John Calvin Commentary Luke 4:18

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, Because he anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor: He hath sent me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovering of sight to the blind, To set at liberty them that are bruised," — Luke 4:18 (ASV)

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. These words inform us that, both in his own person and in his ministers, Christ does not act by human authority or in a private capacity, but has been sent by God to restore salvation to his Church.

He does nothing by the suggestion or advice of men, but everything by the guidance of the Spirit of God; and this he declares, so that the faith of the godly may be founded on the authority and power of God.

The next clause, because he has anointed me, is added by way of explanation. Many make a false boast that they have the Spirit of God while they are destitute of his gifts; but Christ proves by the anointing, as the effect, that he is endowed with the Spirit of God.

He then states the purpose for which the graces of the Spirit were bestowed upon him: it was that he might preach the Gospel to the poor. From this we conclude that those who are sent by God to preach the Gospel are previously furnished with necessary gifts to qualify them for such an important office.

It is, therefore, very ridiculous that, under the pretense of a divine calling, men totally unfit for discharging the office should take upon themselves the name of pastors. We have an instance of this in the Papacy, where mitered bishops, who are more ignorant than as many asses, proudly and openly boast that they are Christ’s Vicars and the only lawful prelates of the Church.

We are expressly informed that the Lord anoints his servants, because the true and efficacious preaching of the Gospel, as Paul says, does not consist in the enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in the heavenly power of the Spirit.

To the poor: The prophet shows what would be the state of the Church before the manifestation of the Gospel, and what is the condition of all of us without Christ. Those persons to whom God promises restoration are called poor, and broken, and captives, and blind, and bruised. The body of the people was oppressed by so many miseries that these descriptions applied to every one of its members. Yet there were many who, amidst their poverty, blindness, slavery, and death, flattered themselves or were insensible to their condition. The consequence was that few were prepared to accept this grace.

1. And first, we are here taught what is the design of the preaching of the Gospel and what advantage it brings to us. We were completely overwhelmed by every kind of evil; but in that state, God cheers us by his life-giving light to rescue us from the deep abyss of death and to restore us to complete happiness. It tends, greatly, to recommend the Gospel that we obtain from it inestimable advantage.

2. Secondly, we see who are invited by Christ and made to share in promised grace. They are persons who are in every way miserable and destitute of all hope of salvation. But we are reminded, on the other hand, that we cannot enjoy those benefits which Christ bestows in any other way than by being humbled under a deep conviction of our distresses, and by coming as hungry souls to seek him as our deliverer; for all who swell with pride, and do not groan under their captivity, nor are displeased with their blindness, lend a deaf ear to this prediction and treat it with contempt.