What does Isaias Chapter 61 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

The anointed speaker announces captive release and comfort with vengeance. Rebuilding, priestly titles and covenant follow the exchange of mourning garments. Wedding clothing and garden growth illustrate joy, justice and praise.

Chapter breakdown

Isaias 61 presents a speaker anointed by the Lord and endowed with spirit to preach to the meek, heal contrite hearts, announce captive release and deliverance to those shut up. The acceptable year and vengeance day accompany comfort for mourners. Sion receives crown for ashes, joy-oil for mourning and praise-garment for grief, becoming mighty ones of justice planted to glorify the Lord. Oaks, a specified jubilee law, clinical depression and fulfilled emancipation are not added.

Ancient ruins and desolate cities are rebuilt. Strangers feed flocks and cultivate land and vines, while the addressees are called priests and ministers, eating Gentile riches and taking pride in glory. Double confusion and shame lead to double in the land and lasting joy. Loving judgment and hating robbery in a holocaust, the Lord makes work true and covenant perpetual; descendants are known among peoples as blessed. Foreign workers' gladness and royal-priesthood terminology are not supplied.

The rejoicing speaker wears salvation garments and justice robe like a crowned bridegroom and jeweled bride. Earth buds and garden seeds illustrate justice and praise springing before nations. The edition identifies Christ, apostles and converts; a later Nazareth event and the speaker's precise identity at each shift are not narrated in this chapter.

The story inside

Opening: The anointed speaker announces captive release and comfort with vengeance. Development: Rebuilding, priestly titles and covenant follow the exchange of mourning garments. Conclusion: Wedding clothing and garden growth illustrate joy, justice and praise.

Lessons worth keeping

1
The anointed speaker announces captive release and comfort with vengeance.
2
Rebuilding, priestly titles and covenant follow the exchange of mourning garments.
3
Wedding clothing and garden growth illustrate joy, justice and praise.

Test your recall

Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 83513–83516
61:1. The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me: he hath sent me to preach to the meek, to heal the contrite of heart, and to preach a release to the captives, and deliverance to them that are shut up.
Lines 83550–83553
61:10. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, and my soul shall be joyful in my God: for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation: and with the robe of justice he hath covered me, as a bridegroom decked with a crown, and as a bride adorned with her jewels.