Category Archives: Bible commentary

What does baptism have to do with honor and shame? Part 2

Bible commentary, Global Christian mission, Gospel of Jesus, Honor and shame
THESIS: The Great Commission passage of Matthew 28:18–20 gives us the requirement of baptism for all new disciples of Jesus Christ. The meaning of baptism is “immersion that produces a permanent change”. This permanent change for followers of Christ is largely the result of being baptized into the honor of “the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” For Christians in societies whose pivotal cultural value is honor and shame, this offers wonderful benefits—a King who offers them a new source of eternal honor (His own), the development of shame-resilience, and a community with whom to walk in a most honorable journey.
Baptism in a river, New Bern, North Carolina, around 1900. Public domain.
Baptism in a river, New Bern, North Carolina, around 1900. Public domain.

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20 ESV)

Before we consider the baptism-related issues, let’s look first at the overall honor/shame dynamics in this passage:

1) The setting is full of honor. The Risen Christ appears to his disciples at a high place: on a mountain (Matthew 28:16). Highness usually conveys honor; consider the word high in Isaiah 6:1. The mountain is therefore befitting of the divine honor and significance of this solemn occasion. Moreover, Jesus is outside, in public, so all of His disciples, and anyone else, can see him and hear him. It is a perfect stage for honor to be displayed, honor claims to be made, and honor challenges to be given.

2) Jesus makes the claim to regal honor: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me”. This is not merely a statement of fact. Rather, it is implicitly an honor challenge to all rivals. In a society whose pivotal cultural value is honor and shame, there is no doubt that this is an honor challenge. It is as though Jesus is announcing, “ALL RIVALS TAKE NOTE! RIVALS IN THE HEAVENS OR SPIRITUAL REALM, AND HUMAN RIVALS ON EARTH: I HAVE BEEN GIVEN ALL AUTHORITY BY GOD ALMIGHTY. I HAVE DEFEATED THE GREAT ENEMY OF THE UNIVERSE—SIN AND DEATH. YES, I HAVE BEEN GIVEN ALL AUTHORITY AND AM THE MOST POWERFUL RULER. I EXCEED ALL OTHERS IN HONOR AND GLORY. I AM SOVEREIGN KING AND LORD OF ALL. I REIGN AND RULE OVER YOU—WHOEVER YOU ARE—WHEREVER YOU ARE.” 

Jesus has announced that He is the Lord and King of the universe.

3) King Jesus gives a great commandment, a great honor challenge to his disciples. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” How challenging is this command? How great is this honor challenge?

  • This command or honor challenge is global in scope and culturally all-inclusive—for all nations, for all ethnicities. No part of the world—no human community—is to be excluded from this blessing. The word, nations, in the in Greek is ethnos, mandating that this is for all ethnicities, all peoples, all language groups, in the whole world (Revelation 5:9).
  • This command or honor challenge is thoroughy Christ-centered. The nations are to be discipled to observe all that Christ commanded. Everything Christ taught and modeled is to be taught and passed by Christ-followers to others. The final message of this honor-filled occasion as recorded in the final verse of the Gospel of Matthew, is this: Jesus promises His very presence always—to all who are engaged in His work of extending the blessing of His kingdom to the nations (Matthew 28:20). The King is not far away! The King is not secluded or cloistered away in some cosmic regal fortress. No, He is Emmanuel, God with us! Wherever we go! For all time and forever! The promise of relational honor and security embedded in the King Himself coud not be greater.

What may we observe about the relationship between baptism and the dynamics of honor and shame?

1) Our Lord Jesus Christ commands that “baptizing them” is a primary objective of discipleship. The English word baptize comes from the Greek word baptizo. Here is the clearest definition I found, from James Montgomery Boice, as noted in BibleStudyTools.com:

Baptizo:

  • to dip repeatedly, to immerse, to submerge (of vessels sunk)
  • to cleanse by dipping or submerging, to wash, to make clean with water, to wash one’s self, bathe
  • to overwhelm

Not to be confused with … bapto. The clearest example that shows the meaning of baptizo is a text from the Greek poet and physician Nicander, who lived about 200 B.C. It is a recipe for making pickles and is helpful because it uses both words. Nicander says that in order to make a pickle, the vegetable should first be ‘dipped’ (bapto) into boiling water and then ‘baptized’ (baptizo) in the vinegar solution. Both verbs concern the immersing of vegetables in a solution. But the first is temporary. The second, the act of baptizing the vegetable, produces a permanent change. When used in the New Testament, this word more often refers to our union and identification with Christ than to our water baptism: “He that believes and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16). Christ is saying that mere intellectual assent is not enough. There must be a union with him, a real change, like the vegetable to the pickle!
“Bible Study Magazine”, James Montgomery Boice, May 1989.

Here is the main point: Baptism is an immersion that produces a permanent change.

2) Our Lord Jesus Christ commands that all disciples are baptized “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”. What are the possible meanings of this? The key to understanding this verse is contained in the word, name, which is heavy laden with the connotation of honor and glory. Consider these two verses from Malachi:

A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’ (Malachi 1:6)

If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says the Lord of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart. (Malachi 2:2)

Consider also these verses from the Psalms:

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts! (Psalm 96:8)

Nations will fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth will fear your glory. (Psalm 102:15)

And these verses from Isaiah:

I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols. (Isaiah 42:8)

everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” (Isaiah 43:7)

The significant thing here is the very close proximity between name, honor and glory. When the Lord complains, “O priests, who despise my name,” God’s honor is being despised. When nations “fear the name of the Lord,” they are respecting God’s glory and honor. When Isaiah prophesies of “everyone who is called by my name”, he is referring to God’s honor.

