I think being filled with the Spirit means, basically, having great joy in God. The gospels are life-giving and are the end of the obligation to abide by Mosaic law for Christians. This article is part of our larger resource library of popular Bible verse phrases and quotes. He was likely killed during the reign of Manasseh. But the Bible talks about a spiritual component God gives to every person (Zechariah 12:1 Zechariah 12:1 The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, said the LORD, which stretches forth the heavens, and lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. At that time, the only written word of God was the Old Testament. Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. I know we think of this now as pretty normative; but for the people hearing this, it had to be a really shocking statement to them. The disciples did not understand that but they went along without grumbling. It is the “spirits of the prophets,” not the Spirit of God, that is subject to the prophets. Now that we’ve looked at the hopeful anticipation reaction in Isaiah versus the rather aggressive reaction in Luke, let’s consider three important reasons why this passage “the Spirit of the Lord is upon me” appears in both Testaments. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. Does God Really Close Doors and Open Windows for Us? It can help you in understanding the prophets and their writings a little better. It’s important to understand, as we saw in Luke, that just because something is true doesn’t mean it will be well-received. American King James Version ×). (God is the first person of the Holy Trinity.) Where the Spirit of the Lord is, people are set free. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” – Luke 4:18-21 (NKJV). KJV Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. Regardless of people’s response to truth, that is not an excuse for not speaking it. That the Spirit of Jehovahdenotes Divine truth, and that the man who receives it has heavenly life therefrom is still … Why does this passage “the Spirit of the Lord is upon me” appear in both Testaments? And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. The word debauchery is a translation of a Greek word meaning “lawless insolence or unmanageable caprice.” Paul deliberately contrasts the state of drunkenness (a loss of control) with the indwelling of the Spirit of God (a gain of self-control, Galatians 5:23). The Major Prophets books were longer than the Minor Prophets. From this quote we are also told that it's the Holy Spirit's job to do the equipping. He has also prepared the Holy Spirit for this work of fellowship. A great way to understand what was happening in the time of Israel during the writings of these prophets is to read Chronicles and Kings in the Old Testament. #3: “…there is freedom.” Christians have spiritual liberty, meaning freedom from Mosaic law (as the law of Jesus is superior) (Acts 15:10-11), freedom from the fear of death (as we have everlasting life in Heaven) (Romans 8:2), freedom from the guilt and penalty of sin (as Jesus died for our sins) (Romans 6:18), freedom from fear (Isaiah 43:1) and freedom from corruption (Romans 8:21). We have the distinct advantage of being able to look back from a historical perspective. What is the significance of this? And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. Instantly Respond to Your Spirit. The title “the Lord Spirit” may be considered a compound title like the Father God and the Lord Christ. What we are able to do from this viewpoint is to compare Old Testament prophecies with New Testament fulfillments, especially pointing to the first coming of Jesus. speaking here also of the Lord; the Divine truth which was in the Lord while He was in the world, and which He Himself then was, is the Spirit of Jehovah. Isaiah points to a future that Jesus fulfills by referring back to the past in Luke. 20:1-23). His spirit can be said to be the emanation of His life-force - i.e. The literal meaning of the word Ahura is "lord," and that of Mazda is "wisdom." However, what you will see is that while “the Spirit of the Lord is upon me” appears in both Testaments, there is a different reaction and expectation that happens as a result of these. To get what Isaiah 61:1 means based on its source text, scroll down or follow these links for the original scriptural meaning , biblical context and relative popularity. Bible Commentary Bible Verses Devotionals Faith Prayers Coloring Pages Pros and Cons, 40 Comforting Bible Scriptures on Family Love, 10 Powerful Prayers for Selling Your Home, Be Not Drunk with Wine Meaning and Meditation, Even a Child Is Known by His Doings Meaning and Meditation, Washing of Water by the Word Meaning and Meditation, Righteousness Exalts a Nation Meaning and Meditation, 18 Strong Prayers for a New Place to Live, Having Done All to Stand Meaning and Meditation. It’s one of the great ways God ties his word together—so you can have complete confidence in trusting his word and his plan of hope and salvation. The good news is, Jesus knew exactly who he was—and it was time that they knew it, too. Isaiah was an Old Testament prophet and his book is considered one of the Major Prophets. Rather, let your opinions be shaped by the truth of God’s Word. One of the challenges in our society is we have a hard time distinguishing what is really the truth. Scripture tells us that the sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the LORD. The difference was not a distinction in importance, simply a distinction in the size of their books. Without the Holy Spirit’s conveying, God’s Word remains only the Word. The sword of the Spirit is mentioned in Ephesians 