Christ went from the deep Jordan Valley up to the mountains of Galilee, passing by Jerusalem, the capital. He chose Nazareth, his despised hometown, and entered into its synagogues where the mature interpreted the Torah one to another in small circles. Jesus gained a great reputation as a teacher, though he was not past thirty, for the power of God came out of him and moved the hearts.
He went into the synagogue of his city on the Sabbath day, where the place appointed to be read that day was in the prophecy of Isaiah (61:1-2), in which the prophet gradually explains Christ’s essence and works. When Jesus read that paragraph, everyone in the synagogue gazed at him intently, for they had known him from childhood, and were all expecting the political savior who would liberate the country, not only spiritually, but also socially.
The Son of God saw in this brief prophecy an evident demonstration of his heart, principles, and rights that he declared with determination "Today, these promises are fulfilled in truth before you. He explained the seven characteristics of Christ in this text, not in a wrong political manner, but in relation to God’s salvation, according to the revelation of the Holy Spirit at all times, saying:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me: Whereas the Spirit of God is God himself, therefore all the fullness of the Godhead dwelt in the man Jesus bodily, and the Holy Trinity appeared in him. He received his authority by the anointment of the Spirit, for the name "Christ" signifies the "Anointed". Anciently kings and prophets and the high priest were set apart to their work by anointing with the oil of dedication, by God’s order, so that all important offices of the Old Testament might continue in connection with God. Christ contained all offices, powers, knowledge, and authorities in his person, for the Highest himself spoke and reigned through him. Christ is the true Prophet, the King of Kings, and the High Priest who reconciled us with God by giving his life for us. All these meanings are found in the name of Christ.
Christ did not come to those that are rich, clever, arrogant, and self-satisfied with their own righteousness, but to the poor, repentant, ignorant, and mobs, for those are in need of him, whereas the others are self-sufficient, particularly the pious who think themselves upright. Those are the hypocrites in fact. The Son of God did not come for judgment or for destroying the sinners, but for encouragement and comfort, as a reason for joy and hope to those who believe.
Christ heals the brokenhearted. He healed the sick, and raised the dead; but he knew that the damage and great loss in man is his wicked heart. When man loses hope, knows his sin, becomes disturbed about himself, and broken in his pride, Christ becomes greatly merciful toward him. If you confess your failure, Christ will firmly and faithfully lift you, and set you in his grace.
Christ calls us to believe in the possibility of deliverance from the prison of sin and from the bonds of death. He does not immediately deliver us from this bondage, but he gives us his promise demanding from us to believe his word, and confirming to us deliverance from all involvements and laws, so that we may decide, determine and want to become free, for Christ does not make of you a dominated slave, but delivers you and makes you participant in responsibility. Are you prepared to accept Christ’s salvation, and to trust your Savior, submitting your will to him?
Christ opens the eyes of the blind in body and in spirit. No one could recover sight to the blind except Jesus, by the word of his power. Thus he opens our spiritual eyes that are clinging to sin, so that we may see God, our Father. Christ enlightens our deep-black darkness with his shining love, for he is the Light of the World.
Christ sets free those who are downtrodden, for whoever enters into Jesus’ care and healing, becomes gradually developed in mind toward true deliverance from the bondage of the devil. When a man is mentally or psychologically unfit or troubled by an evil spirit of an antichrist religion, his enslaved state comes to an end by virtue of Christ’s interference, and he becomes free in heart, and happy in spirit, for the Lord is a Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord may be, there will be freedom.
The voice of the love of God in Christ fulfilled the acceptable year of the Lord. Now we live in the age of grace. God’s wrath has gone away, and his love became open to all. It was an order in the Old Testament, once every fifty years, that the slaves were set at liberty and relieved, mortgaged properties returned to their original owners, and all the people enjoyed the fruits of the fields equally. In the New Testament, the age of grace comes to deliver us from sin and death, to make us partners in the powers and the rights of God, and to give us spiritual nourishment out of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. As the fiftieth year of the Old Testament began with the great Feast of Atonement, so the age of grace began with Christ’s death on the cross. Did you partake in the acceptable year of the Lord? Is the Spirit of the Lord upon you, because he anointed you?