Isaiah 61 New
International Version - UK (NIVUK)
The
year of the Lord’s favour
61 The Spirit of the
Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind
up the broken-hearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the
prisoners,[a]
2 to proclaim the year
of the Lord’s favour
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 joy
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 splendour.
4
They will rebuild the ancient ruins
and restore the places long devastated;
they
will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations.
5
Strangers will shepherd your flocks;
foreigners will work your fields and
vineyards.
6
And you will be called priests of the Lord,
you will be named ministers of our God.
You
will feed on the wealth of nations,
and in their riches you will boast.
7
Instead of your shame
you will receive a double portion,
and
instead of disgrace
you will rejoice in your inheritance.
And
so you will inherit a double portion in your land,
and everlasting joy will be yours.
8
‘For I, the Lord, love justice;
I hate robbery and wrongdoing.
In
my faithfulness I will reward my people
and make an everlasting covenant with them.
9
Their descendants will be known among the nations
and their offspring among the peoples.
All
who see them will acknowledge
that they are a people the Lord has
blessed.’
10
I delight greatly in the Lord;
my soul rejoices in my God.
For
he has clothed me with garments of salvation
and arrayed me in a robe of his
righteousness,
as
a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,
and as a bride adorns herself with her
jewels.
11
For as the soil makes the young plant come up
and a garden causes seeds to grow,
so
the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness
and praise spring up before all nations.
Matthew Henry's
Commentary
Verses 1-3
He
that is the best expositor of scripture has no doubt given us the best
exposition of these verses, even our Lord Jesus himself, who read this in the
synagogue at Nazareth (perhaps it was the lesson for the day) and applied it
entirely to himself, saying, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears
(Luke 4:17, 18, 21); and the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth,
in the opening of this text, were admired by all that heard them. As Isaiah was
authorized and directed to proclaim liberty to the Jews in Babylon, so was
Christ, God’s messenger, to publish a more joyful jubilee to a lost world. And
here we are told,
I.
How he was fitted and qualified for this work: The Spirit of the Lord God is
upon me, Isa. 61:1. The prophets had the Spirit of God moving them at times,
both instructing them what to say and exciting them to say it. Christ had the
Spirit always resting on him without measure; but to the same intent that the
prophets had, as a Spirit of counsel and a Spirit of courage, Isa. 11:1-3. When
he entered upon the execution of his prophetical office the Spirit, as a dove,
descended upon him, Matt. 3:16. This Spirit which was upon him he communicated
to those whom he sent to proclaim the same glad tidings, saying to them, when
he gave them their commission, Receive you the Holy Ghost, thereby ratifying
it.
II.
How he was appointed and ordained to it: The Spirit of God is upon me, because
the Lord God has anointed me. What service God called him to he furnished him
for; therefore he gave him his Spirit, because he had by a sacred and solemn
unction set him apart to this great office, as kings and priests were of old
destined to their offices by anointing. Hence the Redeemer was called the
Messiah, the Christ, because he was anointed with the oil of gladness above his
fellows. He has sent me; our Lord Jesus did not go unsent; he had a commission
from him that is the fountain of power; the Father sent him and gave him
commandment. This is a great satisfaction to us, that, whatever Christ said, he
had a warrant from heaven for; his doctrine was not his, but his that sent him.
III.
What the work was to which he was appointed and ordained.
1.
He was to be a preacher, was to execute the office of a prophet. So well
pleased was he with the good-will God showed towards men through him that he
would himself be the preacher of it, that an honour might thereby be put upon
the ministry of the gospel and the faith of the saints might be confirmed and
encouraged. He must preach good tidings (so gospel signified) to the meek, to
the penitent, and humble, and poor in spirit; to them the tidings of a Redeemer
will be indeed good tidings, pure gospel, faithful sayings, and worthy of all
acceptation. The poor are commonly best disposed to receive the gospel (Jas.
2:5), and it is likely to profit us when it is received with meekness, as it
ought to be; to such Christ preached good tidings when he said, Blessed are the
meek.
2.
