Work Clothes

The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; …. [Isaiah 61:1].

At first blush, twenty-first century Christians like you and me might wonder why the Revised Common Lectionary Committee chose, with the omission of some text, the first verses of Isaiah 61 as the OT reading for the Third Sunday of Advent [Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11, Year B]. To be sure, the text is beautifully poetic. It speaks of bringing “good news” — literally, “the gospel” — to the oppressed. It looks to a moment in which the brokenhearted are bound up and liberty is proclaimed to those who are captive [61:1]. It promises that all who mourn will be comforted. Provision is made “for those who morn in Zion” [61:3]. Might that last provision include those in current Israel who have lost loved ones in the viscous and inhumane attacks by Hamas?

And yet, except perhaps for my oblique point about the October 7 massacre of Jews by terrorists, is this Sunday’s Isaiah passage “relevant to today,” as is demanded by many of my friends within the modern church? Indeed, does this writing in what most OT scholars refer to as “Third Isaiah” (Isaiah chapters 56-66) speak to us at all?

To unpack the text a bit, as was the case with the OT text for the First Sunday of Advent, which I wrote about two weeks ago, this week’s pericope reflects the disappointment and bewilderment felt by the earliest returnees from the Babylonian Exile. Think about it—you and/or your parents were carried off to Babylon a generation ago. Your parents initially—more recently, you as well—have slaved within a foreign culture, attempting to maintain your “Jewishness” in a land that eats shrimp and pork, that grills its meat over an open fire, and that abhors your own Sabbath traditions. Now, you’re back in what used to be Jerusalem, but life is not as you’d hoped it would be.

There are conflicts with “the locals,” some of whom are your second cousins. You are on the Temple reconstruction committee, but the bids have come in and the cost to reestablish the House of God is enormous. Moreover, whose family qualifies for the priesthood? Who will run the civil government? Who’ll be superintendent of the local school system? Yahweh’s intervention is required if the Jewish nation is to be restored.

And so, the writer of Third Isaiah steps forward. He speaks of a “me” who has been anointed by Yahweh. He speaks of a clear message that has been given to this one who is designated as “me.” Is the writer/prophet referring to himself? Is he speaking about someone else in his own time? Does his statement refer to fulfillment within some time more distant?

Perhaps a clue can be seen in the message that Yahweh has given the one who is designated as “me.” As scholars much more learned than me have long argued, pay careful attention to the passage’s verbs and objects. Note that while our world is good at oppressing those whom we want oppressed, while it’s great at breaking the hearts of those whose hearts are frail and tender, and while it is quite efficient at imprisoning those who oppose the status quo, at shouting down those who would speak truth to power, the Isaiah text allows that the anointed one, the “me” spoken of in Isaiah 61:1, is empowered to turn the world upside down. The questions left dangling: When will this happen? Who will perform these powerful acts?

Ratchet forward five hundred years, if you will. An energetic, charismatic young rabbi has quickly come upon the scene. He speaks with power and authority. Story has it that he has already performed some healings in and around the area. He exhibits a gentle, yet powerful demeanor. He talks confidently with Pharisees and others in charge. He also stoops to help those in lowly positions. He is not subject to flattery. He is not tempted with ordinary power.

According to St. Luke (4:16-30), one day the young man attends Sabbath service in his home town of Nazareth. Upon standing to read the weekly portion of scripture devoted to the Prophets, the young man finds the portion of Isaiah that is appointed as the OT reading for this Sunday. He stands, looks out upon the congregation, and reads it— as originally written— in the first person:

The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; …. [Isaiah 61:1].

Following the rubrics of His day, the young man rolls up the scroll, gives it back to the liturgical attendant, sits down—the posture of a learned rabbi—and begins to expound and teach upon the text. He utters powerful and presumptuous words, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” [Luke 4:21)]. It is interesting that Luke reports that, at least up to this point:

All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth [Luke 4:21].

They even inquired—was it instead a back-handed compliment—“Is not this Joseph’s son?

It is only when the young man—the one called Jesus—goes on to say that Yahweh’s favor would fall not only upon Jews, but upon those outside of Israel, that the leaders of the synagogue were filled with rage, leading the non-combative Jesus to the edge of a cliff, where they intended to throw Him to His death [Luke 4:29]. But the path of Jesus lay in a different direction, not to death from a fall from a cliff, but rather to sacrificial death on a cross.

It is far too easy for many of us to assume that we are the ones who are brokenhearted, that we are the ones who are oppressed. Particularly those of us who have lost loved ones can see ourselves in Isaiah’s text, for we know what it is like to mourn. And so, if Jesus Christ is, as many of us believe, the One whom Yahweh has anointed and commissioned in the Isaiah 61 text, the One who is to bring to us the Good News—the Gospel—the One who will turn the world upside down as He reaches out to us, reforms us, liberates us, and sanctifies us for the lives that are intended to be with God, then we are recipients of Yahweh’s wonderful promise.

But I am drawn as well to the final portion in this week’s reading. This point is much more difficult to articulate. Think first, if you would, to the words of Christ found in John’s Gospel, the chapter that we number 14. Therein, Jesus tells his apostles, i.e., tells us that if we love Him, we will keep His word. And moreover, if we love Him, the Father and the Son (empowered by the Holy Spirit) will come to us and make their home with us [John 14:23].

If, therefore, Christ lives within us, then at least in part, we become the persons about whom Isaiah speaks. We must, therefore, liberate the captives. We must feed the hungry. We must comfort those in sorrow, those who mourn. We must “hate robbery” [Isaiah 61:8]. We must always “rejoice in the Lord” [61:10].

And how will we ever be able to do all this? Well, for one thing, we’ll need some work clothes. We will need to be specially outfitted to manage the challenges ahead of us. We’ll be required not only to receive the power that only Christ can give us; we’ll have to utilize that power in fashions that are consistent with God’s Holy will.

Work clothes—with Christ dwelling within us, God even provides them as well.

… for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness [61:10].

Sometimes, when I view the world around us, when I consider the challenges that our grandchildren will have to endure, when I’m almost ready to throw up my hands and give up, I peer into my closet and realize two things: (a) God’s will and plan do not, thank Goodness, depend solely upon me, and (b) God has already provided me with suitable work clothes to help you and many others as we seek, within our many imperfections, to do God’s majestic will. He’s provided the same for you. And in His good time, Christ will return to complete the work we are unable to do.