4:18,19
The quote comes from the Septuagint version of the Old Testament, the one in common usage. Jesus is reading from Isaiah 61:1,2. We have seen at His baptism that the Spirit of the Lord is indeed on Jesus. “He has anointed ...” means that Jesus has been appointed by the Father, and given the necessary authority and gifting for the task assigned to Him. He is God’s chosen instrument. Jesus’ task is to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour. In Jesus ministry we see Him doing all these things. Blind men were given their sight, oppressed people were set free from demonic possession and oppression. He announced good news to the poor.
There have been parts of the world, particularly South and Central America, where these words have been interpreted in political terms, expressed in “liberation theology”. Now it is undoubtedly true that governments should be concerned for justice and for looking after the poor, as should we all, but Jesus did not come to lead a political revolution. If we look at Jesus’ life as portrayed in the gospels, the best source to do so, certainly better than some theologian reading their own political ideology into these verses, we see that Jesus was not aiming to lead a political revolution. The good news to the poor was good news to those who were poor in spirit. The Pharisees thought they were better than the masses and looked down upon them. Jesus enjoyed being with the ordinary people and delighted in them when they showed humility and faith. The prisoners He set free were those bound by demons and sickness. He actually did give the blind sight. And He certainly did proclaim the time of the Lord’s favour. We should indeed be actively concerned about the poor, but we need to read these verses in the context in which they are presented.
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