The Shameful Company of Prostitutes, A Pregnant Teenager, and Farm Boys

Grace Sangalang Ng

In studying the theology of shame throughout the Bible, I’ve been noticing how Jesus came into the world in the midst of shameful company. Since the New Testament culture was a collectivist culture, where honor and status were highly regarded, honor and shame were essential parts of the society at large.

From His lineage, Jesus came from a line associated with those women who were considered sexually promiscuous, which would be seen as shameful such as Tamar, the daughter-in-law of Judah who tricked Judah into sleeping with her so that she would conceive a son. Rahab, the prostitute, who helped Caleb and Joshua in Joshua 2, was also part of Jesus’ lineage (McNish, 9). In a culture where sexual promiscuity would be considered shameful, especially for women, the fact that Jesus came from a lineage associated with these shameful women, makes him associated with those who were shamed.

Also, there was scandal around the conception of Jesus as Mary was seen as being with child even before she was married to Joseph.  In this way, even his conception and birth would be seen as shameful in this society. She was a young, teenage girl, pregnant, before she was even married. It would be difficult to explain to her family, friends, and community that she was with child by the Holy Spirit. How believable would that be? Joseph, “being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly” (Matthew 1:19). A public display of Mary’s disgrace would be much worse, even though I’m guessing there were still rumors spreading around as people talked about the fact that she was pregnant out of wedlock. Fortunately, Joseph found out the real deal from Gabriel, took Mary as his wife, and named the child, Jesus.

Then, the first people who first heard about Jesus’ birth were lowly shepherds – people who would be considered as “unclean” in their society, at the bottom of the social ladder. They were simple farm boys, tending animals, and because they were of such lowly place, they would be seen as being without honor, in a place of shame (Stockitt, 35). Yet, the angels appeared to these lowly farm boys, and they were the first visitors to see Jesus (Luke 2:8-20).

Jesus came into the world in a very lowly manner and associated Himself with some very unlikely characters, who would be considered shameful. In this way, Jesus associates with the shameful and outcasts, and inverts the notion of shame, as he turns the places of shame into places of honor. His lineage, which include women who were sexually promiscuous, becomes the lineage of a Savior. The shamed pregnant teenage girl, Mary, becomes the mother of Jesus, who will save His people from their sins. The lowly shepherds are now the first eyewitnesses to Jesus’ birth, now being in an honorable light.

In this way, we can take comfort in knowing that Jesus enters into a world full of shame, and understands it. He understands shame and transforms it. He doesn’t leave us in our own shame, but enters into it with us, as Emmanuel, and transforms it into a place of honor through the victory that is in Him. We no longer have to live bound in shame, but can experience the freedom, honor, and grace that is in Christ.

 

For reference, see:

  • Transforming Shame: A Pastoral Response by Jill McNish
  • Restoring the Shamed: Toward a Theology of Shame by Robin Stockitt
Grace Sangalang Ng
Grace recently completed an EdD at Biola University. She received her B.A. in English from the University of California, Los Angeles, and her M.A.s in Bible Exposition and Spiritual Formation from Talbot School of Theology.

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5 responses to “The Shameful Company of Prostitutes, A Pregnant Teenager, and Farm Boys”

  1. Nancy

    Thank-you for your careful exegesis and showing how The Jew (and The Arab?) was collectivist and into honor and how Jesus, though phenomenally Jewish himself, was into shame but subversively transforming it into honor.

    One thing is puzzling me, however. I’ve been reading Leviticus a lot lately (I’m trying to find out what the Bible truly says about homosexuality) but I have not seen verses about shepherds and farm boys being “unclean”. Was this an invention of The Jew of Late Judaism? And was anyone who was “unclean” placed at the bottom rung of the social ladder of The Jew?

    Thank-you in advance with blessings in Him.

    Nancy

    Reply
    1. Grace Sangalang

      Thanks for your comment and question, Nancy!

      Stockitt, in Restoring the Shamed, mentions that “At the time, shepherds, were poor, and in Rabbinic tradition were labeled as ‘unclean.’ They were at the bottom of the social ladder and lived nomadic, solitary lives. To be considered in such a lowly position was to be without honor, in a place of shame. Yet it is these people who were the first to be told the news of the birth of the Messiah” (Stockitt, 35).

      I haven’t done extensive research into the Rabbinic tradition, so that is an issue I’ll have to look more into. Thanks again for helping me think more thoroughly about this issue!

      Reply
    2. Raymond Morehouse

      Its also helpful to remember that cleanliness laws and moral laws are speaking to different issues. For instance, according to the cleanliness laws ALL sexual acts makes one ceremonial unclean because of the emissions its causes, but not all sexual acts are sinful.

      Reply
  2. Raymond Morehouse

    I think that this discussion could disastrously confuse several discrete categories: shame based on immoral qualities, like being a corrupt tax collector, and shame based on amoral qualities, like being a farm boy. As you rightly point out, Jesus freely associated with both but to different ends. The corrupt politician was not taught that her shameful behaviour was now honourable, but rather that he could change it all by following Christ and ceasing to behave shamefully. The shame of the farm boy is also transformed, but not by changing his vocation.

    Two other discrete categories that are important to distinguish are laws pertaining to cleanliness and laws pertaining to morality in the Mosaic law. There is a very pervasive misconception that in the OT law being unclean was the same as being immoral. But this was not the case. Being unclean did not mean that same thing as being guilty of sin. If you read the cleanliness laws carefully you quickly find that almost everyone was ceremonially unclean just about all the time. This wasn’t a problem, however, unless you wanted to go up into the temple.

    Reply
    1. Grace Sangalang

      Thanks for taking the time to read and comment on this post, Raymond. I think you are correct in distinguishing the different types of qualities (amoral vs. immoral) that produces shame between the corrupt politician and farm boy. In writing this article, I did not really consider these differences in categories, but just sought to provide a brief overview of those who were considered to be “shamed” around the events of Jesus’ birth. While I might have grouped together people who have shame in different ways, I still think that there is a link between them in the way that they have been “shamed” by their communities. At the heart of it, it seems that shame is ultimately about acceptance by a community, and when one is not accepted, shame arises. You are also correct in stating the different responses that each category deserves in changing or transforming shame. Yet, in both cases, it seems that Jesus gives acceptance to each who have not been accepted from their communities, and Christ’s acceptance is the thing that ultimately transforms their shame. This being stated, it doesn’t mean that one is to continue in their shameful behavior, but that one changes in light of Christ’s acceptance and forgiveness, and the new identity that Christ’s acceptance brings.

      As far as cleanliness laws and immorality in the Mosaic law – this is an area that you probably have far more knowledge than I do, so I will concede to that fact that you are probably correct, and I need to do more research on this.

      Thanks again for helping me think more carefully and deeply about this post. It is helpful.

      Reply

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