Honor and Shame in Hebrews Paper

Honor and Shame in Hebrews

John R. Neal, Sr. NT9331A - New Testament Text-Hebrews December 2013

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Contents

I. Abbreviations ……………………………… ………………………………………………………….. ………………………….. vi-vii vi-vii

II. Other Abbreviations …………………………… ………………………………………………….. …………………….. viii

III. Introduction …………………………………………………………. 1-3 1-3 A. Definition of Honor and Shame ……………………………… …………………………………… …… 1-2 B. Relationship of Honor and Shame ………………………………… 3

IV. Patron-Client Relationship ………………………………………… 3-5 3-5 A. Patron-Client Relationship in Hebrews ……………………………. 3-4 3-4 B. Patron-Client-Relationship in Relation to Honor and Shame …….. 4-5 4-5

V. Honor and Shame Language Language in Hebrews …………………………... 5-11 5-11 A. Background to Honor-Shame Honor-Shame Concepts ………………………….. 5-6 5-6 B. Honor-Shame Honor-Shame Terms in General …………………………………..7 …………………………………..7-8 -8 C. Honor-Shame Honor-Shame Terms in Hebrews ………………………………… ………………………………… 8-11 8-11

VI. Conclusion …………………………… ……………………………………………………… …………………………… … 12-13 12 -13

VII. Bibliography ……………………………… ……………………………………………………… ……………………… 14-15 14-15





















ABBREVIATIONS

1

Traditional

Shorter

Full Name

Acts

--------

Acts of the Apostles

Apoc.

--------

Apocalypse (Revelation)

Col.

Col

Colossians

1 Cor.

1 Cor

1 Corinthians

2 Cor.

2 Cor

2 Corinthians

Eph.

Eph

Ephesians

Gal.

Gal

Galatians

Heb.

Heb

Hebrews

James

Jas

James

John

Jn

John (Gospel)

1 John

1 Jn

1 John (Epistle)

2 John

2 Jn

2 John (Epistle)

Jude

-------

Jude

Luke

Lk

Luke

Mark

Mk

Mark

Matt.

Mt

Matthew

1 Pet.

1 Pt

1 Peter

2 Pet.

2 Pt

2 Peter

Phil.

Phil

Philippians

Philem.

Phlm

Philemon

Rev.

Rv

Revelation (Apocalypse)

Rom.

Rom

Romans

1 Thess.

1 Thes

1 Thessalonians













2 Thess.

2 Thes

2 Thessalonians

1 Tim.

1 Tm

1 Timothy

2 Tim.

2 Tm

2 Timothy

Titus

Ti

Titus











OTHER ABBREVIATIONS

B-A-G-D

Bauer, Walter, William F. Ardnt, F. Wilbur Gingrich, Frederdick W. Danker. A Greek-English Lexicon Of The New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. Second Literature. Second Edition Revised And Augmented Bu F. Wilbur Gingrich And Frederick W. Danker From Walter Bauer's Fifth Edition, 1958. Translated by William F. Ardnt and F. Wilbur Gingrich. Chicago and London: The University Of Chicago Press, 1979.































Honor and Shame in Hebrews Introduction

In addition to the rhetorical arguments the Hebrew writer utilizes, he also “draws 2

heavily” upon the so-called so-called patron/client sociological model of “reciprocity.”

This is based

upon looking at the New Testament from the standpoint of anthropology and viewing the early church from an anthropological and sociological perspective. In the first century HellenisticRoman world, “a patron gave gifts to the client.” client.” This gift could come in many forms, such as a 3

job, money, mone y, or even introducing them to another patron. Seneca (in his On Benefits 1.2.3) Benefits 1.2.3) said that the patron should expect nothing in return (though (though he often did). Seneca’s Seneca’s attitude: if they got something in return, that is gain; if not, they lost nothing. This, he believed was what held society together (On (On Benefits 1.4.2). The patron or “benefactor” gives gives for the sake sake of giving, but the client should “repay the gift” if if possible.

