Isaiah 61:1-4 When we read these verses there can be no doubt in our mind who this scripture is talking about. In the gospel of Luke the story is recorded how the Lord Jesus asked for the book of Isaiah, turned and read this passage and applied it to Himself (Luke 4:16-21). He said, "This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears." All that heard Him, "wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth."
Our blessed Lord came to accomplish a tremendous undertaking for the glory of God and the good of God's elect (Gal. 4:4). As the Surety and Mediator of the covenant of grace (Heb.7:22), the entire weight of our salvation was laid upon Him (Isa.53:4-8). This verse tells us to accomplish such a task; He was anointed, appointed, ordained, empowered, and endued with God the Holy Spirit, He said, "the Spirit of the Lord God is upon me."
These verses in Isaiah declare five distinct things the Lord came to accomplish for His sheep.
1). To preach the gospel, "The LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek." Jesus Christ is God's prophet to declare the will of God in salvation (Deut.18:18). Everywhere He traveled and in all the miracles He performed He was always doing the will of the Father and declaring the message of salvation through HIM (John 6:35-37; 7:37; 10:27; 14:6; 15:1).
2). To heal our diseases, "He hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted."
The Lord Jesus Christ took the sins of God's elect to Himself (1Peter 2:24) and gave us His own merited, perfect and everlasting righteousness (Rom. 4:3-6).
3). To be our Deliverer, "To proclaim liberty to the captives."
Christ is our Prophet to preach to us, our Priest to heal us, and our King to command our redemption from sin and to apply it to our heart (Phil.1:6).
4). To be our Comforter, "To comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness."
Christ Jesus not only provides comfort (Isa. 40:1-2), proclaims comfort (Matt.11:28-30), but also is the very person that stirs our heart with comfort (1Peter 2:6-7; Song of Sol. 5:16).
5). To be our Planter, "that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD." Every believer is the planting of the Lord into the Kingdom of God's grace (Col.1:12-14; 1Cor.1:30; Eph.2:8-9).All of this the Lord Jesus accomplished for His covenant people, "that he might be glorified." (John 17:1-4).