14 Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country. 15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. 16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up and, as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read.

17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour.”

20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 And all spoke well of him and marvelled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph's son?” (From the English Standard Version)

Verse 22 tells us of the amazement of the people in the town where Jesus had lived and grown up as they heard him explain God's word and teach about God's kingdom. (It was the sort of reaction people in the UK would show if they saw a local lad from their village playing for his country and displaying wonderful football skills on the field.) But what do verses 14 and 18 tell us about why Jesus showed such insight into God's word and spoke so graciously?

It was because the Holy Spirit was at work in his life. The Holy Spirit had already shown his presence in Jesus' life at his baptism, and he had led and kept Jesus by God's word throughout the devil's temptations in the wilderness. Now Jesus confirms to the people that the Holy Spirit of God had anointed him for the work he had come to do in the world. (vs 18). And what a wonderful 'job description' this was! Look again at the five aspects of the job Jesus was going to do.

When Jesus spoke of people who were 'poor’, ‘in prison’, and ‘oppressed', he wasn't making a political speech. He wasn't trying to start a massive protest movement to overthrow the Roman government. He was speaking of a far deeper conflict. He was speaking of the terrible spiritual results of sin. Yes, physical poverty, unjust imprisonments and oppression all happen in our broken societies – but they will only end when people are set free from the poverty, bondage, blindness and oppression that sin brings to our lives. That's why Communism, Socialism, and even Capitalism, will never bring true and lasting freedom and justice. Only God's Spirit working though Jesus Christ, and God's word, will ever be able to enrich our lives with God's truth, set us free from sin, and rescue us from Satan's oppression. That's why Jesus said he was bringing good news – and proclaiming the year of God's favour! He was coming to open eyes that were spiritually blind and to bring about God's Kingdom in the hearts of men and women.

What then of my life today? We may not be as poor as the people of some parts of the world, but are our souls rich towards God? We may not be in prison or oppressed, but are we enslaved by any passions or bad habits? We may not be blind, but do we see and understand God's word clearly? Have we 'seen the light'? Are we living each of our days in that light?

I don't think Jesus only said the words we read in vs 21 that day. He must've spent some time teaching them many things, and that’s why they responded the way they did in vs 22. How wonderful it must’ve been to see and hear Jesus teach! But the same Holy Spirit who anointed Jesus also enabled Jesus' disciples to write down much of his life and teaching on scrolls as well. And, just as Jesus read from the Bible things that pointed to him, so we are privileged to do that today too. It's a good custom to read the Bible often - and each time we read - to ask God that his Spirit will be our teacher, and will show us the Lord Jesus Christ through God's word. He is far more than just 'Joseph's son'.