He was to be a healer. He was sent to bind up the broken-hearted, as pained
limbs are rolled to give them ease, as broken bones and bleeding wounds are
bound up, that they may knit and close again. Those whose hearts are broken for
sin, who are truly humbled under the sense of guilt and dread of wrath, are
furnished in the gospel of Christ with that which will make them easy and
silence their fears. Those only who have experienced the pains of a penitential
contrition may expect the pleasure of divine cordials and consolations.
3.
He was to be a deliverer. He was sent as a prophet to preach, as a priest to
heal, and as a king to issue out proclamations and those of two kinds:—(1.)
Proclamations of peace to his friends: He shall proclaim liberty to the
captives (as Cyrus did to the Jews in captivity) and the opening of the prison
to those that were bound. Whereas, by the guilt of sin, we are bound over to
the justice of God, are his lawful captives, sold for sin till payment be made
of that great debt, Christ lets us know that he has made satisfaction to divine
justice for that debt, that his satisfaction is accepted, and if we will plead
that, and depend upon it, and make over ourselves and all we have to him, in a
grateful sense of the kindness he has done us, we may be faith sue out our
pardon and take the comfort of it; there is, and shall be, no condemnation to
us. And whereas, by the dominion of sin in us, we are bound under the power of
Satan, sold under sin, Christ lets us know that he has conquered Satan, has
destroyed him that had the power of death and his works, and provided for us grace
sufficient to enable us to shake off the yoke of sin and to loose ourselves
from those bands of our neck. The Son is ready by his Spirit to make us free;
and then we shall be free indeed, not only discharged from the miseries of
captivity, but advanced to all the immunities and dignities of citizens. This
is the gospel proclamation, and it is like the blowing of the jubilee-trumpet,
which proclaimed the great year of release (Lev. 25:9, 40), in allusion to
which it is here called the acceptable year of the Lord, the time of our
acceptance with God, which is the origin of our liberties; or it is called the
year of the Lord because it publishes his free grace, to his own glory, and an
acceptable year because it brings glad tidings to us, and what cannot but be
very acceptable to those who know the capacities and necessities of their own
souls. (2.) Proclamations of war against his enemies. Christ proclaims the day
of vengeance of our God, the vengeance he takes, [1.] On sin and Satan, death
and hell, and all the powers of darkness, that were to be destroyed in order to
our deliverances; these Christ triumphed over in his cross, having spoiled and
weakened them, shamed them, and made a show of them openly, therein taking
vengeance on them for all the injury they had done both to God and man, Col.
2:15. [2.] On those of the children of men that stand it out against those fair
offers. They shall not only be left, as they deserve, in their captivity, but
be dealt with as enemies; we have the gospel summed up, Mark 16:16; where that
part of it, He that believes shall be saved, proclaims the acceptable year of
the Lord to those that will accept of it; but the other part, He that believes
not shall be damned, proclaims the day of vengeance of our God, that vengeance which
he will take on those that obey not the gospel of Jesus Christ, 2 Thess. 1:8.
4.
He was to be a comforter, and so he is as preacher, healer, and deliverer; he
is sent to comfort all who mourn, and who, mourning, seek to him, and not to
the world, for comfort. Christ not only provides comfort for them, and
proclaims it, but he applies it to them; he does by his Spirit comfort them.
There is enough in him to comfort all who mourn, whatever their sore or sorrow
is; but this comfort is sure to those who mourn in Zion, who sorrow after a
godly sort, according to God, for his residence is in Zion,—who mourn because
of Zion’s calamities and desolations, and mingle their tears by a holy sympathy
with those of all God’s suffering people, though they themselves are not in
trouble; such tears God has a bottle for (Ps. 56:8), such mourners he has
comfort in store for. As blessings out of Zion are spiritual blessings, so
mourners in Zion are holy mourners, such as carry their sorrows to the throne
of grace (for in Zion was the mercy-seat) and pour them out as Hannah did
before the Lord. To such as these Christ has appointed by his gospel, and will
give by his Spirit (Isa. 61:3), those consolations which will not only support
them under their sorrows, but turn them into songs of praise. He will give
them, (1.) Beauty for ashes. Whereas they lay in ashes, as was usual in times
of great mourning, they shall not only be raised out of their dust, but made to
look pleasant. Note, The holy cheerfulness of Christians is their beauty and a
great ornament to their profession. Here is an elegant paronomasia in the
original: He will give them pheer—beauty, for epher—ashes; he will turn their
sorrow into joy as quickly and as easily as you can transpose a letter; for he
speaks, and it is done. (2.) The oil of joy, which make the face to shine,
instead of mourning, which disfigures the countenance and makes it unlovely.
