Category Archives: Competencies for cross-cultural partnership

Four steps—and a free guide—to help you read the Bible in the language of honor and shame

Bible study, Cultural intelligence, Honor and shame, , , , , , ,

honor and shame word universe

Read Bible honor and shame graphic.sm

You do not have to be a professional cross-cultural worker or Bible scholar to read and understand the Bible in the “language of honor and shame”. Most anyone can do it if they familiarize themselves with a few key concepts. Below are four steps to help you unlock the honor/shame dynamics in Scripture so that the Bible can “come alive” for you in a fresh way.  You can be confident that the insights you glean from reading the Bible this way will help you understand people from other societies whose pivotal cultural value is honor and shame.

Before following these steps, download the quick reference guide to reading the Bible in the language of honor and shame. Click here to download. Familiarize yourself with the dynamics of honor and shame which exist in Bible societies. 

STEP 1—Recognize honor/shame dynamics. Observe the “universe” or spectrum words and dynamics of honor and shame in the Bible in the graphic at the top of this post. (This is also part of the quick reference guide.) As you read the Bible, circle those words in black. Pay special attention to these words … glory, honor, blessing, ashamed, cursed, name, kingdom, blood—and anything having to do with family or kinship.

STEP 2—Recognize all conflicts as honor competition. From sibling rivalries to deadly wars—remember it is fueled by “challenge and riposte” (the ubiquitous honor-shame “game”) and the “image of limited good” (win-win was conceptually impossible except as revealed by God; win-lose was the only way). Make a note in your Bible. (NOTE: See this blog post for an explanation of “challenge and riposte”. For an explanation of “image of limited good”, see this blog post.) 

honor-status reversal, honor and shame dynamicsSTEP 3—Identify examples of honor-status reversal. Underline or circle these verses with a yellow colored pencil. This can range from individual verses to long stories. See this post for an explanation of honor-status reversal.

STEP 4—Observe words and themes about salvation—and how they connect to honor-status reversal. In the Old Testament and New there are many references to the words … saved, ransom, redeem, atone, propitiation, etc. Underline or circle these verses in red. Observe the relationship, if any, between salvation and honor-status reversal.

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Article by Jackson Wu concerning honor-shame dynamics in the Chinese church

Cultural intelligence, Honor and shame, Quotes, articles & books related to cross-cultural partnership, Short-term missions, Uncategorized
An article by Jackson Wu about honor and shame in the Chinese church appeared in the October 2011 issue of Global Missiology. (Permission granted for use of image above.)

To what extent does Chinese culture emphasize the value of honor and shame? How does honor and shame affect the beliefs and practices of the church in China? When Westerners visit or serve there, what should they be aware of—concerning themselves and Chinese cultural values?

Here’s an article with many insights and suggestions. “Authority in a Collectivistic Church: Identifying Critical Concerns for a Chinese Ecclesiology” by Jackson Wu (pseudonym), appeared in the October 2011 issue of Global Missiology. The author has graciously given me permission to promote his article on my blog and include it on my Resources page. Don’t be put off by the title. It’s a readable paper about honor-shame dynamics in the Chinese church—born of much research and ministry experience living among the Chinese.

Wu’s article provides an overview of how honor and shame is woven into the beliefs and practices of the church in China. “In particular,” Wu summarizes, “we see that collectivism and an honor-oriented value system are fundamental to Chinese identity. Our examination of Scripture highlights key areas of overlap between a [Chinese] community and biblical conceptions of the Church.”

Wu’s applications include …

  1. “Chinese church leaders can become more conscious of their decisions in light of western influences and their own cultural assumptions.”
  2. “Missionaries can assess their strategies and better serve Chinese churches.”
  3. “The reflections offer a richer reading of the biblical text.”

The article may be downloaded by clicking here.

Free presentation on honor and shame (and other resources)

Cross-cultural partnership, Cultural intelligence, Global Christian mission, Gospel of Jesus, Honor and shame, Training, ,
“Big Shame or Big Honor? Exploring the Dynamics of Honor and Shame in Cross-Cultural Partnership” — digital slide presentation

Note: Since this was first posted, a fuller list of resources is available on the HONOR-SHAME RESOURCES page for this blog. Click here.

