The Full Gospelਨਮੂਨਾ

The Year of the Lord’s Favor // The Gospel According to Luke

The next gospel we come to is written by Luke. In this account, the way Jesus first talks about the good news is quite different from Matthew and Mark. This time, Jesus uses a passage of Scripture from the Old Testament Book of Isaiah. Here’s what He reads:

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” Luke 4:18-21 NIV

Jesus announces His ministry and His mission by reading this prophecy from Isaiah 61. Everyone in the room would have known this passage was pointing to the Messiah, the “anointed one,” chosen by God to rescue and rule His people.

This is where things get crazy: Jesus didn’t simply read these familiar words to the people listening. He claimed to be the very person these Scriptures were pointing to.

When He said, “Today, this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing,” He was claiming to be the one anointed by God’s Spirit, who came to preach good news to the poor, announce freedom for prisoners, give sight to the blind, and set free those who had been taken captive.

He was announcing that the time had finally come for the Lord’s favor to be felt on earth as it is in heaven, or as Matthew and Luke would write about it, “For the kingdom of God to come near.”

How does this presentation of the gospel deepen our understanding of God’s good news?

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me …” Jesus isn’t just a talented preacher or another prophet. The Spirit of the Lord, God’s power and presence, is on Him. So when Jesus speaks, He speaks with the authority of God Himself.

“… he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. … freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free …” The kingdom Jesus brings isn’t reserved for the rich, the powerful, the popular, and the well-off. It’s for the poor, the prisoners, the disabled, and the oppressed. In the kingdom of God, the least are most, the last are first, and the lost are found.

“... to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” The time has finally arrived, the promises of God are being fulfilled, and darkness is being undone because Jesus is bringing heaven near.

“Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” When Jesus read those words in the synagogue 2000 years ago, He was announcing that the year of the Lord’s favor had finally arrived. Scripture was fulfilled, but that’s not where the prophecy from Isaiah ended.

Isaiah goes on to say:

… to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn … Isaiah 61:2 NIV

Why did Jesus leave that part out? It’s not because He didn’t agree with it, or that He thought it sounded too harsh. It’s because the year of the Lord’s favor is now, and “the day of vengeance” is not yet.

Many Jews in Jesus’ day believed the arrival of the Messiah and God’s judgment of the wicked would happen at the same time. But that’s not what happened. Instead, Jesus taught the people that the good news of God’s kingdom is available now, and that His judgment is coming later.

This is why the kingdom of God is described as being both “now” and “not yet.”God’s plan to rescue us from sin, repair our relationship with Him, and restore all of creation is here in part, but it is not yet here in full. Why? Because God is patient. He is giving as many people as possible as much time as possible to repent before He brings judgment.

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. 2 Peter 3:9-10 NIV

Because of Jesus, forgiveness of sins and newness of life is available now. And because of Jesus, there will come a day when He returns to finish what He started—where every wrong will be made right, sin and death will be no more, and we will be with God forever.