MISSÃO PROFÉTICA: UMA EXPERIÊNCIA DE LIBERTAÇÃO E ESPERANÇA NO EXÍLIO DA BABILÔNIA A PARTIR DO SEGUNDO CANTO DO SERVO DE YHWH (Is 49,1-6)

Abstract

This study deals with the pericope Is 49,1-6, which is known as the Second Song of the Servant of JHWH and which is inserted into Deutero-Isaias. We affirm that there is a cohesive unity within this block of text even though there is no unanimity among scholars with respect to the unity of the Song and with respect to the analysis of the structure of the same text. This being the case, we will work within that area where there is general agreement among scholars; that is, with respect to the parallelism contained in the Song. The literary genre is that of an autobiographical narrative which tells of the vocation of the Servant from his existence within his mother's womb up to the time of the call to actualize his mission. The Servant responds to God's call and proclaims himself as the one chosen to free the people of Israel. In order to concretize his mission the prophet-servant takes on the experience of suffering within the midst of a suffering people. The Servant is a prophet because he enters into the daily life of the exiles, participating in their gatherings and in their farm activities. Within community they were able to support one another through the practice of solidarity and of sharing, while affirming their identity and faith in the one God. Through this exegesis grounded in the historic-critical method, one grasps that the Servant is a prophet. The prophet-servant has the mission to be a light for the nations, and a bearer of salvation to the people of God by means of freeing them from their oppressors.