At the opening of his ministry Jesus claims for himself the role of the prophet who ‘proclaims’ the good news of Isaiah 61 (Luke 4:18–19) and he proceeds to devote himself to that proclamatory ministry (Luke 4:44; 8:1). Like the Gospels’ portrayal of John the Baptist, the portrayal of Jesus’ ministry in the Gospels at points recalls very strongly Old Testament prophetic ministries (especially the ministry of Elijah; cf. Luke 7:11–17 and 1 Kgs 17:17–24).
