A Fly in the Ointment; Isaiah 61

May the mumbling commence!

With the Lord’s Kingdom, the best is always yet to come.  So, why does there always seem like there’s a fly in the ointment?  Like we once asked the waiter, we now ask of God: What is this fly doing in my soup?  Today’s Scripture reading includes Isaiah 61.  Isaiah 61 is the chapter that Jesus used as his first preaching text according to the gospel of Luke.  Read Isaiah 61 in its entirety below:

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,

             because the Lord has anointed me

             to preach good news to the poor.

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

             to proclaim freedom for the captives

            and release from darkness for the prisoners, 

to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor

            and the day of vengeance of our God,

to comfort all who mourn,

            and provide for those who grieve in Zion –

to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,

            the oil of gladness instead of mourning,

and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.

They will be called oaks of righteousness,

           a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. 

They will rebuild the ancient ruins

           and restore the places long devastated;

they will renew the ruined cities

          that have been devastated for generations. 

Aliens will shepherd your flocks;

          foreigners will work your fields and vineyards. 

And you will be called priests of the Lord,

         you will be named ministers of our God.

You will feed on the wealth of nations,

         and in their riches you will boast. 

Instead of their shame my people will receive a double portion,

and instead of disgrace they will rejoice in their inheritance;

and so they will inherit a double portion in their land,

          and everlasting joy will be theirs. 

“For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery and iniquity.

In my faithfulness I will reward them

          and make an everlasting covenant with them. 

Their descendants will be known among the nations

          and their offspring among the peoples.

All who see them will acknowledge

          that they are a people the Lord has blessed." 

I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God.

For he has clothed me with garments of salvation

          and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness,

as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,

          and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. 

For as the soil makes the sprout come up   

          and a garden causes seeds to grow,

so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness

          and praise spring up before all nations.  

What good news for the nation of Israel!  They would again come to a time when they had the upper hand, when they were no longer the people to be trampled upon and abused.  No longer would they be poor or brokenhearted or captives or prisoners.  They would be reunited with their Lord.  I am sure those waiting for Jesus to teach on this passage from Isaiah were ready for a party. 

But Jesus decided to concentrate his words on the words in the blue.  Yes, Jesus spoke about the Lord’s work in bringing good news to the poor, in binding up the brokenhearted, in freeing the captives, and in releasing the prisoners.  Indeed, Jesus was proclaiming the year of the Lord’s favor.  He told those people that these words were fulfilled in their hearing. 

At this point, I am sure the “Amen Corner” was revved up and quite vocal.  But, then, Jesus’ teaching on the passage took an unexpected return.  Jesus spoke of the prophets Elijah and Elisha.  He spoke of their ministry to Gentiles – to aliens, to foreigners!  He asked if there weren’t women and men of Israel who could have benefited from the miracles given unto foreigners.  Of course there were!  And Jesus’ hearers knew it. 

And a hush fell over the “Amen Corner.”  A mob quickly formed that was bent on throwing Jesus off a cliff that the town stood on.  The people were not happy with the fly in their ointment, the fly in their Scripture soup.  Jesus was redefining the poor, the brokenhearted, the captives, and the prisoners to include everyone – including those who oppressed them. 

The justice and righteousness that God desires is not for one nation or people only.  Justice and righteousness are to be for everyone.  To gain true justice and righteousness, our visceral and vindictive spirits must be put to permanent rest.  Justice and righteousness is a dish best served with warm empathy and spiced with humility.  Both captor and captive need to be released so that the pattern will be forever broken. 

May God reign! 

Enough mumbling for now… 

Peace Out