When God says, “I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other” one senses the mirror-like quality between name and glory, between name and honor. Therefore, the name of God is significantly synonymous to the glory of God or the honor of God.

So what does it mean to be baptized “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”? I believe baptism in Matthew 28:19 refers to two related things:

1) Baptism with a godward focus—it is “in honor of” or “to the glory of”—the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This is commonly accepted by Christians and makes sense because ultimately, everything is for the glory of God (Romans 11:36). So when Christians are baptized, they are honoring God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit by acknowledging Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

2) Baptism with an inward-transformational focus—being immersed into the honor of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Consider that the little word “in” is frequently translated from the Greek word eis as “into”. For example, in Matthew 2:12–14, four times the word eis is translated into. This relates significantly to the practice of baptism because the Greek word baptizo refers to “immersion that produces a permanent change”. Immersion always requires going into something. Therefore, to be baptized in the name also means being baptized into the honor—“of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”?

Baptism into the honor—of the Father, son, and Holy Spirit. The ramifications of this are especially relevant to Christians engaged in cross-cultural ministry to peoples whose pivotal cultural value is honor and shame. Here’s why:

  • It emphasizes that believers literally have a new source of honor—the eternal honor of God Himself—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The helps prevent the new believer from experiencing an honor deficit.
  • It amplifies the honor value of entering a new kind of kinship—the “forever family” which is the Church, the Body of Christ. This new kind of kinship honor replaces in large measure the earthly family honor which at best they are required to treat as secondary, and at worst they may be required to abandon.
  • It helps create in new Christians the shame resilience they need to resist the persecution and shaming techniques of family and community.

In conclusion, The Great Commission passage of Matthew 28:18–20 gives us the requirement of baptism for all new disciples of Jesus Christ. The meaning of baptism is “immersion that produces a permanent change”. This permanent change is largely the result of being baptized into the honor of “the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” For Christians in societies whose pivotal cultural value is honor and shame, this offers wonderful benefits—a King who offers them a new source of eternal honor (His own), the development of shame-resilience, and a community with whom to walk in a most honorable journey.

What does baptism have to do with honor and shame? Part 1

Bible commentary, Global Christian mission, Gospel of Jesus, Honor and shame
THESIS: The baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist signified the inauguration of Christ’s ministry; it is an example of the motif of honor-status reversal in God’s Word. The occasion of Jesus’ baptism is punctuated by a voice from heaven—the Father gives immense honor and affection to the Son—and it immediately precedes Christ’s entering the desert to be tempted by the devil. This is an example to Christians: When we experience honor and worthiness accompanied by affection from God, it produces in us something called “shame resilience”—empowering us to fight temptation, to resist the shaming techniques of our communities, and to maintain our integrity and honor before God.
The Baptism of Jesus, by Gustav Doré, 1823–1833.
The Baptism of Jesus, by Gustav Doré, 1823–1833. Public Domain.

“Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?’ But Jesus answered him, ‘Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.’” (Matthew 3:13-17 ESV)

Here is what I observe from this passage concerning the dynamics of honor and shame:

Reversal.sm1) The honor-status reversal of John. John the Baptist protests: “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” John obviously possesses less honor status than Jesus. He has already declared the immense superiority of Jesus: “… but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. … ” (Matthew 3:11). So it is reasonable to conclude that the motif of honor-status reversal in the Old Testament continues in the beginning passages of the Gospels (Matthew 1:19–21, Matthew 2:6, Luke 1:46–53, Luke 3:4–6, John 1:14). John baptizing the Son of God is another example of this motif called honor-status reversal.

2) The honor-status reversal of Jesus. Jesus insists on being baptized by John: “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Jesus, the divine Son of Man, humbles himself by being baptized by John, a mortal man, “in order to fulfill all righteousness.” The ESV Study Bible says of this verse: “Jesus’ baptism inaugurates his ministry and fulfills God’s saving activity prophesied throughout the OT.” The symbolism is rich: Jesus stoops down in His honor status by being baptized by John—He “emptied himself, taking the form of a servant” (Philippians 2:6)—in order to bring salvation to the world and inaugurate His kingdom.

3) Ascribed honor with great affection was given by the Father to the Son. New Testament scholar David deSilva writes, “In the ancient world, people are not just taken on their ‘merits.’ Instead, their merits begin with the merits (or debits) of their lineage, the reputation of their ancestral house. Greeks and Romans receive a basic identity from their larger family: for Romans this takes the form of including the clan name in the name of each individual.”[1] In the first century Middle East, everyone’s personal honor 
began with their 
kinship. So the early Christians of the Middle East would have understood this “voice from heaven” as a message of immense significance. For we see in these few words God the Father ascribing divine honor to the Son. And in using the words “beloved” and “well pleased”, the Father further amplifies the honor of His Son by communicating His infinite affection for Him. Jesus is worthy! He is worthy of infinite affection from God the Father. Notice there is no mention here of Jesus’ achieved honor. No, this is pure ascribed honor, based solely on his His Sonship. Could it be that God the Father—knowing the temptations and challenges Jesus would immediately face—actually infused a measure of extra honor and affection into His Son at this occasion so that Christ would have the resilience to stand against the works of the devil?

