Isaiah 61:1-2
“The Spirit of the Lord Yahweh is on me; because Yahweh has anointed me to preach good news to the humble. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of Yahweh’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;”
The prophet Isaiah, writing to the people of Judah likely during or after their exile in Babylon (6th-5th century BCE), announces a message of hope and restoration. This passage describes the mission of an anointed figure who will bring liberation and healing to a suffering community.
What responsibilities might proclaiming liberty and opening prisons ask of us when considering modern approaches to crime and punishment?