this oil of joy the saints have from that oil of gladness with which Christ
himself was anointed above his fellows, Heb. 1:9. (3.) The garments of praise,
such beautiful garments as were worn on thanksgiving-days, instead of the
spirit of heaviness, dimness, or contraction—open joys for secret mournings.
The spirit of heaviness they keep to themselves (Zion’s mourners weep in
secret); but the joy they are recompensed with they are clothed with as with a
garment in the eye of others. Observe, Where God gives the oil of joy he gives
the garment of praise. Those comforts which come from God dispose the heart to,
and enlarge the heart in, thanksgivings to God. Whatever we have the joy of God
must have the praise and glory of.
5.
He was to be a planter; for the church is God’s husbandry. Therefore he will do
all this for his people, will cure their wounds, release them out of bondage,
and comfort them in their sorrows, that they may be called trees of
righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that they may be such and be
acknowledged to be such, that they may be ornaments to God’s vineyard and may
be fruitful in the fruits of righteousness, as the branches of God’s planting,
Isa. 60:21. All that Christ does for us is to make us God’s people, and some
way serviceable to him as living trees, planted in the house of the Lord, and
flourishing in the courts of our God; and all this that he may be
glorified—that we may be brought to glorify him by a sincere devotion and an
exemplary conversation (for herein is our Father glorified, that we bring broth
much fruit), that others also may take occasion from God’s favour shining on
his people, and his grace shining in them, to praise him, and that he may be
for ever glorified in his saints.
The Bible Panorama
Isaiah 61
V 1–3: MISSION OF
MESSIAH
Jesus, the Servant, will later apply this passage to Himself to show that He is
Messiah. He says that ‘the Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me’, and that ‘the
Lord has anointed Me to preach glad tidings to the poor’. This will result in
the benefits of salvation for Israel and also for all who will trust in our
Saviour and Lord. Those benefits include healing for the broken-hearted,
liberty for captives and prisoners, seeing God’s timing in His salvation and
judgement, comfort for mourners, and God’s giving joyful praise and
righteousness.
V 4–7:
REJOICING OF RESTORED There will be restoration and repair of both
buildings and people. The children of Israel will rule over the Gentiles,
possessing double and experiencing everlasting life. They will be known as
God’s priests and servants again. ‘Instead of confusion they shall rejoice in
their portion.’
V 8–9: LORD OF LOVE Not only does the Lord
love justice, which directs His righteous actions, but He also loves His people
and will make an everlasting covenant with them. Gentiles will recognise that
these are people blessed by the Lord.
V 10–11: ROBE OF
RIGHTEOUSNESS
Every person counted righteous before God through the death and merits of the
Lord Jesus Christ, is foreseen in these verses. Security in God will not be
because of our own poor efforts at righteousness but because the righteousness
of Christ adorns every Christian as a robe. This is the garment of salvation
which is worn by those cleansed from sin. All nations will praise God and
rejoice in His wonderful provision in Christ.
Dictionary of Bible
Themes
2428 gospel,
descriptions of
The
beauty, authority and importance of the gospel can be seen from the way it is
described in Scripture.
In
the Gospels
As
good and joyful news Mt 4:23 See also Mk 1:14; Mk 16:15; Lk 2:10-11
As
being of heavenly origin Jn 17:16-18 See also Jn 8:28; Jn 12:49-50; Jn 14:10,24
As
words of life Jn 6:63 See also Jn 3:11-15
As
being complete and gloriously rich Col 1:25-27 See also Ro 10:12-13; Eph 3:8
In
the OT
Isa
52:7-10 See also Isa 40:9; Isa 41:27; Isa 61:1; Na 1:15
In
the NT
1Ti
1:11 See also Ac 20:24; Ro 1:16-17; Ro 10:15; Isa 52:7; Ro 15:18-19; Eph 1:13;
Rev 14:6
Dictionary
of Bible Themes
7741
missionaries, task of
God
commits various tasks to his servants. A principal task of those sent by God is
to take the good news of the gospel to those who have not heard it, and so to
be a means through which others come to faith.