4) Immense ascribed honor and affection created “shame resilience”. Here is where I will diverge somewhat to the writings of an author who is a “shame researcher.” Over the past several years, Brené Brown has been conducting research about shame and then writing about her findings. The quote below is from her most recent book, Daring Greatly:

My maps, or theories, on shame resilience, Wholeheartedness, and vulnerability have not been drawn from the experiences of my own travels, but from the data I’ve collected over the past dozen years—the experiences of thousands of men and women who are forging paths in the direction that I, and many others, want to take our lives. …

What we all share in common—what I’ve spent the past several years talking to leaders, parents, and educators about—is the truth that forms the very core of this book: What we know matters, but who we are matters more. Being rather than knowing requires showing up and letting ourselves be seen. It requires us to dare greatly, to be vulnerable.[2]

Keeping in mind these thoughts from Brené Brown’s work—especially the concept of “shame resilience”—I want to suggest some applications concerning the example of Christ. What might “shame resilience” have to do with the baptism of Christ? What might “shame resilience” have to do with the voice from heaven saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Some observations:

  • Jesus was completely secure in who He was—He could therefore be vulnerable without sacrificing one iota of authenticity. No wonder he was willing to allow John to baptize Him. Jesus embraced the inauguration of His mission with this profound act of humility, of honor-status reversal. It was a continuation of the motif from the Old Testament, as well as a foretaste of things to come.
  • Jesus felt loved and worthy—He is the “beloved Son” in whom His Father is “well-pleased”. We can never know with our finite minds the infinite sense of worthiness which Jesus had of Himself. Jesus did not have an honor-deficit for which he had to compete to gain glory or honor. Jesus knew He was loved infinitely. Jesus knew He was completely and totally worthy. And yet, one wonders if the Father, in saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased”, gave His Son even more of that honor, affection and worthiness.
  • Jesus entered into great temptation immediately following His baptism and being honored by the Father. Matthew 4: 1–11 describes “The Temptation of Jesus.” In the three great temptations, Jesus becomes vulnerable to the extreme. The devil says twice (in verse verses 3 and 8), “If you are the Son of God…” The devil is challenging Christ’s identify. Jesus is tempted by physical need, having fasted for 40 days. The devil also tempts Jesus regarding his power and authority—telling Jesus that He could have all the kingdoms of the world: “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me” (Matthew 4:9). This is honor competition writ large—between the kingdom of the devil and the kingdom of God. Jesus courageously resists, obeying the Word of God, maintaining his integrity, holiness and honor.
  • Jesus resisted the great temptation. He won the honor competition with the devil. Of course it is impossible to know for sure what was in the heart and mind of Christ. Could it be that one reason Jesus was able to resist the temptations of the devil is because he had enormous shame resilience? That is, He knew His worthiness! He had just experienced the Father’s infinite affection. He therefore could affirm His own honor and maintain His integrity!

What does this mean for us as followers of Christ?

  • We experience the Father’s honor and love as a valuable prerequisite to ministry. With Jesus as our example we ought to explore how our sense of honor as children of God creates in us the “shame resilience” we need to resist the temptations of the world. Would we not be more willing to give and serve sacrificially—as we experience the love, honor and affection of our Father in heaven?
  • We embrace the honor and power of the kingdom with the humility of a child. The kingdom of God offers us a new eternal source of honor; however, it is only available through humility—by embracing our honor-status reversal as children of the King. The kingdom—with it’s royal honor, power and privileges—belongs to the King’s children (Matthew 19:14). We are a royal priesthood according to 1 Peter 2:9—so that we, as a faith community, can live powerfully in this world (Acts 1:8)—to extend the King’s blessing to the ends of the earth.
  • We identify rivalry as sin. Why is there so much rivalry and honor competition in the Christian community? Does this signify that most Christians have never actually experienced their shame covered and their honor restored? The story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11–32) is very poignant on this matter. The young son experienced the Father’s love and had his shame covered and honor restored—while the older son, in his ugly spirit of rivalry, did not. See more about this at The Father’s Love Gospel Booklet.
  • We accord strategic importance to “shame resilience” in extending God’s blessing to the nations. Cross-cultural workers should place more emphasis on helping new believers develop Christ-centered “shame resilience”—especially for those new Christians who live in honor/shame societies, and thus, are likely to be shamed or rejected by their families and communities.

FOOTNOTES

1. David A. deSilva: Honor, Patronage, Kinship & Purity: Unlocking New Testament Culture (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2000), p. 159.

2. Brene Brown (2012-09-11). Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead (p. 16). Gotham. Kindle Edition.

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New free resource: Quick reference guide—how to read the Bible in the language of honor and shame

Bible commentary, Bible study, Global Christian mission, Gospel of Jesus, Honor and shame,
Read Bible honor and shame graphic
This free resource is a quick-guide to reading the Bible in the language of honor and shame. Developed by Werner Mischke, Director of Training Ministries, Mission ONE.

As part of the seminar I am leading tomorrow, I am making available this free resource. It’s an 8.5 x 11-inch document in black and white that can be easily reproduced and shared. This little resource is a reflection of what I have learned about the pivotal cultural value of honor and shame in the Bible. It also reflects what I do when I read the Bible to reveal the honor/shame dynamics present in the text.

The resource features:

  • Primary honor/shame dynamics in the Bible
  • How to read the Bible through the lens of honor and shame
  • Recognizing the broad spectrum of words related to honor and shame
  • Basic cross-cultural ministry skills related to honor and shame

Benefits:

  • Easily reproducible, print it out in black and white
  • Graphically rich, easy to read
  • Easy to share—cut it in half and give one to a friend, or send it as an email attachment
  • Convenient size, fits in your average-size Bible for quick reference

Download here.

