. . . he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted.

Isaiah 61:1a (ESV)

BIND UP THE BROKENHEARTED, RECOVER SIGHT TO THE BLIND

The prophecy of Isaiah 61 includes the phrase, “he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted” (Isa. 61:1a, ESV). With the exception of the KJV translation, this phrase is not included in Luke’s account of Jesus reading Isaiah to the crowd (Luke 4:18). I include it here as a reminder that many of the sins Jesus came to give his life for emanate from the heart.

When we think of a broken heart, what often comes to mind is the end of a romantic relationship. Whether you are the initiator of the breakup or the recipient, pain occurs on some level. Our hearts can also be broken by hurtful actions committed against us or by harsh words spoken to us. Whatever the cause, we have all experienced that feeling of a broken heart that seems as though it will never mend. Jesus came to “bind up the brokenhearted,” but not in the sense we might first assume.

King David reminds us, “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit” (Ps. 34:18). “Brokenhearted,” in the biblical context, does not primarily refer to pain inflicted by others’ sin against us, but rather to the sorrow that comes from our own sin. John Gill notes that our “hearts are broken and made contrite by the word of God, under the influence of the Spirit of God, and with a sense of sin; and are wounded with it, and are humbled for it.” Jesus called those who mourn “blessed” (Matt. 5:4). Jesus comes to bind up the broken heart—but in this context, he seeks the heart of those who truly mourn over their sinful condition. Once we humbly confess our sins to him, the stripes that he endured heal our wounds (1 Pet. 2:24, KJV).

“. . . and recovering of sight to the blind” (Luke 4:18b, ESV).
“. . . and the opening of the prison to those who are bound” (Isa. 61:1b).

Before salvation, we are all blind to our true condition. Sin blinds us and twists the truth. It is as though we are imprisoned, shut away in darkness. Jesus is telling his audience that he comes to free the prisoner from darkness and to restore sight to the blind. Jesus later tells Saul—soon to become Paul—on the road to Damascus that Paul is sent “to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God” (Acts 26:18a).

Have you ever been in total darkness? I am not referring to when-the-power-goes-out darkness; I am talking about deep-in-a-cave darkness. You literally cannot see your hand in front of your face. That is how blind we become to our sinful nature. Fortunately, God—through his Son, Jesus—promises to “lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground” (Isa. 42:16). Jesus not only comes to heal physical blindness, but—more importantly—to open our eyes to the light that only he can provide.

Digging Deeper (er):

Psalm 147:3; John 8:12; 2 Cor 4:6

Phil Meade is a father of 3, and grandfather of 5. He has a Masters Degree in Theological Studies from Liberty University, and lives in Acworth. He has led various small groups throughout his more than 20 years attending NS. He retired after 8 years as an Air Force pilot, and 33 years as a Delta pilot.