The Burgon-Hills Theory

Not only Paid & Skan, but anyone else. I always thought it was the LXX, but was told I was wrong the other day. I really want to know which version. Also is it the same for the scripture that Philip and the eunich used.

I'm not trying to provoke anyone, I really want to know. If I was wrong, I want to be right. </font>[/QUOTE]Tinytim,

The scroll that Jesus read from would most likely have been written in Hebrew, but there is a slight possibility that it was written in Aramaic and that it was a Targum. Luke wrote his Gospel in Greek and in all likelihood he was quoting from the LXX, but there is a slight possibility that he used his own or another translation of the Hebrew into Greek. I am including in this post quotes from two scholars who studied Luke’s Gospel in detail.

Luke 4:17-19

17. And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written,
18. "THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED,
19. TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD."

Joseph A. Fitzmyer, in his very detailed commentary on Luke, vol. 1, pp. 532-533, writes regarding Luke 4:18-19:

18. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. . . . The quotation from Second Isaiah is actually a conflation of 61:la,b,d; 58:6d; 61:2a. Two phrases are omitted: 61:lc, "to heal the broken-hearted" (at the end of v. 18); and 61:2b, "the day of vengeance of our God" (at the end of v. 19). The omission of thel former is of little consequence; but the latter is a deliberate suppression of a negative aspect of the Deutero-Isaian message. The "today" of v. 21 is not to be identified with a day of divine vengeance. The Greek text of Luke's quotation conforms to that of the LXX, save for the infin. keryxai, "to proclaim," instead of kalesai, "to call for" (LXX) in 61:2a, and the shift of the impv., apostelle (LXX) to an infin. in v. 18. The LXX follows the MT for the most part, but the meaning of the Hebrew text of 61:ld is disputed (lit. "for those bound an opening"—but in what sense? The LXX understood it as an opening of eyes). The Deutero-Isaian verses are part of a hymn (61:1-11), which explains the prophet's mission in the Consolation of Zion. See further J. A. Sanders, "From Isaiah 61 to Luke 4," in Christianity, Judaism and Other Greco-Roman Cults (SJLA 12; ed. J. Neusner; Leiden: Brill, 1975) 1. 75-106.
he has anointed me. In the baptism (3:22; cf. Acts 10:38; see the COMMENT on 3:21-22). Here it is to be understood as a prophetic anointing (see COMMENT).
to preach good news. The prophetic function of Jesus' mission is thus set forth in Deutero-Isaian terms. On the verb euangelizesthai, see NOTE on 1:19. Its etymological sense is retained here because it is so used in the Deutero- Isaian quotation; cf. 7:22. In the OT it scarcely means the preaching of Jesus or Christian preaching; when put on his lips here, it is not to be assumed that it immediately takes on the full Christian connotation. The point is that what "Isaiah" announced, Jesus is now seen doing himself. In the Greek text it is not clear whether "to preach the good news" is to be taken with the preceding verb, "he anointed me," or with the following, "he sent me." My translation has followed the sense of the original Hebrew, "to announce good news to the poor he sent me." So too the LXX.
to the poor. Second Isaiah was announcing the Consolation of Zion to varous groups in the postexilic Jerusalem community. Luke includes four of them in his quotation. The first is the "poor" (ptochoi), a foreshadowing of a Lucan emphasis on this social class (see 6:20; 7:22; 14:13,21; 16:20,22; 18:22; 19:8; 21:3;cf. p. 248 above).
release for prisoners. In the ministry of Jesus this might refer to imprisoned debtors, the second group. In the Melchizedek text from Qumran Cave 11, Isa 61:1 is used in connection with Lev 25:10-13 and Deut 15:2 of the "release" of the jubilee-year (intended for debtors); see ESBNT, 249, 256-257.
sight for the blind. The third group of unfortunates in the Deutero-Isaian quotation, as it appears in the LXX; allusion will be made to them again in 7:22.
to send the downtrodden away relieved. Lit. "with relief, or in release." The Greek text uses en aphesei. The fourth group is described by a text derived from Isa 58:6d according to the LXX. The conflation of Isa 58:6d with 61:ld is the result of catchword bond: aphesin, "release," in the latter, and en aphesei, "in release," in the former. Although the word aphesis is used in these two verses in the sense of "release," it should be recalled that Luke also uses it in the sense of "forgiveness" (especially of sins); see 1:77; 3:3; 24:47; Acts 2:38; cf. p. 223 above. See further M. Rese, Alttestamentliche Motive, 153.
19. to proclaim the Lord's year of favor. Lit. "the Lord's acceptable year" (keryxai eniauton kyriou dekton), Isa 61:2a according to the LXX, save for the infin. (see NOTE on v. 18). The Isaian description of a period of favor and deliverance for Zion is now used to proclaim the Period of Jesus, and the new mode of salvation that is to come in him. This is the form that his kerygma takes in the Lucan Gospel in contrast to Mark l:14b-15 (see p. 153 above). The last part of 61:2 is omitted, "the day of vengeance of our God," since it is scarcely suited to the salvific period now being inaugurated. A similar reworking of this Isaian text to suit the role of Melchizedek and "the holy ones of God" can be found in11QMelch 9 (ESBNT, 249).

I. Howard Marshall, in his commentary on Luke, p. 182, writes regarding Luke 4:18-19:

The quotation, also found independently in Barn. 14:9, was already used at Qumran with reference to the work of the Teacher of Righteousness (1QH 18:14; Braun, Qumran, I, 87) and also in the Melchizedek document (11QMelch 6-9). It is taken from Is. 61: If. LXX with certain changes (Holtz, 39-41).

 

Epistle of Barnabas 14:9,

Again the prophet saith; The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, wherefore He anointed Me to preach good tidings to the humble; He hath sent Me to heal them that are broken-hearted, to preach release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of recompense, to comfort all that mourn.