The “honor-status reversal” motif in Scripture, part 2: The increase in honor status for believers is embedded exclusively and totally in relation to Jesus Christ

Bible commentary, Bible study, Global Christian mission, Gospel of Jesus, Honor and shame
Honor-status reversal is a major motif in the Bible
Honor-status reversal is a major motif in the Bible

In my prior post about honor-status reversal, I stated that, as followers of Christ and members of his body, the church, Scripture teaches that we are called to identify with our Lord to such an extent that our relationship with him leads to a magnificent increase in our own collective honor status. Using Scripture, I hope to make the case in this post that this increase in honor status for believers is real, and that it is embedded exclusively and totally in relation to Jesus Christ. My approach is to list several verses followed by some comments.

However, first of all, shown below is a graphic based on a diagram from the ESV Study Bible which illustrates the honor-status reversal of Jesus Christ based on Philippians 2:9–11. Observe this truth again—that after Christ’s public humiliation through the crucifixion, he was rewarded by supreme, magnificent, comprehensive, highly exalted honor.

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11 ESV)

The honor-status reversal of Jesus Christ as diagrammed by the ESV Study Bible
The honor-status reversal of Jesus Christ as diagrammed by the ESV Study Bible

So this honor-status reversal is clearly represented here in the life, drama and Person of Christ. Can we also apply this dynamic of honor-status reversal to the community of believers who call Jesus Christ their Lord and Savior? Or is it reserved exclusively for Christ? Consider the verses below.

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. (Romans 6:3–5 ESV)

Normally, we do not associate the truth of being “baptized into Christ Jesus” and “baptized into his death” as identification with his humiliating shame. It’s ugly and assaults our sense of pride. We like to think that Jesus died for my sins in my place, but being “baptized into his death” is so harsh and hard for us to grasp.

Some comments:

  • Could it be that in order for us to experience the sense of being “united with him in a resurrection like his” (v. 5)—which includes the honor and exaltation of his resurrection—we must first identify with Christ in the shame of his death?
  • It is clear that our identification with Christ in his resurrection is not solely for our eternal life after we die. Otherwise, Paul’s emphasis that “we too might walk in newness of life” would not make sense, as this clearly represents living life on earth after salvation and prior to death. Could it be that “walking in newness of life” refers to a new lifestyle which both contains and reflects the glory and honor of Jesus Christ?
  • Is this identification with Christ primarily experienced individually—or corporately? Could it be that the emphasis in this passage—as are most of Paul’s writings—is corporate, that his epistles are intended primarily for believers in community? Could it be that the individualistic bias we have in the West keeps us from apprehending this reality?

Other passages in Romans that illustrate the honor-status reversal for believers in Christ:

  • Romans 6:6–14 actually elaborates even further on the honor-status reversal that believers experience in Christ.
  • Romans 8:34–38 expresses the dynamic of believers being on the low, shameful end of the spectrum, “being killed … regarded as sheep for the slaughter”, whereas on the high, honorable end of the spectrum, being “more than conquerors through him who loved us.” Think of the believers at Rome, the church as an oft-shamed minority group, who breathed the air of the honor of the Roman Empire and it’s “glorious” conquerors. What did it mean to know that, in Christ, they were “more than conquerors”? This again is an example of honor-status reversal for the believer.

These other passages are also examples of honor-status reversal for believers, with that honor and glory embedded exclusively and totally in Christ:

  • 1 Corinthians 1:26–31
  • 1 Corinthians 15:42–49
  • 2 Corinthians 5:16–21, 2 Corinthians 13:4
  • Galatians 2:20–21, Galatians 4:5–7, 26–31
  • Ephesians 2:1–7 gives us a dramatic picture of honor-status reversal from being “dead in trespasses and sins” to having been “raised…up with him and seated…with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus”. This is followed is followed by the classic verse about grace: Ephesians 2:8-9. Then Ephesians 2:11–22 offers another example of honor-status reversal—but this time, it is with regard to the Old Testament story of God’s people: “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God” (2:19). What is so striking to me is that the famous verse about salvation by grace is wrapped inside of a text which has two powerful examples of honor-status reversal.
  • Ephesians 4:8–10
  • Philippians 2:5–11, Philippians 3:8–10, 20–21
  • Colossians 1:13–14, 21–22, Colossians 2:12–15

The honor-status reversal which Christ himself experienced was not just for his glorification, but also for the community of believers who would follow him as Lord. Honor-status reversal is also for believers—in Christ!

In what is known as the High Priestly Prayer of Christ in John 17, Jesus prayed to the Father:

I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one (John 17:20-22 ESV).

Why is it so radically challenging to our Christian sensibilities, that Jesus prayed to the Father, “The glory that you have given me I have given to them”? Normally we think that glory belongs exclusively to God. But this is not supported by Scripture. Could it be that when we, as believers in community, embrace our honor-status reversal in Christ, we will more easily apprehend that Jesus actually has shared with us—his glory and honor.

What does this mean for people struggling with shame? What does this mean for people whose overwhelming concern is their honor status? What does this mean for Christ’s gospel being extended to the billions of people and thousands of people groups whose pivotal cultural value of honor and shame?

I’ll be writing more on those topics later.

The “honor-status reversal” motif in Scripture, part 1

Bible commentary, Global Christian mission, Gospel of Jesus, Honor and shame, ,
Honor-status reversal is a major motif in the Bible
Honor-status reversal is a major motif in the Bible

According to the dictionary on my computer, a motif is “a distinctive feature or dominant idea in an artistic or literary composition.” I contend in this post that “honor-status reversal” is a major motif in Scripture.

