Jesus was asked to speak in his hometown, Nazareth, after being away for perhaps two months. The teaching rabbi would sometimes sit in a chair to preach. A rule did not exist, out of respect they would stand when they read the word of God. The teaching rabbi would preach from passages in the scrolls of Moses, the history, the Psalms and Proverbs, or the prophets. Jesus purposely chose to preach from the Isaiah scroll and rolled it till he found what we now call chapter 61, verses 1 and 2 (and 58:6b). The passage was believed to be speaking of the Messiah even in Jesus’ day.
The Isaiah verses tell of the Messiah’s ministry of preaching and healing, meeting every human need. Jesus publicly announced for the first time in his newly sprung ministry that God had anointed him as the Messiah, not with oil (Exodus 30:22-31), but rather the Spirit of God.
“He has sent me” means God sent Jesus with a fourfold gospel ministry.
1) “to proclaim freedom for the prisoners”
2) “recovery of sight for the blind”
3) “to release the oppressed”
4) “to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor”
Does your life seem like a prison? Jesus is your freedom. Does all you see seem like you are blind to why it is happening? Jesus is your recovery. Are you oppressed? Jesus will release you. Do you feel lonely, unrecognized, and unwanted? Jesus is your favor – your approval, honor, and admiration. Jesus can be your good news if you accept his anointing.
