Proclaim the Year of Lord's Favor
Now I would like to share with you a gem from the Scripture at this time.
I am sorry. Some of my blogs might be too preachy. This will be one of them. I am not actually a fan of the concept of preaching myself. I prefer a form of communications that can be challenged and has a mechanism for feedback. I guess we have to live with it because it is a part of liturgy and tradition. Sermons inherently have the idea that “I know more than you do, and this is exactly the way it is.” This is especially true in Lutheran churches where the pastors wear an elaborate robe and stand on an elevated podium. It symbolizes the idea that “I am not only special, but spiritually and intellectually I am a level above you.” At one point in time that was true. Uneducated and illiterate farmers, unable to think for themselves, had no choice but to accept all preaching with credulity. The time has changed. The audience today is more educated and informed and should be harder to impress, but uncritical acceptance of a certain school of biblical teaching still happens. Most people are just too busy making money and providing for their families. They throw their own spiritual and political beliefs “up for grabs” and effectively are manipulated through emotions, propagandas, and the dynamics of “group think” phenomenon. Do most people really think for themselves? They think they do. I will have more to say about this later, and how the format of preaching maybe changed to be more relevant and culturally appropriate. Oops! Did I say change? In Lutheran tradition? I just said a word that is as bad as any swear word didn’t I? Never mind! Anyways, I will now get on with the subject…
By the way, I only wish to inform not brainwash. Please consider my discourse with both an open mind and a healthy dose of skepticism. Anyone can leave a comment in my blog. At any rate…
In the beginning of Luke 4:18, Jesus stated his mission and purpose:
“The spirit of the Lord is upon me; he has appointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to proclaim release to the captives; and to recovery of sight to the blind; to let oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
What is *the year* that he quoted from Isaiah 61 and at the same time the Lord’s favor? Unless we resurrect Isaiah or Jesus himself, we can’t know this for sure. However, by the process of elimination, deductive reasoning, and consideration of the passage in historical context, I believe he was talking about the year of Jubilee.
The concept of the year of Jubilee is described in detail in Leviticus 25. Basically every 7th year is a Sabbath year and every 7x7=49th year is a super Sabbath year. There was extravagant celebrations and jubilation, but there are many other interesting facts. One among them from the bible is the fact that in ancient Israel all land was supposed to be divided evenly in every tribe and among every family. After all, the land is owned by no one but God. Some families experienced hardship and had to sell their land. However, in the year of Jubilee, all land would go back to their original owners. The purpose of the law is to ensure equal distribution of wealth and to prevent a small number of powerful few from controlling all the land and all the wealth. It sounds great, but unfortunately historians and archaeologists don’t believe the law has ever been put in practice. In ancient Israel, there was practically no middle class as most people are extremely poor except a few who are rich and powerful. I believe this is the whole purpose behind Jesus’ proclamation of the year of the Lord’s favor.
Did Jesus accomplish this goal? Of course not. His ministry only lasted a year. That means his disciples, us, are expected to continue his endeavor through compassion, discipleship, political action and legislation. Anyways, I am doing my part by informing you. I just hope you lasted until this point. Until next time…
I am sorry. Some of my blogs might be too preachy. This will be one of them. I am not actually a fan of the concept of preaching myself. I prefer a form of communications that can be challenged and has a mechanism for feedback. I guess we have to live with it because it is a part of liturgy and tradition. Sermons inherently have the idea that “I know more than you do, and this is exactly the way it is.” This is especially true in Lutheran churches where the pastors wear an elaborate robe and stand on an elevated podium. It symbolizes the idea that “I am not only special, but spiritually and intellectually I am a level above you.” At one point in time that was true. Uneducated and illiterate farmers, unable to think for themselves, had no choice but to accept all preaching with credulity. The time has changed. The audience today is more educated and informed and should be harder to impress, but uncritical acceptance of a certain school of biblical teaching still happens. Most people are just too busy making money and providing for their families. They throw their own spiritual and political beliefs “up for grabs” and effectively are manipulated through emotions, propagandas, and the dynamics of “group think” phenomenon. Do most people really think for themselves? They think they do. I will have more to say about this later, and how the format of preaching maybe changed to be more relevant and culturally appropriate. Oops! Did I say change? In Lutheran tradition? I just said a word that is as bad as any swear word didn’t I? Never mind! Anyways, I will now get on with the subject…
By the way, I only wish to inform not brainwash. Please consider my discourse with both an open mind and a healthy dose of skepticism. Anyone can leave a comment in my blog. At any rate…
In the beginning of Luke 4:18, Jesus stated his mission and purpose:
“The spirit of the Lord is upon me; he has appointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to proclaim release to the captives; and to recovery of sight to the blind; to let oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
What is *the year* that he quoted from Isaiah 61 and at the same time the Lord’s favor? Unless we resurrect Isaiah or Jesus himself, we can’t know this for sure. However, by the process of elimination, deductive reasoning, and consideration of the passage in historical context, I believe he was talking about the year of Jubilee.
The concept of the year of Jubilee is described in detail in Leviticus 25. Basically every 7th year is a Sabbath year and every 7x7=49th year is a super Sabbath year. There was extravagant celebrations and jubilation, but there are many other interesting facts. One among them from the bible is the fact that in ancient Israel all land was supposed to be divided evenly in every tribe and among every family. After all, the land is owned by no one but God. Some families experienced hardship and had to sell their land. However, in the year of Jubilee, all land would go back to their original owners. The purpose of the law is to ensure equal distribution of wealth and to prevent a small number of powerful few from controlling all the land and all the wealth. It sounds great, but unfortunately historians and archaeologists don’t believe the law has ever been put in practice. In ancient Israel, there was practically no middle class as most people are extremely poor except a few who are rich and powerful. I believe this is the whole purpose behind Jesus’ proclamation of the year of the Lord’s favor.
Did Jesus accomplish this goal? Of course not. His ministry only lasted a year. That means his disciples, us, are expected to continue his endeavor through compassion, discipleship, political action and legislation. Anyways, I am doing my part by informing you. I just hope you lasted until this point. Until next time…
posted by doulos theou | 5:01 PM
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