4

“Thus, the client remains forever in the patron’s 5

debt and always seeks to build up his or her honor (On (On Benefits 2.10.4).”

Definition of Honor and Shame This patron and client model deals with the theme of honor and shame in the first century













interconnected from the standpoint of “power, sexual status, and religion.” religion.” There is a personal 6

claim to honor as well as the society or “social acknowledgement” of one’s on e’s self worth.

Honor and shame apply apply to both sexes, male and female. Honor refers to to an individual’s or collective group “feeling of self -worth and the public, social acknowledgement of that worth.” The concept of shame is not negative, necessarily, but “a positive symbol, meaning sensitivity for one’s own reputation, sensitivity to the opinion of others.”

7

When one has this

sense of shame, this makes possible for an individual or a group to exist or live a “dignified, and human” human” life, since this “implies acceptance of and respect for the rules of human interaction.” On the flip side of the coin, a person who is “shameless” is “one who does not recognize the rules of human interaction, who does not recognize the rules of human interaction, who does not recognize social boundaries.”

This same same shameless shameless individual is one who possesses a

“dishonorable reputation beyond all social doubt, one outside the boundaries of acceptable moral











Relationship of Honor/Shame and Hebrews How does one relate the concepts of honor and shame in a patron/client society with the book of Hebrews? According to Burge, Cohick, and Green, they note that the epistle to the Hebrews “applies this system system of reciprocity reciprocity to God’s God’s relationship with his people.”

The

Christian should realize that they are “clients of God.” As God’s clients, disciples disciples “have a sacred duty to honor God continually and to proclaim his greatness. greatness. But they are clearly slipping in this duty, neglecting the great promises and also also sliding away from from God’s people.” This type of response to the benefactor is almost “unforgiveable” response. If this type of attitude from the client client is unacceptable, then how “much more” concerned should they be that they are treating the 10

“God of the universe” in the same way?











home of their patron to offer greetings and “requests.” The client would be required to assist the patron patron in any part of his life, be that “political” or “private.” This sign of respect would even require them to walk in “his funeral procession.” From the patron’s point of view, his value or importance in society “was gauged by the number who attended his morning audience.” The patron would normally hand out gifts or even money. He would render any a ny assistance in times of need. He would invite his clients to his his house at times to eat at the table, and would also offer any “legal protection” clients may need. This societal “relationship” “relationship” extended to people from from “all levels and in various groupings, including “masters and freedmen, rich and poor, generals and conquered peoples, aristocrats and collegia or clubs. Every person, from “slave to aristocrat, felt felt bound to display respect so someone more powerful than himself, up to the emperor.”

Patron-Client in Relation to Honor-Shame

13











16

them and hinder their efforts to regain honor in society’s eyes.”

DeSilva states this may

explain why some are so hesitant to be connected with a community that is “marginal,” a group of “low status,” what would end up undermining their chance at having “their own status in society.”

17

Therefore in the first-century Greco-Roman Greco-Roman society which “valued “valued honor above all else, the readers have experienced shame of losing their place their place in the world.”

18

The present “situation

of the readers also conforms to the common patterns among new religious movements, which with the passage of time lose their initial intensity and wonder if the price for commitment is too 19

high.

This would help us understand as theologians why some some Christians are withdrawing

themselves from worshipping with the church (10:25).

Those who have left need to to have 20

“solidarity” with “solidarity” with the brethren who are imprisoned and tortured (10:34; 13:3).

The author of the

Hebrew Hebrew epistle is trying to persuade them to ignore society’s standard of honor and shame and to











religious truth, which led to extensive proselytizing.” The believer’s confession confession that Jesus Christ is Lord (cf. Phil 2:11) is an “implicit challenge to the Roman imperial order.” order.” Conversions would often lead to “division within families” (see 1 Pet 3:1-7) 3:1-7) and the severing of all “social “social ties with close associates.” All Christians who reject the ritual aspects of the pagan cults would eventually led them to withdraw from “civic life” (1 Pet 4:4). “As a result, rumors of Christian Christian misdeeds circulated among the populace, and Christians inherited many of the same charges that 22

ancient people ancient people made against Judaism.”