One classic example in Scripture of honor-status reversal is found in the Apostle Paul’s description of our Lord Jesus Christ in Philippians 2:

“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:5–11 ESV)

Jesus Christ was with the Father in the honor and glory of heaven in eternity past. His honor status was infinitely high. Christ was in His “pre-incarnate glory.”

But Jesus willingly allowed for his honor status to be reversed. He “emptied himself” … descending through the Incarnation … born fully human to the virgin Mary … “taking the form of a servant”.

He humbled himself further by dying, “even death on a cross”—the most shameful and ignominious destiny a man could endure. This was his humiliation.

But his destiny on earth was not the end of the story. The pre-incarnate glory and honor he once had in heaven, then willingly lost, was to be regained and then magnified as he rose from the dead and sat down at the right hand of the Father. Again, this is an example of honor-status reversal—also known as Christ’s exaltation.

It bears repeating:

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  (Philippians 2:9–11 ESV)

The significance of these verses cannot be overstated. As Christians, we believe that the incarnation of Jesus Christ is the crux of human history. That it constitutes the most dramatic account of honor-status reversal has wonderful implications for cross-cultural Christian ministry.

Here’s another example of honor-status reversal from the words of Jesus:

“Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For he who is least among you all is the one who is great.” (Luke 9:48 ESV)

Karl Reich, author of Figuring Jesus: The Power of Rhetorical Figures of Speech in the Gospel of Luke, explains honor-status reversal this way:

The very words “least” and “greatest” would automatically call up the thought of the Greco-Roman honor-shame system which was ultimately concerned with greatness. Malina and Rohr argue that this verse cuts at the very heart of of the honor-shame system. They write, “A squabble over honor status would be typical within any ancient Mediterranean grouping … Jesus’ reversal of the expected order challenges the usual assumptions about what is honorable in a very fundamental way.”

Referring to this verse, “And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last” (Luke 13:30 ESV), the author continues:

… The pithy comment stays with the audience because of its compact and forceful nature and its enigmatic message. The transformation of polar opposites into their antithesis is unthinkable. The saying of the Lukan Jesus undermines the honor-shame system by proclaiming a reversal of roles.”

The dynamic of honor-status reversal occurs in Paul’s description of the incarnation in his letter to the Philippians. We have seen it briefly in the teachings of Jesus in Luke’s Gospel. But it must be noted that honor-status reversal is present throughout Scripture. Otherwise it cannot be considered a motif. Consider:

  • Adam and Even were “sent out from the Garden of Eden”—they left the glory and honor of perfect fellowship with God and were shamed by their rebellion to live apart from the honorable presence with God. The honor of their fellowship with God was reversed to a permanent condition of guilt, fear and shame.
  • The story of Abraham is a story of a wealthy man who is called by God to leave the very source of honor—his father, his kinship, his homeland: “…Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you” (Gen 12:1). But consider the immense honor he is promised by God: “And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12:2-3 ESV). It is an honor-status reversal which is foundational to the revelation of Scripture—and the global purpose of God. See more on this at my blog post here.
  • The story of Joseph takes up a large portion of Scripture—Genesis 37–50—fully 14 chapters. Joseph was the favorite, most honored son of Jacob, and was sold into slavery, from which he rose to become the prime minister of Egypt. It’s a classic story of honor-status reversal.
  • The story of Moses in Exodus is also an account of honor-status reversal. A baby born into the oppressed minority society of the Hebrews is found by Pharaoh’s daughter—and then raised to eventually lead the Hebrews out of Egypt to the Promised Land.
  • The stories of Saul and David remind us that, on the one hand, a man of human-derived honor, stature and might like King Saul can be judged by God and lose his honor status—while on the other hand, God takes a lowly shepherd boy who had faith in the living God and raises him to become a mighty king whose honor in the eyes of the people greatly exceeded that of the prior king.
  • The story of Esther is another classic. A beautiful woman (Esther) from the minority culture of the Jews ends up rising in honor as she is chosen to be the wife of the king of Persia. When a plot to kill the Jews is hatched by the evil Haman, Esther’s uncle Mordecai asks Esther to courageously intervene with the king on behalf of her people, the Jews . The ESV Study Bible says, “The reader is clearly meant to laugh at the way [Haman’s] vanity traps him into having to publicly honor the very man he intended to kill (6:6–11), and his death on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai (7:8–10) is a classic case of a villain falling into his own pit.” We see here again—multiple examples of honor-status reversal!
  • The Beatitudes begin with “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3 ESV). It worth rereading these verses. In every verse in this most beautiful series, Jesus is teaching that in his kingdom, there is a new way of living. This new way of living is not a dismissal of the need for honor—or a total rejection of the dynamics of honor and shame which permeated Greco-Roman culture. It is, rather, a proclamation that a new honor, a higher and permanent honor is now available to all as they live in God’s kingdom in loving submission to the most honorable King of Kings.
  • The parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11–32) is considered by many as the most famous story ever told by the master story teller, Jesus. The younger of two sons has turned away from his family and his father. He ends up in the most degrading and shameful condition conceivable. He comes to his senses, decides to return home to his father. Rather than being rejected and scorned, the father greets him with kisses and weeping. He gives the lost son his prized robe. He provides sandals for his feet and gives him a ring for his finger, signifying the honor and authority of the family. Then the father calls for a huge village celebration to welcome home the lost son. (See more about this story at The Father’s Love Gospel Booklet.) Is there a more powerful example of honor-status reversal in Scripture?
  • In Revelation, the judgement of God constitues an honor-status reversal for the great and mighty city of Babylon. “And he called out with a mighty voice, ‘Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast” (Revelation 18:2). Numerous other examples of honor-status reversal also appear in Revelation. The Lamb that was slain is revealed as the conquering Lion of Judah (5:5–6) … the saints who were martyred are honorably clothed in white (6:11) … the once glorious, evil serpent, the devil, in finally conquered (20:1–10) … even the once-inglorious unredeemed peoples of the earth—represented by their kings—bring their glory into the new city (21:22–26). Again and again, we see honor-status reversal.

