1The Lord Yahweh’s Spirit is on me,
because Yahweh has anointed me to preach good news to the humble.
He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives
and release to those who are bound,
2to proclaim the year of Yahweh’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
3to provide for those who mourn in Zion,
to give to them a garland for ashes,
the oil of joy for mourning,
the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness,
that they may be called trees of righteousness,
the planting of Yahweh,
that he may be glorified.
4They will rebuild the old ruins.
They will raise up the former devastated places.
They will repair the ruined cities
that have been devastated for many generations.
5Strangers will stand and feed your flocks.
Foreigners will work your fields and your vineyards.
6But you will be called Yahweh’s priests.
Men will call you the servants of our God.
You will eat the wealth of the nations.
You will boast in their glory.
7Instead of your shame you will have double.
Instead of dishonor, they will rejoice in their portion.
Therefore in their land they will possess double.
Everlasting joy will be to them.
8“For I, Yahweh, love justice.
I hate robbery and iniquity.
I will give them their reward in truth
and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
9Their offspring will be known among the nations,
and their offspring among the peoples.
All who see them will acknowledge them,
that they are the offspring which Yahweh has blessed.”
10I will greatly rejoice in Yahweh!
My soul will be joyful in my God,
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation.
He has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
11For as the earth produces its bud,
and as the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring up,
so the Lord Yahweh will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.
Disciples of John the Baptist asked Jesus on John's behalf, "'Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?'" (Matt 11:3). That John knew of his unique role in relation to Messiah is evident in our first introduction to Him in Matthew 3:1-3. Identifying Himself by Isaiah 40:3, John was, "'The voice of one crying in the wilderness, "Make ready the way of the LORD, Make His paths straight!"'" After Jesus' baptism, John saw the Spirit of God descend as a dove, and He heard the voice of God out of the heavens confirming Jesus as His beloved Son (Matt 3:16-17). However, as Jesus began His ministry, John was taken into custody in Machaerus, east of the Dead Sea (Josephus Antiquities, 18.117; Matt 4:12), for reasons that are explained in Matthew 14:1-12. The question John sent to Jesus by his disciples was in response to his having "heard of the works of Christ" (Matt 11:2). Absent any report of Jesus' judging his enemies, as John had predicted (Matt 3:10-12), John may have wondered whether this work was awaiting the coming of another forerunner, perhaps Elijah Himself (Mal 4:5). At this point in time, John could not have known that Christ would be rejected at His first coming and that Elijah would indeed prepare the way for the Lord's return to judge His enemies (Isa 61:2b; Matt 17:10-13). All John needed was the assurance that Jesus gently provided by His citation of the messianic signs He had performed in fulfillment of Isaiah 29:18-19; 35:5-6; and 61:1. One such miracle was the recent, well-publicized raising of widow's son at Nain (Luke 7:11-17). Thus, Jesus' messianic credentials were demonstrated by the works He performed in fulfillment of prophecy.