Isaiah 61:1-6

Exaltation of the Afflicted

1 The ¹Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To ²bring good news to the ³afflicted; He has sent me to ⁴bind up the brokenhearted *, To ⁵proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners;

2 To ⁶proclaim the favorable year of the LORD And the ⁷day of vengeance of our God; To ⁸comfort all who mourn,

3 To ⁹grant those who mourn in Zion, Giving them a garland instead of ashes, The ¹⁰oil of gladness instead of mourning, The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called ¹¹oaks of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.

4 Then they will ¹²rebuild the ancient ruins, They will raise up the former devastations; And they will repair the ruined cities, The desolations of many generations.

5 ¹³Strangers will stand and pasture your flocks, And foreigners * will be your farmers and your vinedressers.

6 But you will be called the ¹⁴priests of the LORD; You will be spoken of as ¹⁵ministers of our God. You will eat the ¹⁶wealth of nations, And in their riches you will boast.

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Isaiah 61:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 61

In this chapter both Christ and the church are introduced speaking, in their turns. It begins with the words of Christ, describing his work and office; his qualifications for it; the several parts and branches of it; and the ends to be answered by it; Isa 61:1-3, the reparation of the church; the feeding it by strangers; its being a holy priesthood; its enjoying the riches of the Gentiles; its having honour and joy, instead of shame and confusion; its prosperity in the work of the Lord, and the continuance of its spiritual offspring among the Gentiles, are prophesied of in Isa 61:4-9, and then the church is represented as rejoicing in the Lord, on account of her being clothed with his righteousness, so ornamental to her, Isa 61:10 and the chapter is concluded with a promise of her righteousness and glory appearing before all the nations of the world; of which the following chapter is an illustrious prophecy, Isa 61:11.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

The Powerful Meaning and Promise of ‘The Spirit of the Lord Is Upon Me’ in Both the Old and New Testaments Clarence L. Haynes Jr.

Cross References 16

1. Isaiah 11:2; Isaiah 48:16; Luke 4:18
2. Matthew 11:5; Luke 7:22
3. Isaiah 11:4; Isaiah 29:19; Isaiah 32:7
4. Isaiah 57:15
5. Isaiah 42:7; Isaiah 49:9
6. Isaiah 49:8; Isaiah 60:10
7. Isaiah 2:12; Isaiah 13:6; Isaiah 34:2, 8
8. Isaiah 57:18; Jeremiah 31:13; Matthew 5:4
9. Isaiah 60:20
10. Psalms 23:5; Psalms 45:7; Psalms 104:15
11. Isaiah 60:21; Jeremiah 17:7, 8
12. Isaiah 49:8; Isaiah 58:12; Ezekiel 36:33; Amos 9:14
13. Isaiah 14:2; Isaiah 60:10
14. Isaiah 66:21
15. Isaiah 56:6
16. Isaiah 60:5, 11

Footnotes 6

[a]. Heb "YHWH," usually rendered LORD
[b]. Or "humble"
[c]. Lit "opening to those who are bound"
[d]. Or "terebinths"
[e]. Lit "sons of the foreigner"
[f]. Or "glory"