Have I made the case that honor-status reversal is a motif in the Bible? Even though I have not mentioned the many examples of honor-status reversal in the Psalms, the Gospels and the various New Testament epistles,  I hope you agree that it is plain from the examples noted above.

What is perhaps less plain and more difficult for many Christians to embrace, is that honor-status reversal is for believers, too. As followers of Christ and members of his body, the church, Scripture teaches that we are called to identify with our Lord to such an extent that our relationship with him leads to a magnificent increase in our own honor status.

This has a few key application points which I’ll be exploring in future posts:

  1. The increase in honor status for believers is embedded exclusively and totally in relation to Jesus Christ.
  2. When believers understand and experience an increase to their honor status through Christ, it enables them to resist the shaming techniques of people who are trying to coerce them to leave the faith.
  3. The increase in honor status for believers exists both in community (the church)—and in one’s individual relationship with Christ.
  4. The increase in honor status for believers is a strong catalyst for setting people free from the struggles of sin and shame.
  5. Understanding the dynamics of honor and shame and honor-status reversal can be a key for more effective cross-cultural ministry.
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A great Independence Day

Bible commentary
Imagine how terrifying it was for Jesus’ disciples to encounter a naked man inhabited by a legion of demons … and then to see Jesus set him free. What a liberation!

Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain (that’s the official statement from Wikipedia). We Americans love to go boating, have picnics, watch fireworks, be with family and friends—all to celebrate our political freedom from England.

Indeed, freedom is a precious thing worth celebrating! Liberation from any form of bondage—whether internal or external—is to be celebrated.

This morning I read in my Bible the story of a great liberation. A great Man rescued a pitiful man. The pitiful man was hopelessly enslaved by supernatural evil. The story is known as “Jesus healing the demoniac” as recorded in Luke 8:26–39. Jesus got in a boat on the Sea of Galilee, sailed across with his disciples, and met a man who was inhabited by a legion of demons. He confronts the Legion, sends this host of demons into a herd of pigs. The pigs, in turn, run off a cliff and drown. After Jesus was done with this astounding rescue mission, the local people freaked out—they were afraid of Jesus and his mighty power. So Jesus simply returned to the other side.

Jesus knew this horribly enslaved man had only one hope—liberation from evil by the intervention of the Son of God.

I hope to listen to the story of this man’s liberation from supernatural evil when I get to heaven. What an Independence Day he had!

Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him and said with a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me.” For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him. He was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert.) Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered him. And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.

When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. And those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.

(Luke 8:26-39 ESV)

Seven bestowals of honor—when God called Abraham

Bible commentary, Cultural intelligence, Global Christian mission, Honor and shame

Seven bestowals of honor

The Call of Abraham is found in Genesis 12:1–3. If we understand that blessing is an important way of bestowing honor in an honor-shame culture, then I contend that inside of this Call are seven bestowals of honor promised by God to Abraham.

First, let’s look at the verses:

1  Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.

2  And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.

3  I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

What Abram did in response to God’s call was a tremendous risk, and constituted a huge counter-cultural act of boldness. Why? Because it violated the traditional way that men accrued and preserved their honor: kinship, land, and livestock. Despite this great risk, consider these seven honor-laden rewards that Abram (who became “Abraham”) would receive by believing God’s promise and acting in obedience:

  1. “to the land that I will show you”—God was promising Abraham that, although he was to leave the honor of his father’s land, Abraham would gain the honor of another land. This was made plain in later revelations from God that this “promised land” was to be the land of Canaan (Gen. 15:18–21, Gen. 17:8).
  2. “I will make of you a great nation”—this was God’s promise that, although Abraham had no son, had no heir, and therefore had none of the highly-prized honor that comes by having a son to carry on his name—Abraham would nevertheless, according to God’s promise, be the father of a great nation. Further promises from God revealed that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars of heaven (Gen. 15:5). God also said, “I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you” (Gen. 17:6). God’s promise to honor Abraham in this way is of inestimable value.
  3. “I will bless you”—this is God’s bestowal of divine favor on the man Abraham. In the economy of honor and shame, to be blessed by God Almighty (Gen. 17:1) constituted an enormous accrual of ascribed honor.
  4. “I will make your name great”—this was God’s promise that Abraham would gain a public reputation of great honor. Abraham would become a man of renown and glory in the “public square.”
  5. “so that you will be a blessing”—this is God’s promise that Abraham would become a benefactor. A man can only be a benefactor of blessing if he himself is a man of means; he must first himself be a person of wealth and honor if he is to be a means of blessing to others. God’s promise that Abram would “be a blessing” is another promise of honor.
  6. “I will bless those who bless you and him who dishonors you I will curse”—this is God’s promise to pay close attention to the social, public dimension of Abraham’s relations. As blessing is to honor, so also is cursing to dishonor; this is a vivid acknowledgment by God of the public nature of honor and shame. God is guaranteeing that He will not allow Abraham to be shamed by his enemies. Again, this is an extremely valuable bestowal of honor from God to Abram.
  7. “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed”—this is God’s way of explaining the extent of the honor which is to accrue to Abram’s account. God promises that Abram’s honor will not be limited to his own family, local community or region. God promises that Abraham will ultimately have the weighty influence that extends to all the families of the earth—a global significance, global renown.