This digital slide presentation is now available for viewing and free downloads. The corresponding video of the full presentation is available here. Presented at the 2012 COSIM conference, this teaching:

  1. Examines the key dynamics of 
honor and shame from a 
social-science perspective—
with examples from Scripture.
  2. Explores honor and shame 
as the pivotal cultural value of the Bible, and of most of the Majority World / 
unreached peoples.
  3. Examines applications 
to cross-cultural ministries 
and partnerships through understanding the dynamics of honor and shame.

You can use this slide presentation to:

  • Learn about the pivotal cultural value of honor and shame—both in the Bible and in many Majority World cultures.
  • Present the material yourself to your own friends and colleagues engaged in cross-cultural relationship-building.
  • Begin a conversation to explore the implications of honor and shame in your own cross-cultural relationships and partnerships.

Other resources on honor and shame:

  • Free 30-page article: Honor & Shame in Cross-Cultural Relationships: Understanding Five Basic Culture Scales Through the Cultural Lens of Honor and Shame—with Application to Cross-Cultural Relationships and Partnerships
  • 4lessons honor and shameFour 10-minute lessons on honor and shame. Click here to learn more. Here are four short lessons—10 to 15 minutes each—to introduce to you some of the
    principles of the pivotal cultural value of honor and shame in the Bible—and how it relates to building relationships—with God and across cultures.
  • Skit about honor and shame in refugee ministry. Give this to your friends who are dramatically inclined. And let them introduce the subject of honor and shame in building cross-cultural relationships—especially with refugees. Two skits compare relational skills. Funny and warm. Click here to download.
  • Gospel tract: Present the life-transforming message of Jesus Christ in the language of honor and shame—through the story of The Prodigal Son. Here is a gospel tract in development which may radically change how you share the gospel. Check it out here.

Three reasons to read the Bible through the “lens of honor and shame”

Competencies for cross-cultural partnership, Cultural intelligence, Global Christian mission, Honor and shame, , , ,

#1: When we understand that the ancient world of the Bible is characterized by the pivotal cultural value of honor and shame—we can better understand God’s Word. 

  • The Greek philosopher Aristotle (384–322 BC) said: “Now the greatest external good we should assume to be the thing which we offer as a tribute to the gods and which is most coveted by men of high station, and is the prize awarded for the noblest deeds; and such a thing is honour, for honour is clearly the greatest of external goods … it is honour above all else that great men claim and deserve.” [1]
  • “Athenians excel all others not so much in singing or in stature or in strength, as in love of honour” –Xenophon [2] (c. 430–354 BC)
  • “For the glory that the Romans burned to possess, be it known, is the favourable judgment of men who think well of other men.” [3]–Augustine of Hippo (354–430)
  • “The ancients name love of honor and praise as their premier value.” –Jerome Neyrey[4]

So to be a faithful interpreter of the ancient texts of the Holy Bible, we benefit from being familiar with the cultural values of the world in which the Bible authors wrote—namely, the pivotal cultural value of honor and shame.

#2: As we read the Bible through the lens of honor and shame, we’ll see more readily that, through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God is not only remedying the guilt of persons—God is also covering the shame and restoring the honor of persons.

Notice these verses which address the covering of shame and restoration and even the elevation of honor of those wo follow Christ:

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name,he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. –John 1:12–13 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

“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

 …if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.  –Romans 10:9–11 ESV

To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.  –2 Thessalonians 1:11–12 ESV

But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. –2 Thessalonians 2:13–14 ESV

For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. –1 Peter 2:6-8 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

#3: As we read the Bible through the lens of honor and shame, we recognize that these same cultural values are vitally important to many Majority World peoples today. This helps people from the West and Majority World understand each other better—and build meaningful friendships more easily.

