Category Archives: Honor and shame

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.

From the language of mission to the language of blessing

Global Christian mission, Honor and shame

Recently a friend in Southeast Asia asked me to review a portion of their new ministry website—the page dealing with their “mission.”

Here’s what I recommended:

Focus on the word BLESSING as the means for your mission. Describe the various facets of how you are blessing the peoples [of your region].

Here’s why I recommend the language of BLESSING over the language of MISSION.

First and foremost, the word “BLESSING” is biblical, whereas the word “MISSION” is not found in Scripture. In fact, the key action in the Abrahamic covenant in Genesis 12:1–3 is BLESSING, and this theme is repeated over and over again in the Old and New Testaments. Let’s look at these ancient verses in Genesis—foundational to understanding God’s global purpose:

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. 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 12:1-3 ESV)

To many secular-minded Westerners, the word BLESSING is abstract and archaic—like it’s from another time. But to non-Western peoples, “blessing” is a most beautiful thing that everyone desires for themselves, their families, their communities. In most Eastern cultures the pivotal cultural value is honor and shame; and the word BLESS essentially means an action that reinforces or adds to one’s honor, one’s identity, one’s position in society, one’s heritage or legacy. So BLESSING is a treasured, vitally important, aspect of life.

The word MISSION, however, is often connected to the negative aspects of colonialism or even militarism. It is linked with empires of mission, and powerful countries imposing imperial goals on weaker peoples and nations. Unfortunately, the words “mission” and “missionary” are loaded with negative connotations for people who are not followers of Jesus Christ.

The April 2011 issue of EMQ had four articles devoted to this thorny issue about the word, MISSION. The cover had this title: “The Death of Missions: A Symposium.” Colin E. Andrews wrote:

You might be asking, “What in the world are you talking about?” Does this mean that God’s covenant to bless the nations has been canceled? That the call to make disciples of all nations is no longer the mandate of the Body of Christ? Absolutely not! If we confess the authority of scripture, we must also confess that God’s ultimate plan for this world involves blessing the nations, redeeming all of creation, and gathering men and women from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation around his throne in the New Creation.

But, these terms that we insist on using (missions, missionary, etc.) just do not describe the biblical vision. They are awkward and embarrassing when we use them anywhere outside our church buildings and conference halls. They stir up anger and resentment when we use them with the very people we hope to serve.

So why not consider the word MISSION as something to avoid when possible, and replace it with the words and ideas of BLESSING?

Today, the users and viewers of our agency websites are not just partners and donors. We should also include in our list of constituents: government officials, community leaders—the representatives of the families, communities, peoples, and nations we are seeking to bless. Are we able to use the same language with them—as as the language we would use with donors—to present the goals and activities of our organization?

It is tough to stop using the terminology of the Christian “missions” subculture and replace it with a language that can be meaningful and respectful for everyone with whom we speak. Should that preclude us from trying?

What if your agency has “mission” in its name? (I serve with the organization, “Mission ONE”.) Does this mean we change our name? I see no chance of us changing our name. The cost to the organization is probably not be worth it. I imagine the same would be true for most other organizations with “mission” in their name.

But I would suggest it does mean this: When describing the good work of our Christian non-profit organizations, we should carefully and intentionally use the “language of blessing” rather than the “language of mission”. It honors the Bible, God’s Word. It is honorable to those who are serving and blessing others. It is likely to be more honorable to those being blessed.

For example: Here’s how to incorporate the language of blessing into a description of a Christian “mission” ministry. Note the inter-related emphasis on blessing, family, and honor.

[Agency name] blesses individuals, families and communities through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our ministries of blessing happen in many ways:

  • Providing high-quality Christian education to children while honoring indigenous culture and blessing many families—through [name of Christian school].
  • Training leaders to be faithful to God’s Word—to be honorable and skillful in blessing their families and communities—through [name of Bible college or training institute].
  • Giving aid and relief to leaders and their families who are suffering for the honor of Jesus Christ—Supporting the Persecuted Church.
  • Equipping nationals to share the blessing of Jesus Christ with their families, friends, and communities—National Pastors Training, Evangelism, and Church Planting.
  • Using Christian radio to inform, serve and bless the surrounding community—through [name of Christian Radio Ministry].