6:17: "take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." That’s why your best bet is to always go back to the place where truth resides and where truth does not change. By “the Lord” what I mean is the Spirit, and in any heart where the Spirit of the Lord is present, there is liberty. It’s one important reason why “the Spirit of the Lord is upon me” appears in both Testaments. Spirit, like the wind, blows wherever it pleases. The Scriptures themselves indicate the meaning of those words. This is exactly what Jesus did when he stood and read this verse in Luke 4. So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. What Are "Signs and Wonders" of the End Times? To learn more about his ministry please visit clarencehaynes.com. Christ had the Spirit always resting on him without measure; but to the same intent that the prophets had, as a Spirit of counsel and a Spirit of courage. When you read this passage of scripture, I believe the most amazing part is in verse 21: ...Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing. Let’s see how we can understand this further. It is only spirit which is free to act in the world, and spirit is the true cause of everything lasting. This may not make you popular, but at least you will be on the side of truth. In the New Testament the Spirit is also called the Lord Spirit (2 Cor. In fact, the Bible is always true. The second view is that the seven spirits of God refer to seven angelic beings, possibly the seraphim or the cherubim. So Ill start with my conclusions and then give the biblical support. The beauty of biblical truth is that it is objective and it does not require your agreement for it to be true. ESV Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. When you read these verses in Isaiah 61 you will see that Isaiah is looking forward to a favorable year of the Lord. This expression proves strongly that the Lord Christ is the Spirit and the Spirit is the Lord Christ. I. The Holy Spirit conveys the work of the Lord contained in God’s Word to us. I’m sure many thought: who is this man and who does he think he is? Everything we accomplish by physical effort is futile. 2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.. NLT For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. It’s been said that the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed, and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed. In the book of Isaiah, we find this passage of scripture. The meaning is “when the Holy Spirit indwells within Christians.”. – Luke 4:21. Jesus quoted the Old Testament and used it as the authoritative Word of God. And, how can we be filled with the Spirit? I'm sure you can find more—and I encourage you to do so—but here are three walkaway truths to consider: Even though this seems like a simple reason, it’s one that can get overlooked. It contrasts the happy condition of the hearts of believers of the gospels because they have spiritual liberty, as opposed to that of those people who remained in Judaism (following Mosaic law). Ahura Mazda first appeared in the Achaemenid period (c. 550 – 330 BC) under Darius I's Behistun Inscription. If you have ever struggled trying to find God’s will, this book will help you discover the different ways God leads you into his perfect will. Regardless of how lovingly you may try to present it, this truth will not always be received well. Rather he was contrasting how people lived in fear under the codes of the Mosaic law but were free from this and so much more under the life-giving gospels. John Gill's Commentary tells us, "According to the Targum (a Amramaic translation of hte Hebrew Bible), these are the words of the prophet concerning himself; and so say Aben Ezra and Kimchi (well-known Jewish Biblical commentators and philosophers); but the latter elsewhere says they are the words of the Messiah, who should say, "because the Lord hath anointed me"; and another of their writers is in a doubt about them; either, says he, they are the words of the prophet with respect to the Messiah, or the words of the prophet concerning himself; but there is no doubt but the Messiah himself is the person speaking, as appears from ( Luke 4:17-21 ) , on whom the Spirit of God was; not his grace and gifts only, but the person of the Spirit, the third Person in the Trinity, equal with the Father and the Son; to whom several divine actions are ascribed, and to whom many things relating to Christ are attributed, and who is described as residing on him, and who, by the baptist, was seen upon him, ( Isaiah 11:2 ) ( John 1:32 John 1:33 ) the phrase denotes his continuance with him, whereby he was qualified, as man and Mediator,". The Powerful Meaning and Promise of ‘The Spirit of the Lord Is Upon Me’ in Both the Old and New Testaments, 20 Great Bible Verses for Kids to Memorize, 5 Powerful Lessons from the Book of Hosea, California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. What I want to do, however, is give you what I call "walkaway truths." It is the Holy Spirit alone which can give the power of this spiritual abstraction; but it is through the ordinary use of means that this power is bestowed. Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. The Lord Jesus was on His way to Galilee with His disciples. What was true when Jesus quoted it is still true today. You will have spiritual freedom when the Holy Spirit indwells in you. Help save a baby's life! The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. This was a passage of hope and great expectation in the nation of Israel. His delight is in the fear of the Lord, and He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, nor decide by the hearing of His ears; but with righteousness He shall judge the poor, And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. 