Isaiah 61

Isaiah 61:1-11 . MESSIAH'S OFFICES: RESTORATION OF ISRAEL.

Messiah announces His twofold commission to bring gospel mercy at His first coming, and judgments on unbelievers and comfort to Zion at His second coming ( Isaiah 61:1-9 ); the language can be applied to Isaiah, comforting by his prophecies the exiles in Babylon, only in a subordinate sense.

1. is upon me; because . . . hath anointed me--quoted by Jesus as His credentials in preaching ( Luke 4:18-21 ). The Spirit is upon Me in preaching, because Jehovah hath anointed Me from the womb ( Luke 1:35 ), and at baptism, with the Spirit "without measure," and permanently "abiding" on Me ( Isaiah 11:2 , John 1:32 , 3:34 , Psalms 45:7 ; with which compare 1 Kings 1:39 1 Kings 1:40 1 Kings 19:16 , Exodus 29:7 ). "Anointed" as Messiah, Prophet, Priest, and King.
good tidings--as the word "gospel" means.
the meek--rather, "the poor," as Luke 4:18 has it; that is, those afflicted with calamity, poor in circumstances and in spirit ( Matthew 11:5 ).
proclaim liberty--( John 8:31-36 ). Language drawn from the deliverance of the Babylonian captives, to describe the deliverance from sin and death ( Hebrews 2:15 ); also from the "liberty proclaimed" to all bond-servants in the year of jubilee ( Isaiah 61:2 , Leviticus 25:10 , Jeremiah 34:8 Jeremiah 34:9 ).
opening of the prison--The Hebrew rather is, "the most complete opening," namely, of the eyes to them that are bound, that is, deliverance from prison, for captives are as it were blind in the darkness of prison ( Isaiah 14:17 , 35:5 , 42:7 ) [EWALD]. So Luke 4:18 and the Septuagint interpret it; Luke 4:18 , under inspiration, adds to this, for the fuller explanation of the single clause in the Hebrew, "to set at liberty them that are bruised"; thus expressing the double "opening" implied; namely, that of the eyes ( John 9:39 ), and that of the prison ( Romans 6:18 , Romans 7:24 Romans 7:25 Hebrews 2:15 ). His miracles were acted parables.

2. acceptable year--the year of jubilee on which "liberty was proclaimed to the captives" ( Isaiah 61:1 2 Corinthians 6:2 ).
day of vengeance--The "acceptable time of grace" is a "year"; the time of "vengeance" but "a day" (so Isaiah 34:8 , 63:4 , Malachi 4:1 ). Jesus ( Luke 4:20 Luke 4:21 ) "closed the book" before this clause; for the interval from His first to His second coming is "the acceptable year"; the day of vengeance" will not be till He comes again ( 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 ).
our God--The saints call Him "our God"; for He cometh to "avenge" them ( Revelation 6:10 , 19:2 ).
all that mourn--The "all" seems to include the spiritual Israelite mourners, as well as the literal, who are in Isaiah 61:3 called "them that mourn in Zion," and to whom Isaiah 57:18 refers.