  • We (Westerners) become aware of the powerful motivation of “saving face”—protecting oneself (and the other person!) from embarrassment. We learn the art and the value of indirect communication.
  • We recognize that job title, age, and “position of authority” is just as significant as effectiveness or job performance.
  • We learn that kinship and family “name” can be much more important than it is to people living in highly individualistic societies. We learn to honor the family more deeply.
  • We develop the ability to value relationships as much as tasks, and that just being together is honoring of the people with whom we gather, and is as valuable as any accomplishment.
  • We learn to put team or group ahead of the individual—requiring us to submit our own desires to those of the community. This can encourage us to be more patient. When everything inside says, Stand up and speak and make your ideas known!—we instead exercise patience and calmness in honor of the larger group.

Since early 2009, I’ve been reading my Bible through the lens of honor and shame. I say this plainly:

As I journey in life as a follower of Christ—I have gained a better sense of my own honor before God as my Father, and have become more comfortable in relating to people from non-Western cultures. A big reason why is that I’ve been reading the Bible through the lens of honor and shame.

[1] See Jerome H. Neyrey: Honor and Shame in the Gospel of Matthew (Louisville: Westminster Press, 1998) p.5
[2] ibid, p. 17
[3] ibid, p. 17
[4] ibid, p. 17

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.

Is listening THE catalyst for blessing the nations?

Competencies for cross-cultural partnership, Cross-cultural partnership, Cultural intelligence, Global Christian mission, Godly character, Listening, Powerboat vs Sailboat

“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.
So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything,
but only God who gives the growth.” (1 Corinthians 3:6–7 ESV)

The Bible teaches that when it comes to spiritual fruit, “God gives the growth.” But with our modern management orientation in Christian ministry, we often think we can control outcomes. This is understandable because of the high-control mindset—so common in the secular environment of the Western world; but is it biblical?

I once attended a small gathering of mission leaders for a “Sailboat Retreat” during which we compared the powerboat mindset with the sailboat mindset—and what it could mean for Christian mission ministry. (Note: If you want to understand the difference between the powerboat and sailboat mindsets, click here for a brief article.)  One of the things we discussed is that money is very often a controlling force in ministry. As a result, fundraising is what often shapes ministry. This can be quite unhealthy, an example of “the tail wagging the dog.”

In keeping with the sailboat theme of “catching the wind of God”—one of the ideas we considered in our sailboat retreat is this:

Instead of having money as the single greatest catalyst for ministry, what if that catalyst was simply listening—listening to God and His Word, and listening to people?

To make this contrast clear, take a look at two “formulas” for ministry. With the “powerboat” formula for Christian mission, the catalyst is money:

Money drives ministry for results
Money drives ministry for results
  • Money drives the process; no funding = no ministry = no results.
  • Money comes first; listening is almost optional and comes last.
  • Primary emphasis on fundraising and methods to raise money.
  • Western nations have more funds, therefore wealthy nations tend to control ministry.
  • Implies reliance on expensive structures, technology, “missions machinery.”
  • Money makes “mission” go fast.
  • Tremendous pressure on people for results—measurement of outcomes—in order to maintain funding. This shapes ministry strategy and reporting protocol.

With the “sailboat” formula for Christian mission, things are very different. The variables are the same, but the priorities are different. The catalyst is listening—to God and people.

Listening shapes ministry for faithfulness
Listening shapes ministry for faithfulness
  • Listening replaces money as the catalyst for global missions.
  • Listening comes first; money is almost optional and comes last.
  • Primary emphasis on—listening to God—catching the wind of the Holy Spirit.
  • Implies a quantum leap by Christian mission leaders in the West relative to listening to Christian mission leaders in the Majority World—while at the same time adopting more of a servant role rather than a leadership role in missions.
  • Ministry can go forward without excessive reliance on funding.
  • Sometimes fast, sometimes slow; it depends on the wind of God.
  • Results are up to God, and can greatly exceed the plans of people, or not. Either one is okay, because God is in control. What is required is that God’s people be found faithful.

Obviously, there are generalizations involved in making formulas and it would be easy to critique specific pieces of the formulas above. Nevertheless, the point of this is to imagine: What would be different in your cross-cultural partnership, if you put listening ahead of funding? What if listening to God and to people was by far the most important, the most catalytic practice, in your cross-cultural partnership ministry—or any ministry, for that matter?

