Christ the Jailer: Paul’s Carceral Theology

Abstract The apostle Paul has gone down in history as a ‘prisoner of Christ’ (Phlm 1). However, the ramifications of this statement remain curiously under-explored. This article follows the logical implication of this phrase that if Paul is a prisoner, Christ is a jailer. Here as elsewhere, Paul demonstrates an understanding of God in terms associated with his own experiences of imprisonment. This article examines firstly the relationships between prisoners and jailers in ancient times, and the implications of Paul’s apparent placement of Christ in the role of incarcerator. Secondly, it discusses the imperial-carceral rhetoric in Paul’s letters, especially the Corinthian correspondence, and the ways in which Paul makes use of images of carceral subjugation to describe his own status in relation to God. Thirdly, it explores the idea, popular in early Christianity, of God and/or Christ as the ‘good jailer’, and the subversion of carceral language to denote protection, safety and refuge. Finally, it reflects on the theological implications of a carceral God, whether punitive or benevolent, and the liberatory potential – or lack thereof – of Paul’s words in a carcerally marked modern world.