John Calvin Commentary Luke 4:17

"And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And he opened the book, and found the place where it was written," — Luke 4:17 (ASV)

He found the passage There is no doubt that Christ deliberately selected this passage. Some think that it was presented to him by God;³²² but, as he was allowed liberty of choice, I prefer to say that, by his own judgment, he chose this passage over others.

Isaiah there predicts that, after the Babylonian captivity, there will still be witnesses of the grace of God, who will gather the people from destruction and from the darkness of death, and restore the Church by a spiritual power, which had been overwhelmed by so many calamities.

But as that redemption was to be proclaimed in the name and authority of Christ alone, Isaiah uses the singular number and speaks in the name of Christ, so that he might more powerfully awaken the minds of the godly to strong confidence.

It is certain that what is related here belongs properly to Christ alone, for two reasons:

1. First, because he alone was endowed with the fullness of the Spirit (John 3:34) to be the witness and ambassador of our reconciliation to God; and for this reason, Paul (Ephesians 2:17) uniquely assigns to him what belongs to all ministers of the Gospel: namely, that he came and preached peace to them which were afar off, and to them that were nigh:
2. Secondly, because he alone, by the power of his Spirit, performs and grants all the benefits that are promised here.

³²² “Aucuns pensent que par la volonte de Dieu il l'ait recontre sans le chercher.” — “Some think that, by the will of God, he found it without seeking for it.”.” — “Some think that, by the will of God, he found it without seeking for it.”