Honour killings, bride prices, veiled women are not part of Western
culture. We find the ideas abhorrent and repressive. Yet this was the Mediterranean
world, to varying degrees, in the first century, the world into which Jesus was
born. When seen against this background the Christmas narrative, whether read
as fact or myth, is a powerful affirmation of human dignity.
In the culture of the time Honour was like money in the
bank, and the more one had the better. One acquired honour at birth, with those
of noble birth having high honour. Honour was added to, or lost, in social
interaction such as business, debate, and relationships. Men were responsible
for defending the family honour and for adding to it.
Women were considered inferior. Typically, when they moved
outside the domestic realm women were expected to be accompanied by a male
relative, not speak, and remain covered. Women preserved the family honour by remaining
chaste. A man lost honour if he could not protect the chastity of women under
his dominion.
In the Christmas story a man Joseph is engaged to a young
woman, Mary. This would have been an arranged marriage accompanied by the
payment of the bride price. Engagement was a binding relationship that could
only be terminated by divorce. The betrothal period was typically 12 months, at
which point the couple would marry.
During the betrothal period Mary ends up pregnant. She has
brought shame on herself and her family. The penalty for adultery, although
rarely practiced, was the stoning of both offenders. Joseph, according to both
Roman and Jewish law had no option than to divorce her. The future of a woman
in her situation was bleak indeed.
Joseph was a compassionate man and not wanting
‘to disgrace her publicly … he decided to break the engagement quietly.’
(Mat. 1:19). Another man could have chosen to make the matter public and in so
doing kept the assets she brought to the marriage and possibly reclaimed the
price he paid for her. When told by the angel that Mary was pregnant through the
power of God Joseph went ahead with the marriage. In so doing he sacrificed his
own honour.
Now, at this point, it is fair to ask, ‘What
was God doing in all of this? Why would He want to treat anyone like this,
knowing the consequences for all involved?’ And that is a fair question, one
that I will try to answer.
First, the child of that union was Jesus, the Son of God or,
as He is sometimes called, God in human flesh. That child took on the shame of
His parents. Throughout His life He would have been called by many who knew the
circumstances of His birth as ‘The bastard son of Joseph and Mary’.
Through His life and teaching Jesus sought to overturn the
values of the Honour/Shame society, demonstrating that all human beings, no
matter how seen in the eyes of the world, had value in the sight of God. Joseph
and Mary themselves, lowly valued in their society, were highly valued in the
eyes of God. But, more importantly, He demonstrated that God identifies with
the outcasts of society. Every child, every person, is of inestimable value.
And that is something we need to be reminded of, not just at
Christmas, but every day of the year.
