What Does the Bible Say About Prejudice? Sample

Day 2 - The divisive culture of Jesus’ day

Fast-forward to the time of Jesus, who was born as a Jew in the first century. Honor and shame were a part of everyday life. Many deep dividing lines surrounded the Jews. These dividing lines led to prejudices (pre-judging someone based on their appearance or group). The stakes were high—deadly high in that context.

Rome conquered the Jewish people through brutal warfare and subjugation. For obvious reasons, deep trenches of animosity existed between them and the Jews. Jews were seen as traitors if they took part in Rome’s government or the Hellenistic culture. Romans, on the other hand, tended to view Jewish people as stiff-necked and annoying (since they kept revolting) and who conducted strange religious rituals.

Jews and Samaritans (a Jewish sect) despised one another, and so much so that they didn’t speak to each other. Additionally, Jews would take the long way around in their travels to avoid Samaria.

Very often, prejudices against women existed. Women normally did not travel unaccompanied and couldn’t hold all of the same positions as men.

Sick or impaired people were often prejudiced against because of the prevailing view that sin caused their impairment. And, of course, diseased people were cast out to protect the community.

A deep division ripped apart the rich and the poor. In a society of honor and shame, wealth was a status symbol of honor. In contrast, shame was placed on those who were poor.

In the Jewish community, religious leaders were viewed as holier than all other Jews.

Deep, dividing lines existed all around Jesus. In a culture of honor and shame, these divisions were constantly reinforced in the social order. Day after day, prejudice was hammered into the hearts of everyone who lived in that culture.

These divisions are not abnormal. Anywhere in the world, in any culture, at any time in history, the sin of prejudice and hatred of the “other” seems to persist.

Can you find the points of prejudice in today’s Bible reading?

Reflect

What have others around me said about the “other”? What has my upbringing led to?

What have I heard from social media? What opinions of the “other” have I formed, on purpose or not?

What are my thoughts like when I meet someone from that “other” group? What does my heart say? Do I feel uncomfortable, an unjustified twinge of fear, or do I outright judge people based on their appearance?

For now, simply establish and acknowledge what those trenches are in your life.

Pray for healing over those trenches as you continue reading God’s word.