The words “the
year of the Lord” are taken from the book of prophet Isaiah, which Christ read
in the synagogue in Nazareth.
We can find the
proof of this event in the Gospel of Luke: “And He was handed the book of the
prophet Isaiah. 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
(Luke 4:17-19).
Then the Savior
says, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21).
Through these words, Christ revealed the truth of
the prophesy of Isaiah: the One about Whom the prophet has told comes now to
proclaim salvation for the all of humanity. The time of purification, enlightenment
and freedom from spiritual slavery, ignorance, sin and death.
According to
the exegetes, the expression “the year of God” in the book of Isaiah refers to
the so-called “Jubilee year” set by God and celebrated in each 50th
year – once in seven times seven years. It was the year when people had to rest from their work, free their slaves and forgive any debts.
We can find the
reference to the anniversary in the Old Testament book of Leviticus: “That
fiftieth year shall be a Jubilee to you; in it you shall neither sow nor reap
what grows of its own accord, nor gather the grapes of your untended vine. For
it is the Jubilee; it shall be holy to you” (Leviticus 25:11).
The word “year”
in the Church Slavonic language has the meaning of the “calendar year” or just “time”. Under
the Jubilee year, we can understand the period of special preferences for the
whole Israel people, which was stated by the law.
“So you shall
observe My statutes and keep My judgments, and perform them; and you will dwell
in the land in safety” – God says about the Jubilee year (Leviticus 25:18).
The expression “the
year of the Lord” is a synonym of a year, which the Church begins in autumn; of
the Church New Year which comes on September 14 (September 1).
People call it
the year of the Lord’s grace, when they want to specify a period, which has been
favorable for them, or which they are still going to live with hope for God’s Providence.
Source: http://dishupravoslaviem.ru/chto-takoe-leto-gospodne/
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