'Back To God' Reba McEntire And Lauren Daigle Official Lyric Video, 10 Things You Didn’t Know about the 10 Commandments, For Such a Time as This - Crosswalk the Devotional - January 14, 10 Online Sins We're All Apparently Okay With, Why Commitment Is More Romantic Than Passion - Crosswalk Couples Devotional - January 13, 10 Encouraging Bible Verses about Not Giving Up. Those who remained in Judaism when they had heard the new covenant had hearts that were hardened and were ignorant of the truth. In fact, as Jesus continued speaking the people got so angry that they tried to throw him off a cliff: All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:16-18). The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. "Be Still and Know that I Am God" "Pray Without Ceasing" "Fearfully and Wonderfully Made""All Things Work Together for Good" "Do Not Fear", Bible Study Resources - Tips, Online Bible Search, Devotions. While this is true, in the context of the broader passage, the better interpretation is that the “Spirit” should be a lower-cased “spirit” as it refers to the gospels. Article Images Copyright ©. Hence, God has prepared the Lord Jesus. Don’t be shocked if people don’t want to hear the real truth. Don’t be like the people in the synagogue who could not see the truth of who Jesus was because they had made up their mind of what truth should be. This means the Lord being in our spirit is something we can experience right now. That place is the Word of God. We want to provide easy to read articles that answer your questions about the meaning, origin, and history of specific verses within Scripture's context. This was a bold and astonishing declaration and everyone in that audience was not ready to receive it. This passage of scripture represents a prophecy and a fulfillment of prophecy; or a promise and a fulfillment of a promise. Let our lord now command your servants who are before you. We find mentions of the human spirit throughout both the Old Testament and the New Testament. There are so many lessons that can be learned from why “the Spirit of the Lord is upon me.” Even in both Testaments, there are different lessons that can be learned. All rights reserved. Aramaic Bible in Plain English But The Spirit is THE LORD JEHOVAH, and wherever The Spirit of … Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. Because it is true we can depend on it for hope and for life. “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” – 2 Corinthians 3:17 Hearing the word freedom is like hearing the words “love” or “interesting.” At face-value these words are vague and can often mean anything. The apostle Paul commands in Ephesians 5:18 that we be filled with the Spirit. This sword is the last piece of armor Paul describes in talking about the armor of God and is the only offensive weapon depicted. He had not taken the usual route for a Jew of His day—across the Jordan at Jericho, north along the east side of the river, then back into Galilee. WEB. I think in these two verses in Isaiah and Luke we see just that. “The spirit of the Lord is upon me” KING JAMES VERSION (KJV) TRANSLATION, MEANING, CONTEXT. When it was reported to him that a large army was coming against Judah , Jehoshaphat immediately asked the Lord for help. The books written by the prophets in the Old Testament were classified as Major or Minor. 2 Corinthians 3:17 “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”. With the myriad of voices out there, sometimes the truth gets lost in the muddle. They think it means that the Lord and the Spirit are separate, but work closely together and share a practical identity. THE LORD SPIRIT. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn – Isaiah 61:1-2 (NKJV). The Old Testament has the same power and authority and that has not changed. Ahura Mazda is the first and most frequently invoked spirit in the Yasna. #2: “…and where the Spirit of the Lord is…” In contrast to the preceding part of the verse, here, the common interpretation is that the “Spirit” refers to the actual Holy Spirit. Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD terrorized him. In St. John’s case it was on the Lord’s Day that this spiritual rapture was vouchsafed. Can Loved Ones in Heaven Look Down on You? Isaiah wrote during the reigns of four Judean kings, Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. NIV Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. The prophets had the Spirit of God moving them at times, both instructing them what to say and exciting them to say it. They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff. There is some debate about whether the object of this is referring to Isaiah himself or is speaking of Jesus Christ. "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound" – Isaiah 61:1 Jesus walked into the synagogue, as he would any other Sabbath. This verse was a promise of hope and God’s favor. If they didn’t like Jesus when he said it, they may not like you either. The people in the synagogue may have not agreed with Jesus, but it didn’t change the reality of who he is. “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” Explanation and Commentary on 2 Corinthians 3:17 You will have spiritual freedom when the Holy Spirit indwells in you. I think it might help you follow me if I tell you at the outset where I am going. This is one of the challenges in sharing the gospel, people have to be confronted with the truth that they are sinners. The Spirit of the Lord belongs to all the prophets and ministers of God, but chiefly to Christ, of whose abundant graces everyone receives according as it