Jesus embodies the Vision of Isaiah.

The word hesed in Hebrew is translated a number of ways in English:

     —Faithfulness. (Psalm 117:2 NIV).

     —Love. (Psalm 136 NIV).

     —Mercy. (Psalm 136 KJV).

     —Steadfast love. (Psalm 136 ESV; Exodus 34:6-7).

     —Lovingkindness. (Psalm 136 NASB).

     —Kindness. (Micah 6:8).

Since no one English word captures the richness of the Hebrew word hesed, I will use the word hesed in this blog.

Early in his public ministry, Jesus spoke of the hesed of the LORD that endures and blesses forever.

While teaching in his hometown synagogue in Nazareth, Jesus quoted these famous passages from Isaiah:

The Spirit of the LORD is on me,

   because he has anointed me

   to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners

   and recovery of sight for the blind,

to set the oppressed free,

to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor.

   (Luke 4:16-30; Isaiah 61:1,2 (see Septuagint); Isaiah 58:6)

When “[t]he eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, [Jesus said] ‘Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing’” (Luke 4:21).

In essence, Jesus was telling the people in his hometown synagogue that his life embodies the Vision of Isaiah:

   —proclaiming good news to those physically and spiritually poor;

   —proclaiming freedom for those physically and spiritually prisoners;

   —proclaiming recovery of sight for those physically and spiritually blind;

   —setting the physically and spiritually oppressed free; and

   —proclaiming the year of the LORD’s favor.

Jesus was proclaiming that his life embodies the hesed of the LORD God.

Jesus was proclaiming that his life embodies the hesed that shows love to a thousand generations of those who love the LORD God and who keep his commandments.” (Exodus 20:5-6).

Jesus was proclaiming that his life embodies the hesed of “[t]he LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands [of generations], and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.” (Exodus 34:6-7).

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For more of my thoughts about the hesed of the LORD God, please read my blogs “The Hesed of the LORD Endures Forever”, “Hesed Saves and Nurtures Baby Moses”, “Hesed Saves Israel—Passover”, “Hesed Nurtures Israel—From the Red Sea to Mount Sinai”, “Hesed Nurtures Israel—Mount Sinai”, “Hesed Establishes the Work of Moses’s Hands—Mount Nebo”, “Hesed Blesses Forever—David”, “Walking Humbly With Hesed—Micah”, “Hoping in Hesed—Jeremiah”, and “Hesed Returns Israel to Jerusalem”.

For my thoughts about Jesus preaching in his hometown synagogue in Nazareth, please read my blogs “Immanuel: Jesus” and “Places of Worship—Following the Way of Jesus”; and the chapter “Jesus Preaches in His Hometown of Nazareth” in my book Hoping in the LORD, at pages 111-115.