Isaiah 61:1-4

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 61:1-3

He that is the best expositor of scripture has no doubt given us the best exposition of these verses, even our Lord Jesus himself, who read this in the synagogue at Nazareth (perhaps it was the lesson for the day) and applied it entirely to himself, saying, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears (Luke 4:17, 18, 21); and the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth, in the opening of this text, were admired by all that heard them. As Isaiah was authorized and directed to... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 61:4-9

Promises are here made to the Jews now returned out of captivity, and settled again in their own land, which are to be extended to the gospel church, and all believers, who through grace are delivered out of spiritual thraldom; for they are capable of being spiritually applied. I. It is promised that their houses shall be rebuilt (Isa. 61:4), that their cities shall be raised out of the ruins in which they had long lain, and be fitted up for their use again: They shall build the old wastes;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 61:1

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me ,.... According to the Targum, these are the words of the prophet concerning himself; and so say Aben Ezra and Kimchi; but the latter elsewhere says F16 Sepher Shorash. rad. משח they are the words of the Messiah, who should say, "because the Lord hath anointed me", &c.; and another of their writers F17 Ben Melech in loc. is in a doubt about them; either, says he, they are the words of the prophet with respect to the Messiah, or the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 61:2

To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord ,.... Not an exact year, but time in general; for such are wrong, who from hence conclude that Christ's public ministry lasted but a year, since it is certain, by the passovers he kept, that it must be at least three or four years; the whole time of Christ on earth was an acceptable and desirable time, what many great personages desired to see, and did not: this time may take in the whole Gospel dispensation, which was ushered in by Christ: the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 61:3

To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion ,.... Or, "to the mourners of Zion" F21 לאבלי ציון "lugentibus Sionis", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator Vitrtnga. So Syr. ; such who are of Zion, belong to the church of God, and mourn for the corruptions in Zion's doctrines; for the perversion, abuse, and neglect of Zion's ordinances; for the disorders and divisions in Zion; for the declensions there, as to the exercise of grace, and the power of godliness; for the few instances of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 61:4

And they shall build the old wastes ,.... The captives set at liberty, and who are called trees of righteousness, and the planting of the Lord; righteous and good men, who shall be employed in the spiritual building of the church in Gospel times, and especially in the latter day; for here begins an account of the benefits and blessings the church of Christ should partake of, particularly at the time of the calling and conversion of the Jews: after having described the work and office of the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 61:1

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me "The Spirit of Jehovah is upon me" - The Septuagint, Vulgate, and St. Luke, ( Luke 4:18 ;), and a MS., and two old editions omit the word אדני Adonai , the Lord; which was probably added to the text through the superstition of the Jews, to prevent the pronunciation of the word יהוה Jehovah following. See Kennicott on the state of the printed Hebrew text, vol. i., p. 610. In most of Isaiah's prophecies there is a primary and secondary sense,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 61:3

To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion "To impart gladness to the mourners of Zion" - A word necessary to the sense is certainly lost in this place, of which the ancient Versions have preserved no traces. Houbigant, by conjecture, inserts the word ששון sason , gladness, taken from the line next but one below, where it stands opposed to אבל ebel , sorrow or mourning, as the word lost here was to אבלי abeley , mourners: I follow him. - L. Beauty for ashes "A beautiful crown... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 61:4

"And they that spring from thee" - A word is lost here likewise. After ובנו ubanu , "they shall build," add ממך mimmecha , they that spring from thee. Four MSS. have it so, (two of them ancient), and one of mine has it in the margin, and it is confirmed by Isaiah 58:12 , where the sentence is the very same, this word being here added. Kimchi makes the same remark: "the word ממך mimmecha is omitted here; but is found in Isaiah 58:12 ." The desolations of many generations - ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 61:1

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me ; literally, the Spirit of the Lord Jehovah ( Adonai Jehovah ) is upon me. The Septuagint, the Vulgate, and one manuscript omit adonai. In the original announcement of "the Servant" it was stated that God had "put his Spirit upon him" ( Isaiah 42:1 ). The sanctification of our Lord's human nature by the Holy Spirit is very explicitly taught in the Gospels. The Lord hath anointed me . The "anointing" of Jesus was that sanctification of... read more

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