Visit this blog for more resources on the sailing mindset in Christian ministry: http://sailingfriends.wordpress.com/

Recent Changes in Christian Approaches to Islam

Cultural intelligence, Global Christian mission, Global trends, Quotes, articles & books related to cross-cultural partnership, Stories and reports, World news affecting partnership, ,

This article by Dr. Patrick Sookhdeo provides great insight into the challenges and tensions concerning Christian ministry to Muslims.

Recent Changes in Christian Approaches to Islam

It deals with such things as:

  • The impact of 9/11, and how various governments dealt with the issue of violent Islamic extremists
  • Various efforts concerning Christian-Muslim dialog and the InterFaith movement
  • The Insider Movement in missions and areas of concern

The article is nuanced and is written by a Christian intellectual who is a former Muslim. I recommend it highly. Below the article is “An Assessment of the Insiders’ Principle Paradigms”, by Jay Smith—also a valuable perspective.

New video teaching about honor and shame

Bible study, Competencies for cross-cultural partnership, Cross-cultural partnership, Cultural intelligence, Global Christian mission, Honor and shame,

“Big Shame or Big Honor? Exploring the Dynamics of Honor and Shame in Cross-Cultural Partnership” by Werner Mischke may be seen here: https://vimeo.com/43444852

Presented at the 2012 COSIM conference, this teaching:

  1. Shows how the story of the Prodigal Son uses honor and shame concepts to introduce the message of salvation through Christ,
  2. Examines the key dynamics of 
honor and shame from a 
social-science perspective—
with examples from Scripture,
  3. Explores honor and shame 
as the pivotal cultural value of the Bible, and of most of the Majority World / 
unreached peoples, and
  4. Examines applications 
to cross-cultural ministries 
and partnerships through understanding the dynamics of honor and shame.

For a free 30-page article by Werner Mischke, “Honor & Shame and Cross-Cultural Relationships”, visit: beautyofpartnership.org/about/free. To contact Werner Mischke about Bible-based training in honor and shame dynamics, write to werner@mission1.org.

COSIM announces 17th annual conference May 7–9, 2012 in Phoenix, Arizona

Competencies for cross-cultural partnership, Cross-cultural partnership, Global Christian mission, Ministry tools and resources

COSIM — Coalition on the Support of Indigenous Ministries

COSIM—Coalition On the Support of Indigenous Ministries—is pleased to announce the convening of the 17th annual conference to be held May 7–9, 2012. The location is Mission Community Church, in Gilbert, Arizona near Phoenix.

The conference theme is “Cross-Cultural Partnership In the Context of Deep Change.” The conference is a continuation of the theme launched at the “RESET conference”—the 2011 North American Mission Leaders Conference—sponsored by The Mission Exchange and CrossGlobal Link.

Click here to visit the COSIM website.

Jane Overstreet, President and CEO of Development Associates International, will speak in the opening session of the 2012 COSIM conference

Jane Overstreet will be the keynote speaker on the evening of May 7th. Jane is the President & CEO of Development Associates International (DAI) a non-profit organization providing training and consulting in leadership and organizational management to more than 10,000 Christian leaders in 30 countries annually.

Other presenters include Scott Allen of Disciple Nations Alliance, Terry Dalrymple of Global CHE Network, J. Knox of International Turkey Network, and more, including members of the COSIM Resource Team.

COSIM is a learning community of evangelical Christians and organizations with a common interest in the support and capacity building of majority-world ministries.

Our mission is to expand the understanding and practice of cross-cultural partnerships with indigenous ministries for the advance of the gospel. We accomplish our mission through networking and sharing of best practices, with emphasis on partnerships between North American and majority-world missions.

Coalition on the Support of Indigenous Ministries (COSIM)

Does Jesus have cultural intelligence? Part 2 … Relating to the quintessential deviant

Bible study, Cultural intelligence

In my last post, I introduced the idea of Jesus having cultural intelligence (CQ) based on his remarkable conversation with a Samaritan woman, “the woman at the well.”

