It's hard to say exactly what the Greek translator of Isaiah 61 had in mind. This word 'seeing again' (ἀνάβλεψις, anablepsis), appears only here in the LXX and Old Greek translations of the Jewish scriptures. I wouldn't say that Luke deliberately twisted the meaning, as it is indeed one reading of the Greek, perhaps the more plain reading. But the verbal form (ἀναβλέπω, anablepo) can be even more literal, ie, 'to look up', eg, when Abraham is told to look up at the sky and count the stars. It is also certainly possible that the Greek translator was speaking of those who are 'blind' in a figurative or spiritual sense.
The author of 4Q521 (the paraphrase text found at Qumran which dates to Hasmonean times) also interpreted Isaiah 61 as both messianic and as miraculous (raising the dead, healing the sick, opening [the eyes] of the blind). So it can easily be argued that Luke was merely following a common interpretation by some Hebrew and Greek speakers of his time.
As for the actual meaning intended by the author of this text in Deutero-Isaiah, Roman Catholic Christians (as an example that I am most familiar with) officially only consider the Hebrew original text to be inspired, thus they are not be bound by the Greek translation, the Hebrew paraphrase at Qumran, or even Luke's interpretation. While they would also consider Luke's Greek text inspired, there are plenty of disagreements of different authors of the scriptures. They should simply defer to Hebrew scholars and their discussions of the possible meanings of Isaiah 61.
Personally, I do not think Deutero-Isaiah is speaking of miraculous healings of blind people. Nor is he speaking of recovery of sight to the spiritually blind. Rather he is generally speaking about the vengeance of God against the Babylonians wrought by Cyrus, the Lord's 'anointed', and especially his favor to the Judeans and others previously defeated by the Babylonians. As for the Greek translator, who knows, perhaps he was thinking of a symbolic reversal of the blinding of King Zedekiah by King Nebuchadrezzar?
The author of 4Q521 (the paraphrase text found at Qumran which dates to Hasmonean times) also interpreted Isaiah 61 as both messianic and as miraculous (raising the dead, healing the sick, opening [the eyes] of the blind). So it can easily be argued that Luke was merely following a common interpretation by some Hebrew and Greek speakers of his time.
As for the actual meaning intended by the author of this text in Deutero-Isaiah, Roman Catholic Christians (as an example that I am most familiar with) officially only consider the Hebrew original text to be inspired, thus they are not be bound by the Greek translation, the Hebrew paraphrase at Qumran, or even Luke's interpretation. While they would also consider Luke's Greek text inspired, there are plenty of disagreements of different authors of the scriptures. They should simply defer to Hebrew scholars and their discussions of the possible meanings of Isaiah 61.
Personally, I do not think Deutero-Isaiah is speaking of miraculous healings of blind people. Nor is he speaking of recovery of sight to the spiritually blind. Rather he is generally speaking about the vengeance of God against the Babylonians wrought by Cyrus, the Lord's 'anointed', and especially his favor to the Judeans and others previously defeated by the Babylonians. As for the Greek translator, who knows, perhaps he was thinking of a symbolic reversal of the blinding of King Zedekiah by King Nebuchadrezzar?