“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 4:18-19
“Socially, the Jubilee emphasizes the importance of family… The Jubilee aimed to protect the family unit by eliminating debt, which could break up extended or even immediate families, and which to this day is a huge cause of social disruption and decay, and tends to breed many other social ills, including crime, poverty, squalor, and violence. By cancelling debts the Jubilee aimed to reverse this decay, reunite families, and provide them with a fresh start for prospering together on their own land.
Theologically, the basis for all these commands was that the land and the Israelites belonged to the Lord. By following Jubilee laws, the Israelites acknowledged the Lord’s sovereignty over His land and people, knowing that they would have to give account to Him for how they treated each. Significantly, the Lord’s severity is not limited to the land of Israel or those within it (Psalm 24:1; cf. Exodus 9:29; Psalm 89:11). This implies that all are accountable to acknowledge His sovereignty by putting into practice the above principles.
Finally, it may be noted that Jesus takes the principles of Jubilee and applies them to His mission. This is especially clear in Luke 4:18-19, where He reads from Isaiah 61, a passage that uses the language of Jubilee to describe a future restoration of the people of God. Jesus says this passage finds its fulfillment in Him, a fulfillment that shows itself in two ways. The first was current ethical practice. In keeping with the principles of Jubilee, Jesus did indeed show great concern for the poor (Luke 7:20-23; 14:13) and chastised those who did not (Luke 16:19-31). He expected His disciples to follow His example of care, and this is, in fact, what the early Christians did (Acts 2:44-47; 4:34).
But Jesus did not stop there; He also fulfilled the Jubilee principles on an entirely new level, by releasing people from physical sickness (Luke 7:22), demonic oppression (Luke 4:31-37; 8:1-2) and, above all, the debt of their sins, giving them present peace (Luke 7:36-50; 19:1-10; 24:47) and a future hope that they were members of the family of God (Luke 15:11-32). Jesus started this deeper level of fulfillment with His earthly ministry and will complete it when He returns in glory (cf. Revelation 7:16-17; 22:1-5). And for this reason His people cry, ‘Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!’ (Revelation 22:20).”
Jay Sklar in Leviticus (TOTC; Downers Grove: IVP, 2014) 311-312.
Prior to leaning into the OT principle of Jubilee, I knew that it kept families together and unified the people of God. But, admittedly, I had no idea how central it was to the mission of Jesus.
What does this have to do with us and our generosity? To follow Jesus on mission means we get to bring Jubilee wherever we go, from caring for the poor to making known the good news of Jesus Christ.
Today I get to speak at Mobilize 2018 in Calgary, Alberta. It’s a conference for pastors. I am excited to speak on my newest ECFA Press book, The Council: A Biblical Perspective on Board Governance.
What does governance have to do with Jubilee and the mission of Jesus? The role of overseers is not to rule over a church or ministry but to make sure its focus remains true. I aim to inspire them to that end.
Father in heaven, pour out your Spirit upon me as I proclaim good news today. Fill me with grace, truth, and love to serve the pastors and board members well. Hear my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.