Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Luke 4:19

"To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." — Luke 4:19 (ASV)

The quotation has significance both as our Lord’s statement of his call to his saving ministry and as Luke’s affirmation of this ministry as thematic in his gospel. Jesus identifies himself as the subject of Isaiah’s prophetic word. Three elements are emphasized here. (1) Jesus is the bearer of the Spirit received at his baptism (3:22–23; cf. comment on 4:14). His ministry will be uniquely marked by the presence of the Spirit as prophetically foretold. (2) Jesus is an eschatological prophet, a role intertwined with that of John the Baptist as prophetic forerunner (see comments on 1:17 and 7:28). Jesus, not John, was the prophet predicted in Dt 18:18 (cf. Jn 1:19-24). Luke gives special attention to Jesus as a prophet in a number of ways (v.24; 7:16, 39; 13:33; 24:19; Acts 3:22; 7:37, 52). In the present passage, the prophetic mission described by Isaiah, a mission of proclamation of “good news,” is accepted by Jesus. (3) The prophetic role of Jesus overlaps his role as Messiah. His ministry of deliverance for the oppressed is messianic in character. This assumption probably lay behind the doubts in John’s mind when his release from prison was not forthcoming (7:18– 19).

The “good news” (v.18; GK 2294) Jesus was to proclaim recalls both the joyful announcement in 1:19 and the message of the angel in 2:10–11. It also builds on Isa 40:9; 41:27; 52:7. The “poor,” like the “prisoners,” the “blind,” and the “oppressed,” are not only the unfortunate of this world but those who have special need of dependence on God (cf. comment on 6:20). Luke 7:22 cites some ways Jesus fulfilled this mission.

The “year of the Lord’s favor” is reminiscent of the Jubilee (one year in every fifty) when debts were forgiven and slaves set free (Leviticus 25:8–17). It defines the time in history when God in sovereign grace brings freedom from the guilt and effects of sin. The inclusion of this quotation is consistent with Luke’s stress on the dawning of the new age of salvation.

The omission of the next phrase in Isa 61:2—“the day of vengeance of our God”—is also significant. Jesus’ audience would suppose that the day of their salvation would be the day of judgment on their pagan enemies, but the delay of judgment means that this time of the Lord’s favor benefits the Gentiles also. Jesus affirms (vv.24–27) that Gentiles are also recipients of God’s grace, even when Jews were not so blessed.