Following Jesus, described in the language of honor and shame

Bible commentary, Honor and shame

How did believers in the early church describe their motivation for being a follower of Jesus? Could it be they followed Jesus because their sins were forgiven? Yes, that is part of it. But considering that the pivotal cultural value in the Mediterranean world and Middle East was—and still is—honor and shame, could their motivation also have been this? That in knowing Christ their shame before God was eliminated—and that it gave them a  greater honor—a truer, eternal source of honor—that source being Christ himself.

An author who addresses this issue is David A. deSilva, in The Hope of Glory: Honor Discourse in New Testament Interpretation. The following excerpt is from page 84–85 in the chapter, “Honor Discourse in the Fourth Gospel.”

Before the court of God, what gives the believer honor? How does John use the promise of honor to motivate specific behaviors? Believing in Jesus itself brings an extraordinary grant of honor as the believer joins the family of God: “to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power 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” (1:12–13 RSV). Their honor rating is no longer determined by their natural birth, but has become incomparably higher through birth into God’s family and thus a share in the honor of the Almighty. …

This devaluation of criteria used among people to weigh relative honor appears again in John 8:34-36: “everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not continue in the house forever; the Son continues forever. So if the Son makes you free you will be free indeed” (RSV). What is decisive for one’s status is not a matter of wealth, noble birth, or fame, but whether one has committed sin. Servile status is shameful, and only the Son can bestow honor on the individual, granting freedom to the slave (the one who is a slave of sin). True honor, then, is a gift from the Son, and the believer derives honor from his or her embeddedness in the honor of Jesus, which is itself embedded in the honor of God. Indeed, Jesus has ascribed to the believers the same “glory” God has given Jesus (17:22). Jesus, introduced as the sole mediator of God’s favor, has also extended to the disciples the honor of being mediators of Jesus’ favor (13:20), and has even named them “friends” (a term of social equality and reciprocity) rather than “servants” (a term of social inequality.)

What if, we, as followers of Jesus Christ, could speak of our motivation in being a follower of Jesus, not just in the terms of innocence and guilt, but also, in the terms of honor and shame? What would that sound like?

It might sound like this:

“In pursuit of my highest honor, I have become a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. All of my shameful sins before God have been covered by the most glorious death of Jesus Christ, whose body was broken, and whose blood was shed, for my sin. I do not deserve it, but in the glorious plan of God Almighty, the sacrificial death of the perfect Son of God, Jesus Christ, made it possible for my sins to be punished and paid for on His body. Yes, it is hard to believe, but it is true!

Some say that God would never allow the shame of the Cross to be placed on His Son. However, the Bible says God purposed the crucifixion of His Son for the display of his glory—and for the gaining of infinite honor for His Son, Jesus Christ! Therefore, this death of Christ has given me the ability to be fully accepted into the finest, most honorable family in all the earth.

Yes, it is amazing! It speaks of the immense glory, compassion and condescending love of God—that I can now come before Him in prayer without shame. Yes, not one ounce of shame, only honor, only acceptance, only dignity before the Holy Most High God. Why? Because, mystically, I am now in Christ. The spirit of Jesus now lives in me, and I now live in Him.

I have received the right to be a child of God. What an immense honor—being a part of the family of God! I have been born again into the most honored family, the most glorious community in all creation.

By God’s grace, I have been favored to receive this great honor—to know and follow Jesus. Yes, it is my highest honor to know Him, to serve Him, and not only that … I also share in the glory of extending this honorable blessing, this beautiful grace, to other people. What a blessed life I now live!

This is why I love Jesus. He is my most honored, great Treasure. To Jesus I owe all that I am. In communion with all followers of Jesus, I share in the very glory and honor of Jesus Christ. Yes, I have a friendship with the King of Kings whose name is Jesus, the Son of God.

So I say with the prophet David, “But you, O LORD, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head” (Psalm 3:3).

Of course, there are extensive Bible verses that I could reference for every sentence and idea presented above. I suggest reading the Gospel of John, chapters 1, 5, 12, 17. And Paul’s letter to the Ephesians chapter 1 thru 3. Paul’s letter to the Philippians, chapters 1 thru 3 also contains many verses which are foundational to these glorious truths.

We have a blind spot about “honor and shame”… here’s why

Global Christian mission, Honor and shame, Quotes, articles & books related to cross-cultural partnership,

honor and shame graphic

Timothy Tennent book
Timothy Tennent’s book—Theology in the Context of World Christianity: How the Global Church is Influencing the Way We Think About and Discuss Theology—a valuable resource for Christians in cross-cultural ministry

Christians in America and the West have a hard time seeing the pivotal cultural value of honor and shame in Scripture. According to Timothy C. Tennent, there is a blind spot in our systematic theology textbooks:

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. Even with the publication of important works such as Biblical Social Values and Their Meaning and The New Testament World, systematic theologians have remained largely unchanged by this research.

