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Biblical Teaching on Visiting Those in Prison

The biblical understanding of visiting those in prison is rooted in both Old Testament practices and New Testament commands, emphasizing compassion and care for the incarcerated. While the Mosaic law did not institute imprisonment as a form of punishment, prisons existed in ancient Israel and surrounding cultures, primarily for holding accused individuals, state prisoners, or debtors [1, 5, 7].

In the Old Testament, the earliest mention of a prison appears in the story of Joseph, who was incarcerated in Egypt in a place where the king's prisoners were kept [1]. Other instances show individuals "put in ward" temporarily until a decision was made regarding their fate [1, 7]. Prisons were often appendages to palaces or private houses, sometimes with dungeons attached [5, 7]. The prophet Isaiah speaks of prisoners being "gathered in the pit" and "shut up in the prison," noting that "after many days shall they be visited" [2]. This visitation could imply judgment or mercy, depending on the context [13, 14, 15]. Psalm 102:20 highlights God's concern for "hearing the cry of the prisoner, making free those for whom death is ordered" [6].

The New Testament explicitly elevates the act of visiting prisoners to a significant demonstration of faith and love. Jesus, in Matthew 25:36, identifies with those in prison, stating, "I was in prison, and you came to me" [3]. This passage is part of a larger discourse on the judgment of the nations, where acts of mercy toward "the least of these" are equated with service to Christ himself [3]. The early Christian community understood this command as a practical duty. The book of Acts records instances where apostles were imprisoned for their faith, and the community continued its work despite these challenges [4].

The Epistle to the Hebrews further reinforces this obligation, urging believers to "Remember those in prison, as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated, since you yourselves are in the body" [11]. This instruction implies a deep empathy and solidarity with the incarcerated, particularly those imprisoned for their faith [11]. Early Christian writers, such as Cyprian, also emphasized this mutual care, suggesting that believers should do for others in captivity what they would wish to be done for themselves [12].

The practice of visiting prisoners was not unique to Christianity. Rabbinic tradition, as seen in the Babylonian Talmud, recounts Rabbi Yehoshua HaGarsi attending to Rabbi Akiva's needs while he was incarcerated, demonstrating a commitment to caring for those in prison within Jewish thought [10].

The concept of "visiting" in this context goes beyond mere presence; it often involved providing for the basic needs of prisoners. In ancient times, prisoners frequently depended on family and friends for food, comfort, and other necessities [11]. The broader biblical theme of hospitality, which includes caring for strangers, the poor, and even enemies, provides a theological framework for this specific act of mercy [8]. Similarly, the duty toward the afflicted generally includes praying for them, sympathizing, pitying, comforting, relieving, and protecting them, all of which can apply to those in prison [9].

The theological significance of visiting prisoners is profound. It is presented as a tangible expression of Christian character and a direct response to Christ's command [3, 11]. This act of compassion reflects God's own concern for the oppressed and vulnerable, echoing Old Testament sentiments about God's attention to the cries of prisoners [6].

