Arturo Azurdia: Spirit Empowered Preaching
(2) Azurdia’s interpretation of Luke 4:18-19 (KJV) limits Jesus’ ministry to anointed preaching. Jesus says, “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.”
A more careful exegesis of this passage reveals that Jesus came to preach, to heal, and set people free from demonic bondage. This passage can be interpreted both literally and figuratively. In other words the anointed preaching ministry of Jesus goes together with signs, wonders, and miracles. Also, healing, miracles and people being set free from demonic activity follow preaching. These verses confirm that anointed preaching, signs, wonders, and miracles go hand in hand.
There are two ways to interpret Luke 4:18 and 19. (a.) If we choose ‘anoint’ as the main verb, the infinitive (infinitives are a form of a verb that express the verbal notion without reference to a particular subject or tense) followed by another infinitive, could be interpreted to mean that Jesus was anointed and “sent” (verb) “to preach” “proclaim liberty to the captives” “to recover the sight” of the blind and “to preach” that this is a time of God’s liberation. (b.) These verses can also be interpreted by looking at the two verbs, “anoint” and “sent”, separately. The passage would then read: Jesus was anointed to preach (infinitive). Jesus was “sent” (verb) to “proclaim release” (infinitive) to the captives, “release” (infinitive) those that have been bound and “proclaim” (infinitive) this is the acceptable year of the Lord (the time during which God is releasing people). Whichever interpretation is chosen, both mean the same thing.
1 Corinthians 2:4, 5 (KJV) presents the same teaching as Luke 4:18-19.
And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
“Demonstration of the Spirit and of power” is not limited to better results from our preaching but is inclusive of fruitful preaching on the one hand and signs, wonders and miracles on the other hand.1
Robert Menzies, a New Testament Pentecostal scholar, says that “the anointing” is a generic term, while “the baptism of the Holy Spirit” is the specific term, that describes the empowering work of the Spirit.2 Furthermore, it is the people who preach that are anointed, not their sermons.
(3) This book falls short on providing specifics about how to pray for the anointing (164-183).
Category: Ministry, Summer 2006