Again, from the cultural perspective of honor and shame, God told Abram to abandon the traditional source of honor (in that culture it was a truly unthinkable act; this was a huge risk) … in exchange for the honor that God himself was able to give.

God is establishing a prototype in Abraham. He is demonstrating that people who follow God exchange their traditional source of honor for honor that comes from one eternal source—God himself. This honor cannot be revoked or lost; the honor is embedded in God Himself, and revealed in His blessings.

Consider the binding of Isaac in Genesis 22—in which Abraham is asked to sacrifice his son. This represents the climax of a lifestyle of risk which Abraham lives out by faith in covenantal relationship with God—and which, in the end, is commensurate with the immense honor, inexpressible in value, granted him by God.

Would Abraham have taken such enormous risks had it not been for the utterly astounding set of promises made by God that Abraham would gain immeasurable honor from both God Himself and from the nations?

“Top-line, bottom-line” or “Glorious honor from top to bottom”?

The Call of Abraham in Genesis 12:1–3 is sometimes seen through the lens known as “top-line, bottom-line.” Proponents of this “top-line, bottom-line” view say that God gives to us his blessings (top-line); therefore, believers have an obligation, a responsibility, a duty—to share those blessings with the nations (bottom-line). We are blessed to be a blessing, as the popular missions song goes.

While the Call of Abraham covenant may be seen in this light (for, indeed, we do have an awesome responsibility!) I wonder whether this may be primarily a Western cultural reading of the passage. Could it be that the seven-fold bestowal of honor to Abraham suggests that there is no “top-line, bottom line” separation in the way that Abraham would have received and understood the promise? Could it be that every aspect of the covenant, including the responsibility to bless others—was an expression of great honor bestowed by God upon Abraham, and therefore an enormous, glorious delight?

I contend that from top to bottom, from beginning to end of the passage of Genesis 12:1–3, for Abraham to be included in God’s global purpose was an astounding honor. God’s promise/command that Abram would “be a blessing” is not just a delegation of duty; it is another facet of the magnificent diamond of honor by which Abraham would himself (through his descendants) become a most-honored benefactor to the nations. This is an extension of the divine patronage that originates in Almighty God himself—the ultimate Patron—for whose glory the universe was made.

The Apostle Paul wrote, “And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise” (Galatians 3:29 ESV). We are Abraham’s offspring as followers of Christ! It follows that, in the spirit of God’s promise to Abraham, we as Great Commission Christians should embrace the sacrificial responsibility—as well as the eternal magnificent honor—of declaring his glory to the nations.

An important text from Timothy Tennent on honor and shame, courtesy of Google Books

Bible commentary, Global Christian mission, Honor and shame
According to Timothy Tennent, “the term guilt and its various derivatives occur 145 times in the Old Testament and 10 times in the New Testament, whereas the term shame and its derivatives occur nearly 300 times in the Old Testament and 45 times in the New Testament.”

Theology in the Context of World Christianity: How the Global Church Is … – Timothy C. Tennent – Google Books.

At the link above you can read a significant portion of a chapter from Timothy Tennent’s very impressive book; the chapter addresses the contrast between “Guilt/Innocence and Shame/Honor in Global Cultures.”

I believe the Christian Church in every culture and society has its blinds spots relative to some aspect of Christian truth and a biblical worldview. In the Western Church, is there a blind spot about the pivotal cultural value of honor and shame? The following quote from Tennent points to that being the case:

Since Western systematic theology has been almost exclusively written by theologians from cultures framed primarily by the values of guilt and innocence, there has been a corresponding failure to fully appreciate the importance of the pivotal values of honor and shame in understanding Scripture and the doctrine of sin. …

Bruce Nichols, the founder of the “Evangelical Review of Theology,” has acknowledged this problem, noting that Christian theologians have “rarely if ever stressed salvation as honoring God, exposure of sin as shame, and the need for acceptance as the restoration of honor.” In fact, a survey of all of the leading textbooks used in teaching systematic theology across the major theological traditions reveals that although the indexes are filled with references to guilt, the word “shame” appears in the index of only one of these textbooks. This omission continues to persist despite the fact that the term guilt and its various derivatives occur 145 times in the Old Testament and 10 times in the New Testament, whereas the term shame and its derivatives occur nearly 300 times in the Old Testament and 45 times in the New Testament.

This is clearly an area where systematic theology must be challenged to reflect more adequately the testimony of Scripture. I am confident that a more biblical understanding of human identity outside of Christ that is framed by guilt, fear, and shame will, in turn, stimulate a more profound and comprehensive appreciation for the work of Christ on the cross. This approach will also greatly help peoples in the Majority World to understand the significance and power of Christ’s work, which has heretofore been told primarily from only one perspective.

