Luke 4:18Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

This was done because we were bereft of the Spirit, as the ancient admonition states, "My Spirit shall not abide in these men, because they are flesh." These words are uttered by the incarnate Word of God who, being truly God Himself from the Father, became man for our sake without altering His divine nature. He is anointed with a joyful oil alongside us, as the Spirit descended upon Him at the Jordan in the form of a dove. In earlier days, both kings and priests received symbolic anointing, which conferred a limited sanctity; however, He who incarnated for our benefit was anointed with the true oil of sanctification through the actual coming of the Spirit, not for Himself, but for us. Since the Spirit had departed and chose not to dwell among us due to our flesh, sorrow filled the earth, rendered desolate by its separation from God's presence. He declared liberation to the captives by overcoming the strong one, Satan, who had tyrannically dominated mankind, reclaiming what was lost to him. The phrase "He anointed Me" pertains to humanity, indicating that it is not the divine essence being anointed but rather what relates to us; likewise, "He sent Me" must refer to human nature. Those whose hearts were shrouded in the darkness of sin, were enlightened by His rising as the Sun of righteousness, transforming them into children of light rather than night, in line with Paul's declaration: "And those who were blind… received sight and recognized the truth; and, as Isaiah says, 'their darkness was made light'; that is, the ignorant became wise; those who once strayed learned the paths of righteousness." The Father also speaks to the Son, saying: "I have given You as a covenant of kinship, as a light to the Gentiles, to open the eyes of the blind, to bring the prisoners out of their bonds and out of the prison of those who sit in darkness." The Only Begotten entered this world, establishing a new covenant with His kinsfolk, the Israelites, from whom He descended in the flesh, proclaiming the promises long foretold by the prophets. Yet, this divine and heavenly light also extended to the Gentiles, as He went and preached to the spirits in Hades, revealing Himself to those confined and liberating them from oppression. How does this not affirm that Christ is God by His very nature? What does it signify to release the broken? It means granting freedom to those whom Satan has struck down with spiritual oppression. What does it mean to proclaim the gracious year of the Lord? It heralds the joyful announcement of His coming, marking the arrival of the Lord, even the Son. Indeed, this was the year when Christ was crucified for us, thus making us pleasing to God the Father as the fruit of His sacrifice. Therefore, He stated: "When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men to Myself." He rose on the third day, conquering death, and declared to His disciples, "All power… is given unto Me.” This is undoubtedly an acceptable year, as we, having entered into His family, have been cleansed of sin through holy baptism and become partakers of His divine nature via communion with the Holy Spirit. This is also an acceptable year, during which He revealed His glory through marvelous signs, and we embraced the moment of His salvation, as wise Paul expressed, "Behold, now is the acceptable time, behold, now is the day of salvation." This is the day when the destitute, who previously lacked all good things, were filled with hope and no longer lived as those without God in the world; they received faith in Him and were blessed with the heavenly treasure of the gospel message. Through this, they became citizens of the heavenly kingdom, partners with the saints, and heirs of benefits that exceed human comprehension and articulation. "For it is said, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what God hath prepared for them that love Him." While this scripture may indeed speak of the abundant grace that Christ offers to the poor in spirit, by "the wounded in heart," He refers to those with fragile convictions, swayed by their passions and appearing as captives. To them, He promises both healing and forgiveness. For the blind, He grants restoration of sight. To those who worship the created rather than the Creator, and who claim to a tree, "You are my father," or to a stone, "You have begotten me," how can they not be blind, for their hearts lack the radiance of divine truth? Yet, to them, the Father grants the illumination of true knowledge of God, as they are called by faith and come to recognize Him. They, once children of night and darkness, have become children of light, for the day has dawned upon them, and the sun of righteousness has arisen, shining forth as the morning star. No one disputes that these words apply to the Israelites, as they were indeed poor, broken-hearted captives dwelling in darkness. "For there was not a man on earth that did good, not one. But all were corrupted, all together were made unfit." Christ came and first preached to the Israelites the glory of His arrival. Their afflictions mirrored those of the Gentiles, yet they were redeemed by Him, filled with His wisdom, and endowed with understanding, transforming their minds from weakness and brokenness to health and strength, ready to embrace and enact every good and saving work. In their folly, they sought wisdom and understanding, worshipping creation rather than the Creator, inscribing the names of gods on stones and rocks. But those who once dwelled in darkness and despair, recognizing Him, now see Christ as their true God.

He is anointed with the oil of the Spirit and heavenly power to nourish the frailty of human nature with the everlasting gift of His resurrection, breaking the chains of the soul and illuminating the spiritually blinded, proclaiming the favorable year of the Lord that will no longer bring anguish into the world, but rather provide an abundant harvest and the blessing of rest. The Lord has so humbled Himself in the execution of all His roles, that He even attended to the duties of a reader! Despite our waywardness, we have turned away from recognizing His divinity, which is attested by miracles, while fixated on His humanity.