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.[1]

“This omission continues to persist …” Yes, that means there’s a blind spot.

The result? Seminaries in the West teach the Bible with an “honor and shame blind spot.” Pastors-to-be and leaders attending those seminaries acquire the blind spot. In turn, the blind spot has filtered into the common language and understanding of Christians everywhere in the West. Some of them, in turn, export the “honor and shame blind spot” around the world. Systematic theology textbooks from the West are used in seminaries all over the world … and the “honor and shame blind spot” is perpetuated.

Interestingly, the pivotal cultural value of honor and shame—as found in that Eastern book called the Bible—is also prominent in non-Western nations today. In the Majority World—consisting of Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East—honor and shame is still a pivotal cultural value.

This has major ramifications for cross-cultural ministry efforts … for how we share the gospel of Jesus Christ … the kind of language we use … the degree to which our words touch each others’ hearts … for the depth of friendship between people in the West and people in the Majority World.

Honor and shame in cross-cultural relationshipsMy free 30-page article, “Honor and Shame in Cross-Cultural Relationships,” helps address this need. It is an introduction to the subject of honor and shame. The article helps you understand five basic culture scales through the cultural lens of honor and shame, gives examples from the Bible, and offers practical suggestions to Western believers so they can better understand their friends in the Majority World—for healthier cross-cultural relationships and partnerships. It is available by clicking here.

1. From 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).

Is your “glory” awakened?

Bible commentary, Global Christian mission, Honor and shame

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

What were the circumstances in David’s life when he wrote in Psalm 57, “Awake, my glory”?

David wrote this in a dark place in his life. This Psalm likely refers to events recorded in 1 Samuel 22. He was fleeing from Saul, hiding in a cave. Saul had killed others. David knew he could be next. “My soul is in the midst of lions,” he wrote in verse 4.

Psalm 57 reveals the heroic heart of David. While fearing for his life (v. 1, 4) he lifted his heart in worship to God (v. 5, 11) and allowed his faith to soar.

David never forgot that years before, he had been anointed by the prophet Samuel to be king of Israel. He believed God ordained for him a royal destiny.

So how did David see himself in his mind’s eye, living out his faith, his royal destiny toward God?

Awake, my glory! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn!
I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to you among the nations. –Psalm 57:8–9 ESV

“I will awake the dawn.” What could this mean?

Was David imagining himself having superhuman strength to make the sun come up all by himself? I suggest that David knew his life had an incredibly significant destiny way beyond the horizon … way beyond tomorrow, way beyond his immediate geography.

That cave was cold and dark. The most powerful and ruthless man in the land was after him. But David did not despair.

David knew that a day was coming when he would be using his unique talents and gifts to make known “among the peoples” — the glorious, steadfast love of God Most High. He would be singing and worshiping among the peoples, using his creative gifts, both to bless God and to bless the nations.

David knew ‘in his bones’ that his royal destiny, his glory—was merely dormant. He came close to death many times in conflict with his enemies. But ultimately, his glory, his destiny could not be denied.

David’s passionate longing for glory aligned with God’s grand global purpose. In faith, David cried out and called forth his destiny in God’s Story. “Awake, my glory … I will give thanks to you among  the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations.”

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

Are you like David? Are you in a place in your journey where it feels like you’re in a cave? Do you sense something glorious deep within remains unfulfilled? Do you long for God to awaken your glory?

Whatever gifts, skills or resources God has ordained for your life … whatever experiences, beautiful or tragic, He has allowed for you in your journey … know this: If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you are IN GOD’S STORY.

And God’s global love Story is glorious! It is glorious for God, it is glorious for the nations, and it is glorious for you.

Seated at the right hand of God—with all enemies under His feet

Bible study, Ephesians, Honor and shame

that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places … And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church.
–Ephesians 1:20, 22 ESV

Consider these words describing the honor of the one reigning as victor—“seated him at his right hand.” Consider also the words of shame describing the ones conquered and put into submission—“he put all things under his feet.” These word meanings belong to a culture dominated by the values of honor and shame.

