Isaiah 61:3Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

They became teachers and instructors, as noted through the Psalms, ‘Instead of thy fathers are thy sons’ (Psalm 44:17); for the wise disciples, the children of the synagogue of Judah, took on the role of fathers. Thus, the insightful Paul writes to some, ‘Of Christ Jesus by the gospel I have begotten you’ (1 Corinthians 4:15). Therefore, those identified as His sons are also recognized as fathers. The divine disciples demonstrated this divine nobility when Christ commanded them: heal the sick, cast out demons, raise the dead (Matt. 10:8); and He also said to them: you are the light of the world (Matt. 5:14). The generations of righteousness shall be acknowledged as the planting of the Lord in glory, rebuilding the everlasting ruins that once lay desolate, and restoring the forsaken cities of former generations. Those in Christ are called a chosen generation, a holy priesthood, a people of renewal (1 Pet. 2:9) reflecting the beauty of their unique truth which is not mere legalism, but that which is gained through the teachings of the Savior. The truth of Christ surpasses legal truth in every way. Therefore, He admonished the holy apostles, ‘Amen I say to you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven’ (Matthew 5:20). As a result, they will be known as the clans of righteousness and, above all, as the Lord's planting; for we are indeed God’s field, as the divine David proclaims: ‘planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God’ (Psalm 91:14). Moreover, the wise Paul refers to those called in faith through Christ as God’s field (1 Corinthians 3:9); for the Savior tends to us as a field through the holy keepers of the mystery. Thus, they rightfully name themselves co-workers of God (1 Cor. 3:9). The wise David affirms, ‘The righteous will flourish like a phoenix, like a cedar in Lebanon, they will multiply’ (Psalm 91:13). Thus, we are the planting of the Lord, intended for His glory.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me; hence He has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the impoverished, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and recovery of sight for the blind, to liberate the oppressed, to declare the Lord’s year of favor and the day of His vindication. The Lord had previously stated, I, the Lord, will gather them at the appointed time. He did not say this randomly but spoke according to the nature of His incarnation, which encompasses His humility. The Psalmist also proclaimed, You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore, God, Your God has anointed You with the oil of joy beyond Your companions (Ps. 44:8). This indicates that when we speak of participants, we refer to the physical nature, as God has no earthly partners.

Since the anointing is spiritual—distinct from the anointing of the human body as seen in the Jewish priesthood—it is stated that He was anointed beyond His fellow saints. This anointing occurred at the moment of His baptism in the Jordan when the Holy Spirit descended upon Him like a dove and remained with Him (John 1:32). The prophet foretold, A shoot shall come from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit, and the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord (Isaiah 11:1-2).

After His baptism, when the Savior returned to Nazareth, where He was raised, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath as was His custom. When He stood to read, the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. He found the passage that said, The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor, to proclaim freedom for the captives and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor (Luke 4:18-19). After closing the scroll and returning it to the attendant, He sat down, and the eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on Him. He began to say, Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing. All spoke well of Him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from His lips (Luke 4:21-22).

If this prophecy was fulfilled at that moment, how can some attribute its meaning only to the end times? It can only be said that it was partially realized at that time but will find its complete fulfillment when all of God’s people become righteous. For now, we know in part and prophesy in part, but when the complete comes, the partial will fade away (1 Corinthians 13:2-10).

Thus, He was anointed by the Holy Spirit to deliver the gospel to the poor and meek as it states in Scripture: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth (Matt. 5:4-5). He came to heal the brokenhearted (Lk. 4:18), for it is written, A broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise (Ps. 50:19). To further interpret this, according to Symmachus and Theodotion, He is sent to bind up the wounds caused by sin, to proclaim freedom to the captives, sight to the blind, and to release from darkness those who are imprisoned—implicating various aspects of physical and spiritual captivity (Isaiah 42:6-7).

By the favorable year and the day of recompense, understand this period of His ministry while He walked on earth. The apostle also reflects on this regarding the Savior’s first coming, saying, Now is the favorable time; now is the day of salvation (2 Cor. 6:2). If we perceive recompense not merely as reward for goodness but as retribution for sin, then it relates to the Jewish people, who faced divine wrath following His suffering. He offered comfort to all mourners, stating, Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted (Matthew 5:4), providing hope for those who mourned in Zion, granting them glory instead of ashes. The Apostle Paul himself mourned for Zion, expressing, I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart (Rom. 9:2). He further expressed, I wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, the people of Israel (Rom. 9:3-4). As they wept, they were given the oil of joy as they witnessed many Jews come to believe, replacing their mourning garments with joyful attire.

The impoverished are those who have turned away from heavenly wealth, the brokenhearted are those whose reason has been shattered, the blind are those who fail to know God and instead serve the created, and the captives are those who have switched allegiance to the enemy's camp and lost their former liberty. The oil of gladness, as interpreted by Theodotion and Symmachus, signifies the grace of joy, referencing the mystery of anointing, which bestows upon the worthy joy and a glorious attire, where this attire is to be understood as a spiritual garment. Thus, the blessed David states, “Such is the generation of those who seek the Lord” (Ps 23:6). The three, rather than identifying the generations of righteousness, refer to those empowered by righteousness, God’s planting for His glory. They are the foremost examples of piety, overcoming the world and vanquishing wickedness, and they are the initial sprouts of the Lord, nurtured in the wilderness.

Yet, upon the declaration of their liberation and the opportunity to return to their homeland, they rejoiced immensely, adorning themselves with glorious garments and anointing themselves with fragrant oils. A similar transformation awaits Christians. Following the tears shed during persistent and harsh persecution, a season of joy and triumph will emerge for them. The Church of Christ will be adorned with external glory. Its members will rejoice without fearing persecution, proclaiming their victory over adversaries, solemnly conducting their worship in grand churches and processions, and enjoying the favor of earthly rulers. The righteous generations, a planting of the Lord unto glory, shall emerge; through those who believe in Christ, a new lineage will arise, distinct from the generations of the secular world. In contrast to these, Christians will form a righteous generation, a cultivation of the Lord in glory, likened to a flourishing garden, adorned with the fruits of faith and virtues to magnify the Lord.