Isaiah 61:1-6

Messiah's Jubilee

1 The Spirit of the Lord God is on Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent Me to heal^[a] the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and freedom to the prisoners;

2 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of our God's vengeance; to comfort all who mourn,

3 to provide for those who mourn in Zion; to give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, festive oil instead of mourning, and splendid clothes instead of despair.^[b] And they will be called righteous trees, planted by the Lord, to glorify Him.

4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins;^[c] they will restore the former devastations; they will renew the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.

5 Strangers will stand and feed your flocks, and foreigners will be your plowmen and vinedressers.

6 But you will be called the Lord's priests; they will speak of you as ministers of our God; you will eat the wealth of the nations, and you will boast in their riches.

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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit bind up
• [b]. Lit a dim spirit
• [c]. Isa 58:12