Why Did Jesus Quote Isaiah 61? Mission and Purpose
The Mission & Purpose of Jesus Christ
During one of Jesus’s early public teachings, He quotes from Isaiah 61 saying,
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are oppressed, To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.” (Luke 4:18–19)
After reading this, Jesus says, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21). The people sitting there that day wondered at the words Jesus was speaking (Luke 4:22). Many today wonder about Christ’s words, too. Was all of Isaiah 61 fulfilled? Was only this portion fulfilled?
What exactly was Jesus proclaiming when He quoted Isaiah 61? When Jesus taught, He often explained things concerning Himself that were recorded in the Old Testament. As He began His teaching and preaching ministry, Jesus quoted a portion of Isaiah 61. This passage from the prophet Isaiah was written down around 700 years before Jesus was born! However, while Jesus only referenced the first few verses of Isaiah 61, He intended to open the eyes of His audience to what God promised throughout the entire passage. Mainly, what God was doing for Israel (and all nations) through His beloved Son, the Anointed One, the Christ. Jesus was sent to preach the gospel, to proclaim release to the captives, to open the eyes of the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, and so on. Why? So, the people would be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord (Isaiah 61:3b), priests of the Lord, and ministers of God (Isaiah 61:6) by turning to the Lord. All of this was to happen for a purpose: that an everlasting covenant would be made with them (Isaiah 61:8), that they would rejoice in the Lord, exult in God (Isaiah 61:10), and that He may be glorified (Isaiah 61:3b). This was done so that they would be clothed with salvation and righteousness (Isaiah 61:10) and that the Lord God would cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations (Isaiah 61:11). Essentially, Jesus quoted Isaiah 61 because God was bringing forth salvation through His Anointed One, and Jesus was affirming that He is the Anointed One, the Christ of God. It was His mission and purpose to bring about the fulfillment of these things.
Let’s break this teaching down further.
Referring to the Old Testament
Many ponder why Jesus referenced Isaiah 61. More broadly, people wonder why He often referenced the Scriptures (what modern Christians refer to as “the Old Testament”). They say, “Why wouldn’t Jesus just heal the lame, restore the sight of the blind, and so on without having to quote the Scriptures? What is the point of the reference?” It is important to understand that Jesus had frequent interactions with crowds of people that contained at least some who were looking, and waiting for, the coming Messiah:
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. (Matthew 2:1–4)
Why were they waiting for the Messiah? Because Old Testament prophets, like Isaiah, stated that God was going to send One who would restore the nation of Israel. Unfortunately, many missed the true substance of these declarations. Many thought this meant that God was going to restore Israel to its former position as a prosperous nation, like the days of Solomon: So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone (John 6:15).
However, Jesus came for a far greater purpose. He came to fulfill the Scriptures. So that all who believe in Him would have forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and become citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. For those who think only in earthly and worldly terms, they missed this higher agenda.
Therefore Pilate entered again into the Praetorium, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Are you saying this on your own initiative, or did others tell you about Me?” Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered You to me; what have You done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.” Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” (John 18:33–37)
When Jesus referred to the Scriptures, He was showing that He was the Messiah. He was pointing them to the faithfulness of a God who always keeps His promises and who declared all of these things in advance. Jesus was showing them that God’s salvation had appeared in the person of Jesus Christ, according to God’s Word. And so, Jesus referred to Isaiah 61 in the presence of this group gathered in the Synagogue, so that they would understand that God had brought forth His Messiah, and that He (Jesus) was in their presence. That they did not need to wait for someone else, that there was not another One who they should be expecting, but that the Christ had come.
Don’t miss our related articles on the promise of the coming Messiah:
Why Was the Crowd Outraged?
If you read on in Luke 4, the reaction to Christ’s declaration can be confusing. At first, the crowd is speaking well of Him. They are seemingly in awe of His gracious words (Luke 4:22). However, Jesus (knowing the true state of their hearts) goes on to declare more truth to them. The crowds quickly turn on Him, even attempting to kill Him (Luke 4:28–29)!
Why are they so upset?
As Jesus speaks in Luke 4:21–27, He states that He fulfilled this promise made by God. But not all will believe in Him. Therefore, not all will take part in the promise. The people were not automatically saved and given a right standing before God simply because they were of descendants of Israel. Nor was Jesus sent simply for the purpose of enhancing their earthly lives through physical means.
It’s true: Jesus did physically heal many. Yet, He was always doing it for the purpose that whether a person was physically healed or not, they would repent and believe the gospel so that their souls would be made well with God through Jesus as they were granted eternal life.
As Isaiah stated, the promise of salvation was for those who were mourning their rebellion against God (Isaiah 61:2), those who repented in ashes (Isaiah 61:3). Jesus affirms this, by stating that He was anointed to preach the gospel to the poor, sent to proclaim release to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, and to set free those who are oppressed (Luke 4:18). The crowds expected to see physical healing, physical release from captivity, and so on. Jesus did many physical healings to demonstrate the power, glory, and graciousness of God.
Why did Jesus perform these miracles? While performing signs and wonders, Jesus was proclaiming that those who were spiritually blind would understand their rebellion against God and repent. Those who were held captive by their own sinful nature would be freed to not walk any longer according to the flesh but instead to walk by the Spirit through faith in Christ. Sadly, not all who are of the physical lineage and descent of Israel would repent and put their faith in Him. Just as Israel did not believe the words of Elijah (Luke 4:26) and Israel did not believe Elisha (Luke 4:27). Therefore, the crowd was outraged. They expected to see physical and the ‘here and now,’ while Jesus was more focused on the spiritual and the eternal.
What Implications Does This Have for Us?
Even today, many are seeking a savior who will give them all that their heart desires. Someone who will heal sickness, grant them riches, and provide them with unending happiness. They simply want a physical savior. In fact, these types of promises are made from pulpits across the world.
These things sound good to us. It can be what our itching ears want to hear. It is everything wrong with modern “Christianity.”
But these are not the words of Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Jesus says that His followers will have trouble in this life, that there will be persecution for believing in Him and living a life devoted to Him. Jesus doesn’t promise that all will be rich or that all will have perfect health. Jesus promises something better. That all who repent, believe, and follow Him will be called children of God, and have eternal life in Jesus Christ.
And, He is worthy of our sincerest worship and devotion, even if it costs us everything else. Do you believe this? I do. To Him alone be all the glory, honor, and praise. Both now and forever.
Related Questions
What did Isaiah proclaim about Jesus? Isaiah never actually uses the name ‘Jesus,’ so we must be careful not to go beyond what is written when interpreting Isaiah. Isaiah did make many prophecies regarding the coming Messiah. Thankfully, Jesus and other New Testament authors affirm when Isaiah is speaking about Jesus in their letters.
What is the main message of Isaiah? The main message of Isaiah is that God is trustworthy. Throughout the book, God is calling His people to repentance, telling them of the judgement that is coming, and comforting the remnant by promising that He would restore to their land after captivity.