To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor

 To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor

 

Luke 4:16–19: “He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.’”

In describing a coming golden age for Israel, the prophet Isaiah speaks of an anointed one—led by the Holy Spirit—who would arise to carry out God’s purposes. The source of this anointed one’s power is the Spirit of the Lord; God’s Holy Spirit empowered him to fulfill God’s will. Isaiah 42:1 says, “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations.”

The mission of the anointed one has several dimensions. First, he was to bring “good news to the poor.” The poor often face many hardships, and due to economic struggles, their circumstances rarely improve. Yet, this messenger was sent specifically to the poor and the suffering. Second, the anointed one was to heal “the brokenhearted.” In other words, his ministry was to comfort and encourage those who were disheartened and broken in spirit. Third, the Anointed One was to proclaim freedom and liberation to captives and those in confinement; those who had lost their rights and status would regain them. Fourth, the Anointed One was to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of God’s vengeance. The Lord’s favor would rest, in particular, upon those whom Isaiah had already mentioned.

When the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jesus, a great change took place in this world. Those who were marginalized and oppressed—the poor, the captives, the blind, and the downtrodden—began to experience joy and freedom. This refers to a spiritual state: it describes those whose spirits are dead, who cannot see the kingdom of God, who are trapped in this world, and who are held under the dominion of Satan. To such people, Jesus—upon whom the Holy Spirit rested—brought the Gospel.

On the Sabbath, Jesus entered the synagogue and stood up to read the Scriptures; He then told those present that the passage from Isaiah, which He had just read, was being fulfilled before their very eyes that day. Luke 4:21 records: "And He began to say to them, 'Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.'"

When Jesus taught in the synagogue, the people were initially amazed by His gracious words—the promise that the blind would receive their sight and the captives would be set free. This is why this period is described as the "year of the Lord’s favor." This "year of the Lord’s favor" corresponds to the "Year of Jubilee" as mentioned in the Old Testament. The Year of Jubilee refers to a year of liberation—occurring every 50 years—when debts are forgiven, slaves are set free, the land is left to rest from cultivation, and people return to their ancestral homes. In the New Testament, anyone who enters into Christ experiences this "year of grace." It is a grace to believe that one has died on the cross with Jesus and has been resurrected with Christ.

When Jesus taught in the synagogue, He quoted Isaiah 61:1–2. Initially, the people marveled at His gracious words and praised them. Yet, they were also troubled, wondering how a carpenter’s son from Nazareth could dare to make such claims. They believed that the events described in those verses would only come to pass upon the arrival of the Messiah; thus, in their eyes, a carpenter’s son speaking these words amounted to blasphemy.

Consequently, they became enraged and attempted to push Jesus off a cliff. Jesus rebuked their misguided notions by citing two historical events from the Old Testament. He pointed out that during the great three-and-a-half-year famine in the time of Elijah, although there were many widows in Israel, the prophet Elijah was sent only to a widow in Zarephath—a Gentile land (Sidon). Similarly, in the time of Elisha, while there were many lepers in Israel, the only one who was healed was Naaman, a Syrian—a Gentile—rather than an Israelite. The Jews failed to recognize Jesus as the Messiah, and as a result, He was not welcomed by them.

People did, however, recognize the true value of Jesus’ eloquent and compassionate teachings. However, they also wished to see Him perform miracles similar to those He had carried out in Capernaum. Jesus asserted that it is difficult for a prophet to be accepted in his own hometown. When He cited Old Testament accounts of God reaching out to Gentiles—who proved more receptive to His message than the people of Israel—many of the Jews were filled with rage. They attempted to push Him off a cliff at the edge of the town, but He passed through the midst of the crowd and returned to Capernaum.

The fact that Jesus taught on the Sabbath signifies that He is the Lord of the Sabbath. We must examine how the Scriptures define "rest." Hebrews 4:8–10 suggests that the rest Joshua provided for Israel—the land of Canaan—was merely a shadow, a symbol of the Kingdom of God; it was not the true rest. Therefore, a "rest" still remains for the people of God. True rest is found in entering the Kingdom of God through Jesus Christ, for God Himself is the true rest. To be connected to God—through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit—is to exist in a "state of rest." Such a person has already entered into that rest.