Honour Not Non-Violence: Retrieving a Concept from the First-Century Context of Christian Marginalisation

Abstract:It is well-established that “honour/shame” culture was pervasive in first-century Roman Palestine. What is less established is the extent to which the honour/shame culture influences readings of the New Testament. This article argues that the lens of honour/shame radically alters the meaning of New Testament texts typically understood as relating to non-violence. A text from the Gospel of Luke is examined to establish that the cultural context and intertextual cues point to honour and dignity as themes of key verses rather than non-violence.