He has sent Me to proclaim the good news to the humble. The term ‘sent’ clearly indicates the Father’s commission. The Evangelist identifies the poor as the Gentiles, those lacking the wealth of godliness and deprived of all good. Alternatively, it may also refer to the Jews, who lacked virtue, thus allowing the message of godliness and righteous living to reach both groups through the gospel.

To heal the brokenhearted means to restore those crushed by the burden of sin. To proclaim freedom to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind. The captives are those whose souls are under the bondage of the devil, while the blind are those whose hearts are clouded by their passions. To the captives, He brings liberation, and to the blind, He offers enlightenment through the gospel commandments. These commandments are the proclamation of salvation. He allows the weary to find rest. To liberate those afflicted and tormented by demonic oppression.

He reveals sight to those who have been led into darkness by erroneous teachings and misunderstandings of the true light of Scripture, freeing the troubled, the impoverished, the broken-hearted, and those enslaved by sin, and proclaiming the arrival of the Kingdom characterized by God’s love and mercy.

The Jewish audience had no doubt that the prophet Isaiah spoke not on his own behalf but as the voice of the awaited Messiah. Those assembled in the synagogue clearly understood that Jesus had fulfilled all the actions described by the prophet concerning the Messiah’s mission, compelling them to acknowledge Him as the Messiah. After preparing His listeners, Jesus closed the scroll, returned it to the attendant, and sat down, creating a weighty atmosphere. All eyes were on Him, filled with anticipation for His words. He began His message by stating that “this scripture which you have heard has been fulfilled.” In demonstrating that this scripture had indeed come to fruition, He called His audience to repentance, imparted a new commandment to love, and explained the significance of the Kingdom of the Messiah and the Kingdom of Heaven, along with the means by which both could be realized. Jesus left His audience in no doubt that He was the long-awaited Redeemer foretold by all the prophets.

to set at liberty them that are troubled, to preach the favourable summer of the Lord.” Afterward, He rolled up the scroll and, following Jewish tradition, took a seat to offer a sermon and speak to the audience with encouragement. The excerpt He selected was already noteworthy, but it gained even more significance and gravity when spoken by Him to whom it referred.

"The Spirit of the Lord (the Lord Jehovah) is upon Me": This signifies that the gifts of the Holy Spirit have been richly bestowed upon Me. "Anointed Me": the act of anointing represents God’s special choice and the conferral of unique gifts for important roles—those of high priest, king, and prophet. "Ordained Me, set Me forth" (Theophilus).

"To proclaim good news to the poor": to announce joyful tidings to those who are downtrodden, impoverished, and humble in spirit. "To heal the brokenhearted": a brokenhearted individual is one who is aware of their sins and grieves over them.

"To proclaim freedom for the captives": imprisonment represents a dire situation from which a person longs to be liberated; such freedom is the most sought-after blessing. This longing is even more profound for spiritual freedom, a release from sin, which ensnares a person, leading them to desire liberation from their sinful nature.

"To give sight to the blind" (an addition compared to the Hebrew original): this refers to both physical blindness and, more significantly, spiritual blindness, as the imagery indicates a lack of spiritual insight. "To let the oppressed go free": this is akin to granting release to captives, drawing on the practices of ancient times where captives were often subjected to tyranny and abuse.

In Nazareth, there was a synagogue that likely mirrored the structure of synagogues found in other Galilean cities. These synagogues were elongated buildings, modestly adorned. Inside, there were designated places for men on one side and, separated by a lattice, a section for women. On the wall facing Jerusalem stood an ark made of painted wood, housing a scroll of the Scriptures, with a platform for the reader or preacher situated a few steps higher. Key figures held specific roles within the synagogue, including the ruler who maintained order during gatherings (Mark 5:35; Luke 8:41, 49; 13:14), the elders who comprised the synagogue council (Luke 7:3; Mark 5:22), the appointed reader responsible for prayers, and the servant tasked with cleanliness, managing the doors, lighting lamps, and caring for the scrolls.

The Jewish community convened in synagogues on the Sabbath and during festivals for worship. The service involved singing hymns, offering prayers, and conducting two readings from the Law of Moses and the prophetic texts. Typically, anyone eligible to teach and sanctioned by the synagogue ruler could contribute an interpretation during these readings. The reading of the Law was likely concluded when Jesus, present there on the Sabbath as per tradition, approached the designated spot for the reader. A servant handed Him a scroll from the prophet Isaiah, which He unfurled and proclaimed to the gathering: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, for He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord" (Isaiah 61:1-2).

These words, cited by the Evangelist from the translation of the Septuagint, encapsulate the mission of the Messiah's arrival on earth: to impart spiritual blessings to humanity—offering comfort to the meek, healing to those mourning their transgressions, liberation to those enslaved by sin and desires, enlightenment to the spiritually blind, and transformation for all who suffer. This time would indeed be likened to the joyful release akin to the Jewish jubilee, during which, according to the Mosaic Law (Leviticus 25:8ff.), captives and slaves were granted freedom. After reading, Jesus closed the scroll and returned it to the servant, taking His seat as everyone in the synagogue turned their attention toward Him, eager to hear His interpretation of the scripture.