NOTES for Luk 4:16-30
In the ancient world, “to proclaim good news” meant bringing news of victory over an enemy. By choosing this word to describe His mission, Jesus tells His astonished fellow townspeople that God has sent Him as a herald of His victory, of the coming of His eternal Kingdom. But He goes beyond referring to the biblical prophecy—and this is especially shocking to His listeners: when quoting Isaiah, Jesus omits the words about “the vengeance of our God” (Isa 61:2) and denies the Israelites' superiority over the Gentiles in the coming Kingdom. In addition to victory over the forces of evil, manifested in the healing of the possessed man, Christ brings news of victory over vengeance and hatred. This victory was won by the Lord Jesus Himself and must be won by everyone who wishes to be His disciple.