From Timothy C. Tennent: Theology in the Context of World Christianity: How the Global Church Is Influencing the Way We Think about and Discuss Theology (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2007) p. 92–93, (footnotes withheld)

Surprise! … 29% of the words about “glory” in the Bible relate to humanity

Bible commentary, Honor and shame,

Glory graph

As Christians, when we think of the word “glory” in the Bible we rightly think of God. As Christians we believe that the glory of God is paramount in all of life. The Westminster Shorter Catechism begins this way:

Q. 1. What is the chief end of man?
A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.

Perhaps the most concise statements about the crux of God’s glory are written by Apostle Paul:

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
(Romans 11:36 ESV)

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
(1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV)

to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
(Ephesians 3:21 ESV)

But there is an aspect about this word “glory” in Scripture, which I think is frequently overlooked or ignored. It is this: the many Scriptures in which “glory” refers to humanity. In fact, of the 407 cases in which the words glory, glorify, glorified, or glorious appear in the English Standard Version of the Holy Bible, 139 refer to humanity.

You can inspect the Excel spreadsheet I created by clicking here.

Here are the results: Of the English words in the Bible translated as … glory, glorify, glorified, and glorious …

  • 65% relate to God and his domain.
  • 29% relate to humanity.
  • 6% relate to “other”—neither God nor humanity.

For me, the surprise is that nearly one-third of the “glory verses” relate to humanity. Here’s a short selection:

Awake, my glory! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn!
(Psalm 57:8 ESV)

On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.
(Psalm 62:7 ESV)

Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you.
(Isaiah 55:5 ESV)

How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?
(John 5:44 ESV)

for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.
(John 12:43 ESV)

The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one,
(John 17:22 ESV)

to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life;
(Romans 2:7 ESV)

that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
(Romans 8:21 ESV)

But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.
(1 Corinthians 2:7 ESV)

To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
(Colossians 1:27 ESV)

You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor
(Hebrews 2:7 ESV)

Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones.
(Jude 1:8 ESV)

What are we to make of all these references to the glory of humanity? The Psalmist David praying, “Awake , my glory” … about believers seeking “the glory that comes from the only God” … Jesus telling the Father about the glory, “I have given to them” … that creation will be set free and obtain the “glory of the children of God” … about Christ in us, “the hope of glory” … and believers being called the “glorious ones”?

All this biblical ‘glory and honor’ about humanity is first of all attributable to every person being made in the image of a good and glorious God. It is then significantly elevated by the believer’s faith and identity in Christ.

This answers humanity’s struggle with sin and shame—and longing for honor. It relates to what it means to follow Jesus. It speaks to God’s call to His people to extend His blessing through Christ to all the peoples of the earth—the majority of which are characterized by the pivotal cultural value of honor and shame.

Does Jesus have cultural intelligence? Part 1

Bible commentary, Cultural intelligence
“Woman at the well” by Martin Howard. Used by permission with Creative Commons license.

Jesus was Jewish. He was born into a Jewish family and related to Jewish people. So many of his interactions recorded in the Gospels were with Jewish religious leaders. All of his disciples were Jewish. So it is common for us to think that Jesus did not interact with people from other cultures.

But in John 4:1–42, Jesus had a remarkably effective conversation with a non-Jewish woman—a Samaritan woman.

Does this conversation prove that Jesus has cultural intelligence (CQ)? [1]

One could say that the cultural distance wasn’t that much between Jesus’ Jewish culture and the Samaritan culture; it was much less than, say, the cultural distance between a white middle-class American and a primitive tribe in Africa.

So one might conclude … Jesus and CQ? Not so much.

However, I believe you can attribute supreme cultural intelligence (CQ) to Jesus Christ. In this series of blog posts, I make a case for the cultural intelligence of Jesus Christ based on three things:

  1. Jesus is omniscient. One can attribute cultural intelligence to Jesus Christ by the Scripture-based belief that Jesus is God, and God knows all things. “Great is our Lord … his understanding is beyond measure” (Psalm 147:5 ESV). “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1 ESV). Jesus is perfect in every type of intelligence. It follows therefore, that in knowledge, facts and relational skills, Jesus Christ has complete and perfect understanding of everything, including every culture that has ever existed on earth. Jesus knows how to build relationships with anyone and everyone, regardless of tribe, ethnicity, social class, language, religion, or other cultural difference.
  2. Jesus crossed a huge divide between Jews and Samaritans. There were huge social and cultural differences between Jesus and the woman from Samaria. (I will explain this in greater detail in the second post in this series.)
  3. Jesus built this relationship with ease, despite the huge divide. Jesus initiated a conversation with the Samaritan woman—“the woman at the well”—and this conversation was profoundly meaningful. The cross-cultural relationship-building skills of the Savior were demonstrated by the fact that this woman became a follower of Jesus. Moreover, Jesus was introduced by the woman to her larger Samaritan community where Jesus further developed meaningful relationships, again demonstrating his extremely high degree of relational skill. (I will explore this further in the third posting in this series.)

According to Brooks Peterson,[2] cultural intelligence may be defined by this ‘equation’:

What I hope to show in this series of posts is that Jesus demonstrated cultural intelligence (CQ) by his:

  • knowledge about both Jewish and Samaritan culture
  • awareness of both himself and the Samaritan woman
  • specific skills and behaviors

Finally, in the fourth posting, I will offer practical suggestions based on my observations—for followers of Jesus Christ who are involved in build cross-cultural relationships and partnerships.

You are invited to share your comments!

=====================================

1. The term, cultural intelligence, or CQ, is a field of study to help people better work together in cross-cultural settings. See Wikipedia for more info. I am using the term, cultural intelligence, to derive insights about the wisdom of Jesus Christ, believing that he is an outstanding example to his followers for building relationships cross-culturally.
2. Brooks Peterson: Cultural Intelligence: A Guide to Working with People from Other Cultures (Boston: Intercultural Press, 2004, p13).