Observe the two verses in the Psalms from which the words in Ephesians are clearly derived:

The LORD says to my Lord: Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies your footstool.
–Psalm 110:1

You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under his feet,
–Psalm 8:6

Now consider how the following Old Testament verses reinforce 1) the honor of being seated at the right hand of the king, or 2) the honor of kingship ordained by God, or 3) the shame of enemies in being ‘put under the feet’ of the conqueror:

So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him on behalf of Adonijah. And the king rose to meet her and bowed down to her. Then he sat on his throne and had a seat brought for the king’s mother, and she sat on his right.
–1 Kings 2:19

daughters of kings are among your ladies of honor; at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir.
–Psalm 45:9

Then Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king in place of David his father. … And the LORD made Solomon very great in the sight of all Israel and bestowed on him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel.
–1 Chronicles 29:23, 25

You know that David my father could not build a house for the name of the LORD his God because of the warfare with which his enemies surrounded him, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet.
–1 Kings 5:3

In the New Testament, the supreme exaltation of the Lord Jesus Christ is frequently described by Christ being seated at “God’s right hand;” and that simultaneously, all enemies of Christ are shamed by being “put under his feet.” The passage quoted from Ephesians chapter 1 at the beginning of this post is but one of many verses in the New Testament which reflect this theme.

Jesus said to him, … from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.
–Matthew 26:64

This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.
–Acts 2:32–33

For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For God has put all things in subjection under his feet. …
–1 Corinthians 15:25–27

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
–Colossians 3:1

He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
–Hebrews 1:3

And to which of the angels has he ever said, Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet?
–Hebrews 1:13

Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven.
–Hebrews 8:1

But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet.
–Hebrews 10:12–13

looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
–Hebrews 12:2

who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.
–1 Peter 3:22

Again, notice the sheer frequency of this theme in the New Testament: Jesus Christ is seated and enthroned at God’s right hand in highest honor—and correspondingly, all enemies, indeed “all things,” have been utterly subdued and shamed—put under his feet. The force of this truth cannot be appreciated without understanding the pivotal cultural value of honor and shame.

The honor of Christ’s never-ending victory over death

Bible study, Ephesians, Honor and shame

… not only in this age but also in the one to come.
–Ephesians 1:21 ESV

What is the significance of Jesus Christ having this highly honored state of being “… not only in this age but also in the one to come”? Surely there are some cultural signals that give perspective to this statement. Why is Paul making this point of Christ’s never-ending Lordship and victory over death?

  1. Could it be that Paul has in mind the stark impermanence of the Greek and Roman deities of his time? When one reads about the petty variableness of the Greek gods, when one considers the tragic deaths of many of the Roman rulers, it seems that Paul is emphasizing that, whereas Greek gods are capricious and Roman rulers both capricious and temporary, Jesus Christ will absolutely remain—permanently!—as the highly exalted one “… not only in this age but also in the one to come.”
  2. Yes, the victory which was won when the Father raised Jesus Christ from the dead is permanent, but is also personal for those who follow Christ. It represents an eternal victory over death and hell, pain and tragedy. Therefore, followers of Jesus Christ—those who are His—those who are in Christ—are assured that when they face death, their own resurrection will also be eternal. It is a living hope grounded in the permanence of the resurrected Christ “not only in this age but also in the one to come.” How personal is this for believers? Consider that just as God the Father raised Jesus Christ from the dead (Eph. 1:20), so also God has “raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6). This constitutes for believers a profound identification with the honor of our Lord Jesus Christ.

What is the affect of this profound honor, this living hope? It is the ability for the Christ-follower to live without guilt, without fear, without shame. When a believer identifies with the honor and righteousness of Christ, he or she is set free from the need to play petty games of one-upmanship.

Jerome Neyrey has a whole chapter in his book Honor and Shame in the Gospel of Matthew, called “Vacating the Playing Field.” Neyrey expounds on The Sermon on the Mount, and explains how Jesus is calling his disciples to vacate the ‘public playing field’ of the ‘honor and shame game.’ Neyrey says:

In regard to the value of honor, several things should be noted. First, Jesus contrasts grants of honor from neighbors (“praised by men,” Matt. 6:2) with grants for honor from God (your heavenly Father will reward you,” 6:4, 6, 18; see John 12:43). As always, people require some acknowledgment of their worth. Second, even in his rhetoric, Jesus himself plays the honor game, challenging others and claiming honor himself. He does not attack the honor system itself; in fact he operates out of it by challenging other versions of it and ranking one grant of honor over another. Far from dismantling the system, he redirects how honor is bestowed and withdrawn. Third, Jesus invites disciples to join his honorable world, where the opinions of neighbors do not count for much and where their expectations do not control one’s behavior. And so he replaces the cultural expectations of the local code with his own expectations. Fourth, Jesus’ subversive commands would not be imaginable to disciples unless an alternative structure for worth, reputation, and respect were put in place, namely, honor from Jesus and reward from one’s heavenly Father. [1]

Do you see from Neyrey’s explanation that discipleship to Jesus Christ may be viewed as an exchange of a human-based source of honor for a Jesus-based one? Criticizing the Pharisees, Jesus said, “for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God” (John 12:43).

