First Cut Is. 61:1-4, 8-11
1) Hanson sees these words as reworking servant material from ch.42. Jesus uses some of this as a “mission statement” for his work in Luke 4:16-20.
2) anoint is related to the noun, messiah/christ/anointed one
3) good news=gospel, glad tidings, favorable message
4) all of the recipients are in trouble.
5) most of them are political/governmental victims, but brokenhearted stands out to me
6) the year of the Lord’s favor could be jubilee. the word vengeance is striking. Against whom will the vengeance turn?
7)We want the holidays to be free from trouble and grief, a vagrant hope certainly. Notice how mourning takes up vv 2,3
8) v. 3 and 10 have decorations of the heart and spirit for the season don;’t they.
9)repair and restoration key words at v. 4. this is a joint project. they act because they are empowered by the spirit.
10) now we have a great reversal. I am not sure who the object of derision is foreign oppressors alone or maybe internal tricksters. Notice the character of God here loving justice, hating wrongdoing.
11) this clothing image in v. ten is often picked in the NT as baptismal imagery. this reflect bridal imagery of ch. 52.
12) we have a natural image of new growth, a victory garden (see William Brown in his Ethos of the cosmos book)
13 We may be unfaithful. god remains faithful. The God of creation is continuing to be creative and will continue to pay attention to getting people back on their feet to exercise power for themselves.