pleases him to distribute. It is only spirit which has such freedom to act in the world: the Lord is the spirit, and where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 7 Truths You Need to Cling to in a Divided Nation, This site is a proud member of the Salem Web Network, a subsidiary of, Copyright © 2021, Crosswalk.com. The passage from 2 Corinthians 3:12-18 contrasts the plain English used by ministers of the new covenant with the unclear messages used by teachers of the Mosaic law. He has spent more than 30 years serving the body of Christ in various capacities and has just released his first book, The Pursuit of Purpose. This distinction is made in the Talmud, which gives a list of things found in the first Temple in Jerusalem, but missing in the second Temple. He was not, as some commentators have said, granting a license to Christians to do as they please. The Spirit of the Lord belongs to all the prophets and ministers of God, but chiefly to Christ, of whose abundant graces everyone receives according as it … Paul was contrasting followers of Jesus who lived according to the law of Jesus with those who lived under Mosaic law. When you get to the New Testament, Jesus opens and reads this same passage in the Gospel of Luke. “The spirit of a man is the candle of the Lord.” – Proverbs 20:27 … – Luke 4:28-30. "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed Me..." The word "anointed" in this quote from Scripture simply means to equip -- to furnish someone with the necessary equipment for the administration of the specified objective. NKJV Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. It is the Lord who gives breath to people ( Isa 42:5) and to lifeless bodies ( in 1:1 Ezek 37:9-10 in; this chapter there is a wordplay on ruah , allowing it to mean wind, breath, spirit a similar phenomenon is found in John 3:5 John 3:8; where pneuma means both wind and spirit ). WE. In other words, don’t allow the truth of God’s Word to be shaped by your opinions. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. Clarence L. Haynes Jr. is a speaker, Bible teacher, author and co-founder of The Bible Study Club. It is our hope that these will help you better understand the meaning and purpose of God's Word in relation to your life today. Instead, He said that He had to go through Samaria (John 4:4). breath Definition of spirit/ruach: “The basic meaning of ruach is both ‘wind’ or ‘breath,’ but neither is understood as essence; rather it is the power encountered in the breath and the wind, whose whence and … WYC. Many times, people don’t really want to accept the truth—because it often reveals something inside of them. 1 Samuel 10:6 – The Spirit of the LORD will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person Works of the Holy Spirit In the beginning, when the earth was void and full of darkness, God used the Holy Spirit to recreate the earth and brought light out of darkness. And … If you remember when he was tempted in the wilderness by Satan, he quoted the Word of God, usually starting with “It is written.”. If that is the meaning of the “seven” in the "seven spirits," then it is not referring to seven different spirits of God, but rather the perfect and complete Holy Spirit. As we will soon see, Jesus reminded them of this; but the way he did it wasn’t met with great enthusiasm. But when the Holy Spirit comes, the Word is opened up. Paul was contrasting followers of Jesus who lived according to the law of Jesus with those who lived under Mosaic law. #1: “Now the Lord is the Spirit…” Some commentators think this part of the verse is referring to Jesus, the second person of the Holy Trinity, on the one hand, and the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Holy Trinity, on the other hand. The Best Way White Christians Can Respond to Racial Tensions. What Jesus was doing, however, was pointing to himself as the hope and joy that was predicted in Isaiah 61. Every time he did this, he was adding validity and credibility to the Old Testament. The Spirit of the Lord then revealed His encouragement through the prophet Jahaziel, and the Levites and all the people worshiped and thanked God prior to their success against the enemy (2 Chron. Thus a prophet could prevent himself from prophesying but could not initiate genuine prophecy. Note: A distinction was made by ancient Jewish authorities between the "Spirit of the Lord" and the Shekhinah, or the (tangible) presence of God. Therefore, I want to try to answer two questions today: What does it mean to be filled with the Spirit? Jesus was using it to validate who he was. 3:18). For instance, Psalm 104:29 states: “If you [Jehovah] take away their spirit [ruʹach], they die and return to the dust.” And James 2:26 notes that “the body without spirit [pneuʹma] is dead.” In these verses, then, “spirit” refers to that which gives life to a … The reason why “the Spirit of the Lord is upon me” appears in both Testaments is because it’s true. Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Javier_Art_Photography, Jesus made a habit of quoting from the Old Testament scriptures. e In Judaism, the Holy Spirit (Hebrew: רוח הקודש ‎, ruach ha-kodesh) refers to the divine force, quality, and influence of God over the universe or over God's creatures, in given contexts. The Spirit of God is always the spirit of liberty; the spirit that is not of God is the spirit of bondage, the spirit of oppression and depression. Saul’s servants then said to him, “Behold now, an evil spirit from God is terrorizing you. Support Option Ultrasound! For example, 2 Timothy 4:22 says this: “The Lord be with your spirit.” In this verse, “be with” is for the present. Now the Lord is the Spirit.