This conversation—along with its impact on the woman, her Samaritan community, and Jesus’ disciples—is recorded in John 4:1–42.

“Woman at the well” by Martin Howard. Used by permission with Creative Commons license.

In this post I’ll begin exploring one aspect of the cultural intelligence of Jesus, based on this “formula” or definition of CQ, which comes from Brooks Peterson: [1]

“Knowledge about Cultures plus Awareness of Self and Others plus Specific Skills equals Cultural Intelligence.”

Let’s look at the first part of this definition: “Knowledge about Cultures”.

What specific knowledge did Jesus have about the Samaritan woman, and her Samaritan culture? What knowledge would Jesus have had, based simply on his living in his society like any other man of his day?

According to the ESV Study Bible the tensions between Jews and Samaritans were intense, and sometimes led to great conflict and bloodshed:

Tensions often ran high between Jews and Samaritans; thus Josephus recounts fighting between Jews and Samaritans during Claudius’s reign in the first century a.d. being so intense that Roman soldiers were called in to pacify (and to crucify) many of the rebels (Jewish War 2.232–246).

For additional insights about the social and cultural distance between Jesus and the Samaritan woman, consider the comments below from Jerome Neyrey, a scholar who has written extensively on the pivotal cultural value of honor and shame in the ancient Mediterranean world. Neyrey writes:

Of what might the Samaritan woman be a “representative”? Looking at 4:6-26, we argue that the narrator has concentrated in this one figure many of the characteristics of marginal persons with whom Jesus regularly deals in the synoptic gospels. She is an amalgam of cultural deviance. In terms of stereotypes, she is a non-Jew, who is ritually unclean; she is a “sinner,” a publicly recognized “shameless” person. … As a shameless woman, she embodies most of the social liabilities which would marginalize her in her society. At a minimum, she represents the gospel axiom that “least is greatest” or “last is first.” Ultimately, she represents inclusivity into the Christian group in a most radical way. The stereotype of gender expectations serves to portray her precisely as the quintessential deviant, the last and least person who would be expected to find favor with God (see 1 Cor 15:8-9). Her status transformation in 4:6-26 is basically that of a person moving from “not in the know” to “in the know” and from outsider to insider.[2]

What are we to conclude about Jesus? From this cultural reading of the passage we learn that Jesus related profoundly to the “quintessential deviant”. Jesus includes the Samaritan woman in his story and mission, despite her social and cultural deviance. It’s a radical kind of inclusivity.

Jesus knew all these things about Samaria and the Samaritan woman. Nevertheless, Jesus was totally intentional in going there. With regards to the verse, “And he had to pass through Samaria” (John 4:4 ESV), the ESV Study Bible says:

Jesus had to pass this way because of geography (it was the shortest route), but the words may also indicate that Jesus’ itinerary was subject to the sovereign and providential plan of God (“had to” translates Gk. dei, “to be necessary,” which always indicates divine necessity or requirement elsewhere in John: 3:7, 14, 30; 9:4; 10:16; 12:34; 20:9).

Indeed, “Jesus’ itinerary was subject to the sovereign and providential plan of God.” Concerning this entire episode of his cross-cultural encounter with the Samaritans, Jesus said to the disciples,

…My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. (John 4:34 ESV)

It was the will of the Father who sent him. Jesus considered his cross-cultural encounter with this Samaritan woman—the “quintessential deviant”—as vital to life as eating. What are the lessons for us?

My next post will explore the things that Jesus knew about the Samaritan woman because of his divine knowledge—and what implications this has for understanding the cultural intelligence of Jesus.

========================
1. See Brooks Peterson: Cultural Intelligence: A Guide to Working with People from Other Cultures (Boston: Intercultural Press, 2004, p13)
2. See Jerome Neyrey: “What’s Wrong With This Picture? John 4, Cultural Stereotypes of Women, and Public and Private Space”, accessed at http://www.nd.edu/~jneyrey1/picture.html