Sources

  1. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Prison — The first occasion on which we read of a prison is in the history of Joseph in Egypt. Then Potiphar, "Joseph's master, took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound" (Gen. 39:20-23). The Heb. word here used (sohar) means properly a round tower or fortress. It seems to have been a part of Potiphar's house, a place in which state prisoners were kept. The Mosaic law made no provision for imprisonment as a punishment. In the wilderness two persons were "put in ward" (Lev. 24:12; Num. 15:34), but it was only till the mind of”
  2. Isaiah “They shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison; and after many days shall they be visited. -- Isaiah 24:22”
  3. Matthew “I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to me.’ -- Matthew 25:36”
  4. Acts “One came and told them, “Behold, the men whom you put in prison are in the temple, standing and teaching the people.” -- Acts 5:25”
  5. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Prisons — Antiquity of -- Ge 39:20. Kinds of, mentioned State. -- Jer 37:21; Ge 39:20. Common. -- Ac 5:18. Dungeons attached to -- Jer 38:6; Zec 9:11. Were under the care of a keeper -- Ge 39:21. Used for confining Persons accused of crimes. -- Lu 23:19. Persons accused of heresy. -- Ac 4:3; 5:18; 8:3. Suspected persons. -- Ge 42:19. Condemned persons till executed. -- Le 24:12; Ac 12:4,5. Enemies taken captive. -- Jdj 16:21; 2Ki 17:4; Jer 52:11. Debtors till they paid. -- Mt 5:26; 18:30. Persons under the king's displeasure. -- 1Ki 22:27; 2Ch 16:10; Mr 6:17. Confine”
  6. Psalms “Psalms 102:20 (BBE) — Hearing the cry of the prisoner, making free those for whom death is ordered;”
  7. Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Prison — [For imprisonment as a punishment, see [993]Punishments] It is plain that in Egypt special places were used as prisons, and that they were under the custody of a military officer. (Genesis 40:3; 42:17) During the wandering in the desert we read on two occasions of confinement "in ward"-- (Leviticus 24:12; Numbers 15:34) but as imprisonment was not directed by the law, so we hear of none till the time of the kings, when the prison appears as an appendage to the palace, or a special part of it. (1 Kings 22:27) Private houses were sometimes used as places of con”
  8. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Hospitality — Commanded -- Ro 12:13; 1Pe 4:9. Required in ministers -- 1Ti 3:2; Tit 1:8. A test of Christian character -- 1Ti 5:10. Specially to be shown to Strangers. -- Heb 13:2. The poor. -- Isa 58:7; Lu 14:13. Enemies. -- 2Ki 6:22,23; Ro 12:20. Encouragement to -- Lu 14:14; Heb 13:2. Exemplified Melchizedek. -- Ge 14:18. Abraham. -- Ge 18:3-8. Lot. -- Ge 19:2,3. Laban. -- Ge 24:31. Jethro. -- Ex 2:20. Manoah. -- Jdj 13:15. Samuel. -- 1Sa 9:22. David. -- 2Sa 6:19. Barzillai. -- 2Sa 19:32. Shunammite. -- 2Ki 4:8. Nehemiah. -- Ne 5:17. Job. -- Job 31:17,32. Zacchaeu”
  9. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Afflicted, Duty Toward The — To pray for them -- Ac 12:5; Php 1:16,19; Jas 5:14-16. To sympathise with them -- Ro 12:15; Ga 6:2. To pity them -- Job 6:14. To bear them in mind -- Heb 13:3. To visit them -- Jas 1:27. To comfort them -- Job 16:5; 29:25; 2Co 1:4; 1Th 4:18. To relieve them -- Job 31:19,20; Isa 58:10; Php 4:14; 1Ti 5:10. To protect them -- Ps 82:3; Pr 22:22; 31:5.”
  10. Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Eruvin 21b.12: Concerning the significance of observing the words of the Sages, the Gemara relates: The Sages taught in a baraita : It once happened that Rabbi Akiva was incarcerated in a prison, and Rabbi Yehoshua HaGarsi would come to the prison to attend to his needs. Every day his disciples would bring him water in a measured quantity. One day the prison guard met Rabbi Yehoshua HaGarsi and said to him: The amount of your water today is more than usual; perhaps you need it in order to soften the walls and thus undermine the prison. He then poured out half the water, and ”
  11. Hebrews (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Hebrews 13:3: 13:3 Remember those in prison: Prisoners often depended on family members and friends for their most basic needs. Christians were challenged to provide comfort, food, prayer, and other necessities for those imprisoned because of their faith (13:18-19; Matt 25:36; Col 4:18; 2 Tim 1:16).”
  12. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 5: Hippolytus, Cyprian, Caius, Novatian — TO THE NUMIDIAN BISHOPS, ON THE REDEMPTION OF THEIR BRETHREN FROM CAPTIVITY AMONG THE BARBARIANS. (part 2): and blood--who suffers these things to happen for this reason, that our faith may be tried, whether each one of us will do for another what he would wish to be done for himself, if he himself were held captive among barbarians. For who that is mindful of humanity, and reminded of mutual love, if he be a father, will not now consider that his sons are there; if he be a husband, will not think that his wife is there kept captive, with as m”
  13. Isaiah (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Isaiah 24:22: in the pit--rather, "for the pit" [HORSLEY]. "In the dungeon" [MAURER]. Image from captives thrust together into a dungeon. prison--that is, as in a prison. This sheds light on the disputed passage, Pe1 3:19, where also the prison is figurative: The "shutting up" of the Jews in Jerusalem under Nebuchadnezzar, and again under Titus, was to be followed by a visitation of mercy "after many days"--seventy years in the case of the former--the time is not yet elapsed in the case of the latter. HORSLEY takes "visited" in a bad sense, namely, in wrath, as i”
  14. Ezekiel (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ezekiel 38:8: thou shall be visited--in wrath, by God (Isa 29:6). Probably there is allusion to Isa 24:21-22, "The host of the high ones . . . shall be gathered . . . as prisoners . . . in me pit . . . and after many days shall they be visited." I therefore prefer English Version to GROTIUS rendering, "Thou shalt get the command" of the expedition. The "after many days" is defined by "in the latter years," that is, in the times just before the coming of Messiah, namely, under Antiochus, before His first coming; under Antichrist, before His second coming. the moun”
  15. CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Isaiah, Vol. 2, section 12.24: up. We know that men, as it were, flee from God, and despise him, so long as he spares them, and exercises any forbearance towards them; and on this account also he threatens that they shall be thrown into prison in large masses, that they may not solace themselves with their multitude. Afterwards they shall be visited. When he adds that after a time “they shall be visited,” it is not simply a promise, but includes also a threatening to this effect, “As formerly by their obstinacy they mocked God, and excessively prolonged the time of sinnin”
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