Through salvation, one receives the righteousness of Jesus Christ in exchange for condemnation. One also embraces the honor of Christ in exchange for shame. The result is to live courageously, freely, magnanimously, generously, passionately—indeed, gloriously!

O Lord, do I reflect this freedom from the opinions of others, this courage and passion—this honor for you as Lord in my life?

1. Jerome Neyrey: Honor and Shame in the Gospel of Matthew (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1998), p. 221.

For what does Paul pray to the “Father of glory”? Part 3

Bible study, Ephesians, Honor and shame

that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,
far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
–Ephesians 1:20–21 ESV

In verse 21 we have a clearer description of where Christ is “seated.” He not only is seated “at his right hand in the heavenly places;” he is seated “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come.”

What is going on here in this verse? The apostle is expressing the super-exaltation of the Lord Jesus Christ after his resurrection. The language here is descriptive of the highest possible honor being given to Jesus Christ following his death on the cross by which Christ endured the greatest possible shame. The power of this passage is easily lost on those who are not from an honor-shame culture. Let’s consider in greater detail the meanings of key words:

  1. “far above all rule”—the Greek word is ‘arche.’ According to Strong’s Concordance, the meaning is: “beginning, origin; the person or thing that commences, the first person or thing in a series, the leader, that by which anything begins to be, the origin, the active cause.” Vine’s says, “Begin, Beginning, Beginner: means ‘a beginning.’ The root arch—primarily indicated what was of worth. Hence the verb archo meant “to be first,” and archon denoted “a ruler.” How interesting that the Bible says, Jesus is “far above” whoever one may imagine has the first or highest place of worth or honor.
  2. “far above all … authority”—the Greek word is ‘exousia.’ According to Strong’s, the meaning is “the power of authority (influence) and of right (privilege) … the power of rule or government (the power of him whose will and commands must be submitted to by others and obeyed). So Jesus is far above all power of authority, influence, right and privilege, rule or government.
  3. “far above all … power”—the Greek word is ‘dynamis.’ According to Strong’s, the meaning is “strength power, ability … inherent power, power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature, or which a person or thing exerts and puts forth … power for performing miracles … moral power and excellence of soul … the power and influence which belong to riches and wealth.
  4. “far above all … dominion”—the Greek word is ‘kyriotes.’ According to Strong’s, the meaning simply, “dominion, power, lordship.”

From the perspective of the pivotal cultural value of honor and shame, it is helpful to understand that this was a hierarchical society, as opposed to an egalitarian society like the American one. This means that leadership titles—caesar, king, high priest, lord, father, grandfather—were hugely significant. The ascribed honor given to people in high authority was immense. However, for people living in an equality-based society like the West, where people in authority are often viewed with cynicism and even disdain, this idea of great respect and honor for people in places of authority is viewed almost as a weakness, not as a strength. In America especially, we have no king, therefore, we have no social equivalent for kingly rule and royalty.

So to grasp the full weight of Ephesians 1:21, we Westerners and especially, we Americans, must imagine ourselves in a different society—one in which hierarchy trumps equality, and where the currency of honor and shame trumps the currency of money and material things.

What would the first-century readers and hearers of this letter from Paul have thought as they first encountered these verses describing the greatly elevated honor and super-exaltation of Jesus Christ?

Can we imagine the comfort they would feel in knowing that the Lord and Savior residing in their hearts would be sitting at the right hand of the Father—and given a name above all names?

Can we imagine first-century peasants who have forsaken the honor of their own kinship ties—and the vital loss of wealth and honor that went with that—in order to follow Jesus Christ? Can we imagine how the super-exaltation of their Lord more than compensated for their own loss of honor as they ‘drank in’ the honor of being 1) a child of their heavenly Father, and 2) being in Christ by faith, thus, being with their Savior who is sitting at the Father’s right hand? (see Ephesians 2:6).

Is it possible for Western Christians to even begin to feel the relief, the density, the joy—that the glory of the resurrected Christ gave to destitute, honor-starved believers in the first-century Mediterranean world?

