“What Was Jesus Anointed to Do?,” Liahona, Oct. 2022.
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What Was Jesus Anointed to Do?
Early in His earthly ministry, Jesus Christ visited a synagogue in Nazareth. He read from the book of Isaiah, verses we now know as Isaiah 61:1–2. He then announced, “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears” (Luke 4:21).
The first three verses of Isaiah 61 describe the Savior’s mission and ministry. Consider how He fulfilled and is fulfilling these:
“Preach good tidings unto the meek” (verse 1). The word gospel means “good tidings” or “good news.”
Illustrations by Denis Freitas
“Bind up the brokenhearted” (verse 1). For example, “he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin … unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit” (2 Nephi 2:7).
“Proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound” (verse 1). This could refer to the Old Testament practice of freeing all the slaves every 50 years in the year of jubilee (see Leviticus 25) but can also refer to the preaching of the gospel in the spirit world to free those in spirit prison (see Doctrine and Covenants 138).
“Comfort all that mourn” (verse 2). The Lord can comfort us through His Spirit, and we can also “comfort those that stand in need of comfort” (Mosiah 18:9).
“Give unto them beauty for ashes” (verse 3). “Each of us will taste the bitter ashes of life, from sin and neglect to sorrow and disappointment. But the atonement of Christ can lift us up in beauty from our ashes on the wings of a sure promise of immortality and eternal life.”1