The
need for missionaries
Ro
10:14-15 See also Isa 52:7; Mt 9:37-38 pp Lk 10:2
The
work of missionaries
Proclaiming
good news Isa 61:1-2 See also Lk 4:18-19
Lk
4:43 See also Mt 4:23; Mt 9:35
Ac
11:20 See also Ac 5:42; Ac 8:12,25; Ac 14:6-7; Ro 15:16
Calling
people to turn to God Ac 26:20 See also 2Ch 30:6-9; Mk 1:4 pp Lk 3:3; 2Co
5:19-20
Announcing
judgment Jnh 3:4 See also Jer 25:30-31; Jer 26:12-13; Eze 21:2-3; Ac 10:42
Teaching
and baptising new believers Mt 28:19-20 See also Ac 2:41-42; Ac 8:12-13; 1Co
4:17
Taking
the message further afield 2Co 10:15-16 See also Ro 15:18-20,28; Mt 24:14; Lk
24:47; Ac 16:9-10; Ac 23:11
Strengthening
newly established churches Ac 18:23 See also Ac 8:14-17; Ac 14:21-23; Ac
15:36-41; Ac 16:4-5
Examples
of other specific assignments
Ex
3:10 Moses is sent by God to Pharoah; Jos 22:3 The eastern tribes complete
their mission to help the others take possession of Canaan; Jdg 6:14 Gideon is
sent by God against the Midianites; 1Sa 15:18-20 Saul is given the task of
destroying the Amalekites; 1Sa 16:1 Samuel is sent by God to anoint David as
king; Isa 48:15 Cyrus is appointed to bring deliverance from Babylon.
Barnabas’and Saul’s mission to deliver money collected for the church in Judea:
Ac 11:30; Ac 12:25 Tychicus sent with news of Paul: Eph 6:22; Col 4:7-8
1.
The need for
missionaries
Romans
10:14-15 New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
14
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they
believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without
someone preaching to them? 15 And how can anyone preach unless they are sent?
As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’[a]
John
4:34-38 New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
34
‘My food,’ said Jesus, ‘is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his
work. 35 Don’t you have a saying, “It’s still four months until harvest”? I
tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36
Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life,
so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 37 Thus the saying “One
sows and another reaps” is true. 38 I sent you to reap what you have not worked
for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their
labour.’
The work of missionaries
2.
Proclaiming Good News
Luke
4:38-44 New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
Jesus heals
many
38 Jesus left
the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was
suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. 39 So he bent
over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began
to wait on them.40 At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various
kinds of illness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. 41
Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, ‘You are the Son of God!’
But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was
the Messiah.42 At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were
looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from
leaving them. 43 But he said, ‘I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of
God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.’ 44 And he kept on
preaching in the synagogues of Judea.
3.
Calling people to turn to God
2 Corinthians
5:16-21 New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
16 So from
now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded
Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ,
the new creation has come:[a] the old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is
from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry
of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ,
not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message
of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were
making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: be reconciled
to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin[b] for us, so that in him we
might become the righteousness of God.
4.
Teaching and Baptising Believers
Acts
8:12-13 New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
12 But when
they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and
the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptised, both men and women. 13 Simon
himself believed and was baptised. And he followed Philip everywhere,
astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.
5.
Strengthening newly established churches
Acts
8:14-17 New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
14 When the
apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they
sent Peter and John to Samaria. 15 When they arrived, they prayed for the new
believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 because the Holy
Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptised in the
name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and
they received the Holy Spirit.
Matthew
28:16-20 New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
The great
commission
16 Then the
eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to
go. 17 When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus
came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to
me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them
to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to
the very end of the age.’