For what does Paul pray to the “Father of glory”? Part 2

Bible study, Ephesians, Honor and shame

… according to the working of his great might, that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,
–Ephesians 1:19–20 (ESV)

In the last four verses of Ephesians chapter 1, Paul completes his long prayer for believers by using the strongest possible honor and shame language—to describe the resurrection of Jesus Christ as the foundation of our hope in God. Here is an outline of the honor and shame references in the first two of those four verses … beginning with the end of verse 19 and then verse 20:

  1. “according to the working of his great might, that he worked in Christ:” power and might are inherently honorable. “Power, moreover, always expresses honor in the ancient world” [1]. The greatness of the power displayed is commensurate with the greatness of the honor achieved.
  2. “when he raised him from the dead:” this is an event by which immense achieved honor is accrued both to God the Father and God the Son because of the utterly unique supernatural power necessary to accomplish this. Relatedly, there is great honor in the resounding victory associated with it, for power is never neutral, it is always expressed in relation to an opponent or enemy. The resurrection is, in fact, a phenomenal act for which the greatest honor imaginable ought to be given to God the Father and God the Son.
  3. “and seated him at his own right hand:” this speaks of ascribed honor—in three ways: First, Jesus Christ is “seated. ”This is the place of rest and authority appropriate for kings; others are kneeling, standing, working, bowing before—but Jesus is sitting. Second, where Jesus is sitting—at the Father’s own right hand—is the unique place of singular honor, for only one Person can sit at the right hand of the Almighty Sovereign God. And third, it is at the “right hand.” Neyrey says, “The right hand is deemed honorable both because it is the ‘right,’ not the left, and because it is the weapon- or power-wielding arm” [2].

Can you imagine what this dramatic exclamation of the honor of Jesus Christ might mean to people immersed in a culture of honor and shame? For people in the peasant culture of the New Testament / Mediterranean world to which this letter was addressed—people constantly struggling to avoid shame and maintain their honor in their community—I can only imagine how encouraging, how uplifting and exhilarating this letter must have been.

But there is much more to come concerning honor and shame before the end of Ephesians chapter 1.

_________

1. Jerome Neyrey: Honor and Shame in the Gospel of Matthew (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1998), p. 58.
2. Ibid., p. 67.

For what does Paul pray to the “Father of glory”? Part 1

Bible study, Ephesians, Honor and shame

that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,
having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might
–Ephesians 1:17–19 ESV

For what does Paul pray to the “Father of glory”? He prays that he will give us …

  • “a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him” (v 17)
  • “having the eyes of your hearts enlightened” (v 18)

So Paul is praying for believers at Ephesus—he is praying for Christians gathered in a local community—to have profound new understanding and experience together. The assumption here is that there is a vast gulf between a) what God has given to his children in terms of spiritual blessings, and b) what his children actually understand and experience of those spiritual blessings. Paul is serving as a mediator on behalf of the church at Ephesus—doing so through prayer—that this wide gulf would vanish.

The evidences of this “vanished gulf” are that believers would know, experientially:

  1. “the hope to which he as called you” (v 18)
  2. “the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints” (v 18)
  3. “the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might” (v 19)

Now from the perspective of honor and shame, there does not seem to be much in the opening phrase, “the hope to which he has called you.” However, there is a very significant honor and shame element when one digs a little deeper. This correlating verse, Colossians 1:27, adds much clarity: “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.”

Ah, yes, there is the key: “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” This greatest of all hopes is the avoidance of shame, and the reaching of a destiny “of glory.” And how does one arrive at this “glory”? The secret is simply “Christ in you.”

One could say that for peoples rooted in an honor and shame social system, the gospel is most powerfully and simply, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” The reason that “Christ in you” is such a great hope for “glory” is explained in Ephesians 1:20–22, in which the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is explained in the language of honor and shame. This will be unpacked in the next entry.

But before we go further, let’s also consider the other two phrases mentioned above from Ephesians 1:18–19 in the light of the cultural values of honor and shame.

First, from verse 18: “what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.” Compare this to Ephesians 1:11 in which we are told, “In him we have an inheritance…”, and verses 13–14, in which “we were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance;” here, the inheritance belongs to believers. But here in verse 18, the inheritance belongs to God. Paul prays that believers will know “what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.”

Could it be that there is a facet of the glory and honor of God Almighty by which He derives pleasure and worth from his inheritance—His relational bounty—in the saints?