What social class did Christians find themselves in for the most most part? Most Christians probably fall within the “middle levels” (but probably not as a “middle class”), somewhere between the elites and those of no status at all. Thus most early Christians are comprised of: the “urban artisans, merchants, traders, slaves, freedmen and freedwomen, most of whom would fall into the categories of inferiors and humiliores, though with some members and families of













Honor-Shame Terms in General Malina argues that this honor and shame model he and others propose to place on to the first century Mediterranean world and the “challenge“challenge-response” to this proposal must be “tested out.” He notes that if this anthropological “model covers covers all instances of honor honor and shame behavior in the New Testament,” then his thesis is “validated” and is an “adequate model.” Thus the theologian must determine whether this model is the proper lenses through which to read the book of Hebrews and the rest of the New Testament epistles.











contrasting his account with the other two Synoptic Gospels, his model does seem to have 26

merit.

But now the real question is, do these themes occur in the rest of the New Testament, Testament, in

the Pauline and General Epistles, Epistles, and more specifically, specifically, in the epistle epistle to the Hebrews? Let us consider the honor-shame terms that are used b y the writer of the Hebrew epistle.

Honor-Shame Terms in Hebrews











insult, mistreatment,” but as a verb means “to treat in an arrogant or spiteful manner, mistreat, scoff scoff at, insult.”

32

There are two specific texts that deal with the concepts of honor and shame in Hebrews. They are found in Heb Heb 6:6 and in Heb 12:12. In Heb 6:6, the text reads: “καὶ παραπεσόντας, πάλιν ἀνακαινίζειν εἰς μετάνοιαν, ἀνασταυροῦντας ἑαυτοῖς τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ παραδειγματίζοντας.”

33

A literal rendering of this passage: “and having fallen away, again to

renew (restore) into repentance, having crucified again to their own hurt (in their own eyes) the











contempt .” .”

37

Ellingworth states that this term refers to a specific event, “often a punishment,”

that “causes public humiliation” and and is an effort send a stern stern warning to others. There is a “reference” to Jesus’ shameful death on the the cross (as in 12:2).

Here the idea is that the 38

“apostate” causes the Son’s shameful Son’s shameful death on the cross “to be rere-enacted,” display,” display,”

39

to put Christ “on “on

40

or to “hold him up in disgrace.”

Then over in Heb 12:2, there is the reference to the shame connected with crucifixion. The text reads: “ἀφορῶντες εἰς τὸν τῆς πίστεως ἀρχηγὸν καὶ τελειωτὴν Ἰησοῦν, ὃς ἀντὶ τῆς











“Let the very mention of the cross be far removed not only from a Roman citizen’s body, but 44

from his mind, his eyes, his ears.” [Cicero, Pro Rabirio 5] Thus the cruel “cross “cross on which Christ died was the symbol of his bitter shame (Heb 6:6; 12:2).”

45

The death of Jesus is not only

46

a “painful” death, but also a shameful one.

The first three categories of shame and honor terms that Malina suggests are borne out in the epistle to the Hebrews. The last two are are also found in Hebrews, Hebrews, although perhaps not as much as the ideas of shame, honor, and dishonor. The third concept describes those who are













Conclusion

In conclusion, when considering the honor-shame model proposed by those who read the New Testament from an anthropological perspective, the book of Hebrews does contain these











suffering and his heavenly exaltation” relate to his sacrifice on the cross where our sins are 49

removed. Thus the Son (Christology) provides us a way to the Father Father (salvation).

Two other important themes from Heb 12:2 are also “Ecclesiology and Discipleship.” As











Bibliography

Aland, B., K. Aland, J. Karavidopoulos, ed. The Greek New Testament, 4th Rev. Ed. Stutgart: Duetsche











and The University of Chicago Press Editorial Staff Wayne C. Booth. Chicago/London: University of Chicago Press, 2007.

Honor and Shame in Hebrews Paper

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