SPECIAL TOPIC: SHAME

SPECIAL TOPIC: SHAME (several Hebrew and Greek words ) IN ITS THEOLOGICAL SENSE

Shame in a theological sense is not just injury to one's reputation or pride, but a serious violation of covenant requirements and loss of fellowship with God. It is often used of idolaters (cf. Exod. 32:25; Ps. 97:7; Isa. 42:17; 44:9,11; 45:16; Jer. 50:2; 51:17). For people of the ANE, "shame" was a horrible condition. It affected the very core of one's being (cf. Ps. 69:20). The different words are used in several senses.

embarrassment for failing social expectations
sense of rejection and abandonment
1. by society
2. by friends
3. ultimately by God

"Shame" denotes the judgment of God on sin (i.e., Gen. 2:25, no guilt, compared to Gen. 3:10, fear, guilt, and a sense of disfellowship). Note the antithetical parallelism of Psalm 31:17a compared with 31:17b. Shame is associated with judgment in 2 Chr. 32:21; Psalm 53:5; 119:1-8,80; Dan. 12:2.

The great promise of no shame for those who put their trust in YHWH (cf. Ps. 25:2-3,20; 31:1,17; 119:6,31,41; Isa. 49:23; Jer. 17:18; Joel 2:27) is repeated in the NT in Rom. 9:33; 1 Pet. 2:6; 1 John 2:28.

The "cross of Christ" is called "shame" (cf. Heb. 6:6; 12:2). Those who oppose the gospel will have their "glory" turned to shame!