The scripture fulfilled

And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. – Luke 4.17-21

Please pardon a little repetition and confusion in these thoughts. I got a little confused in my postings yesterday, but think I may have it figured out.

By the time we get to Luke 4 Jesus has grown to adulthood and entered His ministry. At this stage He was in Nazareth, His hometown. As an adult male He had the opportunity to read the scriptures in the synagogue.  When the attendant handed Him the scrolls He opened them to Isaiah and read the prophecy of Messiah. He read of the Messiah that when He came He would 1) preach the gospel to the poor, 2) heal the brokenhearted, 3) proclaim liberty to the captives, 4) give sight to the blind, 5) to set the oppressed free, and 6) to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.

But then He said something that stunned them – ‘today this prophecy is fulfilled.’

Those who knew their scriptures would have been amazed. Jesus, the carpenter’s Son, was claiming that He was fulfilling the prophecy of Messiah!  

The Jews expected a mighty and triumphant Messiah would come in on a white charger to deliver Israel, but here a meek carpenter’s son claims the role. And his role was to preach the gospel to the poor, heal the broken hearted, give sight to the blind and free the oppressed.

‘To proclaim liberty to the captives’ were the words that everyone wanted to hear, but not from Joseph’s boy. That would take a conquering hero.

We know of course that Jesus ministry was so much more than just a political deliverance. Jesus came to preach the gospel of salvation to those who spiritually poor. He came to heal the broken hearts of those devastated by the results of sin. He came to proclaim liberty slaves of sin. He came to give sight to those blinded by sin. He came to free a world oppressed by sin. He came to proclaim that this was the year of the Lord – that it all started now.

It is true that all of the other things do happen physically as well, but it all happens because sins power is broken.

Praise God for the acceptable year of the Lord. Praise Him as well that He frees, enlightens, and saves those who are captive to sin.

Praise God that He did all this for me.