The Acceptable Year

And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

Luke 4:17-21

Jesus read this passage from Isaiah and made this astounding statement in the synagogue at Nazareth. It was the custom to have seven readings from the Bible, one by a priest, one by a Levite and five by others present in the congregation. A person reading the scriptures would stand, and would sit when he began teaching. There are many instances recorded of Jesus teaching in the synagogue, but this is the only recorded instance of Jesus reading the scriptures. Nevertheless, we know that Jesus studied the scriptures, because he “found the place” where he wished to read. He knew the book of Isaiah so well that he found the right place without chapters, verse markings or punctuation. This event happened early in Jesus’ ministry, just after his baptism by John and his temptation in the wilderness. The statement is really an announcement of what Jesus would accomplish.

First, he says that he comes with authority; an anointing from God. He comes for the poor, the brokenhearted, the captives, the blind and the bruised. He brings the gospel, healing, deliverance, sight and liberty. He announces the Acceptable Year of the Lord, a reference to the year of Jubilee, when debts were forgiven and those in captivity would be released. And finally, he says that this prophecy is now accomplished. God has sent him to proclaim the Acceptable Year, and this is that proclamation.

When compared with the verses in Isaiah, we see that Jesus stopped in the middle of a sentence. That is because the next part of the prophecy is not yet accomplished. Those are all to happen in the future. What we have now are the accomplishments listed in Luke. Now that we have the good news (gospel) of Christ, we are no longer poor in spirit, but rich with what God has given us. We were brokenhearted (broken, crippled), but now are bandaged, bound up (in the newness of life). We have been delivered from the bondage of this world and given instead citizenship in God’s Kingdom. We now have the indwelling spirit to guide us into the light and out of spiritual darkness (blindness). And we have been set free of the weight of sin by the resurrection of Christ. We are indeed in an Acceptable Year.

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me;
because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek;
he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD,

and the day of vengeance of our God...

Is 61:1-3