Isaiah 61:1-3

The Year of the LORD’s Favor

1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, ¹ because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners, ^[a]

2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor ^[b] and the day of our God’s vengeance, to comfort all who mourn,

3 to console the mourners in Zion— to give them a crown of beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and a garment of praise for a spirit of despair. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.

Isaiah 61:1-3 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.

Cross References

• 1. (Luke 4:16–30)

Footnotes

• [a] Hebrew; LXX to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind; cited in Luke 4:18
• [b] Or to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD; cited in Luke 4:19