Chapter Overview
Summary
Isaiah 61 is the JESUS' NAZARETH-MANIFESTO chapter. Verses 1–2 are cited at Luke 4:18–19 — Jesus' inaugural sermon at-the-Nazareth-synagogue: 'today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.' This passage is the most-explicit Messianic-self-proclamation by Jesus drawing-on-OT-Scripture. The Servant-Christology reaches-its-public-self-disclosure here.
Notable Variants
61:1–2 → Luke 4:18–19 — JESUS' NAZARETH MANIFESTO; 61:3 'oil of gladness for mourning' → Heb 1:9 echo; 61:6 'priests of the LORD' → 1 Pet 2:9 'royal priesthood'; 61:10 'garments of salvation' wedding-Christology.
Structural Notes
MT Isaiah 61 = LXX Isaiah 61. 11 verses. JESUS' NAZARETH-MANIFESTO chapter.
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the eyes to those who are bound,
Masoretic (WLC)
רוּחַ אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה עָלָי יַעַן מָשַׁח יְהוָה אֹתִי לְבַשֵּׂר עֲנָוִים שְׁלָחַנִי לַחֲבֹשׁ לְנִשְׁבְּרֵי־לֵב לִקְרֹא לִשְׁבוּיִם דְּרוֹר וְלַאֲסוּרִים פְּקַח־קוֹחַ
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound
Septuagint (LXX)
πνεῦμα κυρίου ἐπ᾽ ἐμέ οὗ εἵνεκεν ἔχρισέν με εὐαγγελίσασθαι πτωχοῖς ἀπέσταλκέν με ἰάσασθαι τοὺς συντετριμμένους τῇ καρδίᾳ κηρύξαι αἰχμαλώτοις ἄφεσιν καὶ τυφλοῖς ἀνάβλεψιν
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind
LUKE 4:18 EXPLICIT CITATION — JESUS' NAZARETH-MANIFESTO. Luke 4:18 cites this verse VERBATIM-FROM-LXX as Jesus' opening-public-self-declaration: 'THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE HAS ANOINTED ME TO PROCLAIM GOOD NEWS TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM LIBERTY TO THE CAPTIVES AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET AT LIBERTY THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED.' Jesus then declares (Luke 4:21): 'Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.' This-is-the-most-explicit Messianic-self-claim of-Jesus.
RECOVERY-OF-SIGHT (anablepsin). The LXX includes 'recovery-of-sight to-the-blind' (typhlois anablepsin) — absent-from-MT (which-has 'opening-of-prison'). Jesus' citation follows-the-LXX-version. The blind-receiving-sight directly-fulfilled-in-Christ's-healing-ministry (Mark 10:52, John 9 etc.).
JESUS-STOPS-AT-FAVOR. Jesus famously-stops-at-the-middle-of-Isa 61:2 ('the year of the LORD's favor') and does-not-quote 'and the day of vengeance of our God' — leaving-the-vengeance-clause for-his-second-coming. The first-coming is-favor; the second-coming-judgment.
to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn,
'To proclaim the year of the LORD's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn' tracks MT. YEAR-OF-LORD'S-FAVOR. The Jubilee-year-typology (Lev 25). Jesus cites the favor-clause at Luke 4:19. Romans 12:19's 'Vengeance is mine, says the Lord' Christologically-extends the vengeance-clause.
to grant to those who mourn in Zion — to give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a spirit of heaviness. They shall be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.
'To grant to those who mourn in Zion — to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified' tracks MT. OAKS-OF-RIGHTEOUSNESS. Believers-as-divine-plantings.
They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former desolations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.
'They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations' tracks MT.
Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks, and foreigners shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.
'Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks; foreigners shall be your plowmen and vinedressers' tracks MT.
But you shall be called priests of the LORD; they shall speak of you as ministers of our God. You shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their glory you shall boast.
'But you shall be called the priests of the LORD; they shall speak of you as the ministers of our God; you shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their glory you shall boast' tracks MT. PRIESTS-OF-THE-LORD. 1 Peter 2:9 ('a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation') Christologically-extends. Revelation 1:6, 5:10, 20:6 ('made us a kingdom, priests to our God') extends. The priestly-vocation of-the-church.
Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion; instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot. Therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion; everlasting joy shall be theirs.
'Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion; instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot; therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion; they shall have everlasting joy' tracks MT. DOUBLE-PORTION. Restoration-doubling.
For I the LORD love justice; I hate robbery and wrongdoing. I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
'For I the LORD love justice; I hate robbery and wrong; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them' tracks MT. EVERLASTING-COVENANT. Jeremiah 32:40, Hebrews 13:20 extend Christologically.
Their offspring shall be known among the nations, and their descendants among the peoples. All who see them shall acknowledge them, that they are offspring the LORD has blessed.
'Their offspring shall be known among the nations, and their descendants in the midst of the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge them, that they are an offspring the LORD has blessed' tracks MT.
I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for He has clothed me with garments of salvation; He has wrapped me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns himself like a priest with a turban, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
'I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels' tracks MT. GARMENTS-OF-SALVATION / ROBE-OF-RIGHTEOUSNESS. BRIDEGROOM-AND-BRIDE Christology — Christ-the-bridegroom (Mark 2:19, John 3:29, Eph 5:25–32, Rev 19:7, 21:2). Wedding-imagery for-the-eschatological-restoration.
For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.
'For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations' tracks MT.