162. Opening of Prison
Isaiah 61:1d The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me…to proclaim…the opening of the prison to them that are bound.
The promise of opening the prison is similar to the previous clause that promises liberty to the captives. The picture is just a little different. Being in prison is the apex of losing freedom. Being imprisoned is a great diminishment of life. It is certainly not a full life. Movement is limited, of course, but opportunities are limited. The prisoner is not free to act on all the decisions he might make. The freedom of having opportunities and options to choose from is a basic desire of all people. It is for this reason that greed takes over, and for this reason we want more money than we presently have. Getting out of prison is a large dream, and staying out of prison is a huge motivation. We don’t like sickness and being handicapped because it limits our opportunities and abilities to do what we like. This limitation of choice and ability to do what we want is an endemic part of the human condition.
In short, all of us are in a prison of some kind, some kind of handicap or limitation to doing what we want, to choose. If we can’t do everything we are imprisoned and life is diminished to some degree. We can’t begin to list all the psychological prisons in which we lock ourselves up. Of course, it is because of the choices we make that we put ourselves in various prisons. My own sins and selfishness has imprisoned me in different ways. Every prisoner yearns to get out, to be free.
In the midst of this condition, God sent Jesus to give us this promise: He opens the prison of those who are bound. This is the human yearning: freedom. Adam and Eve were deceived into thinking they were not free to do what they wanted. And God seems like a tyrant and cruel taskmaster to us as well, preventing us from making our own choices about good and evil, and having to trust God for everything good. I want to do the things that I think are good for me, according to my selfish interest. With Adam I also place myself under a curse and lock myself in a prison. This prison is what Jesus opens up. By faith in Christ I can do what I want. But what I want changes. Conversion to Christ suddenly, and then gradually, changes my desires.
When sins are forgiven and eternal life is granted prison is opened. We put our souls in prison every day, and Jesus opens the prison every day.