ’s message was for the poor and the meek in spirit (Matt. 5:3, 5). Jesus Himself was “meek and lowly in heart” (Matt. 11:29), and those who came to Him were to become like Him (see 1 John 3:1-3).

To bind up. Jesus came to assuage the suffering of those who are grieved and weary of their burden of sin (see on Matt. 5:3; Matt. 11:28-30; Luke 4:18). Christ is the Great Physician, who came to heal the hearts and souls of men.

To proclaim liberty. Men who yield to sin become its captives and slaves (John 8:34; Rom. 6:16). Christ came to free men from the bondage of evil and to make them free in Him (John 8:36; Rom. 6:1-23; 8:2, 15, 21). The phrase itself and the thought it expresses are taken from the proclamation made in the year of jubilee (Lev. 25:10; Jer. 34:8; Eze. 46:17). See on Luke 4:18.

Opening of the prison. Literally, “restoring the sight,” as in the LXX, or, “recovering of sight,” as in Luke 4:18. The Hebrew verb paqach is never used in the sense of opening a door, but exclusively of the restoring of sight to the blind and of hearing to the deaf (Isa. 35:5; 42:7; etc.). In ch. 42:1, 7, the Lord’s Servant — Messiah — was to do the very work here foretold.