I’m working on a summary of the biblical teachings on “foreignness.” Here are some initial thoughts. I’d really like your feedback:
The theme of aliens and strangers courses throughout the biblical narrative. Many of God’s people lived as aliens. Some emigrated to other countries for economic reasons (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob); some were taken forcibly (Joseph, Daniel, Ezekiel, Esther, Ezra, Nehemiah); some moved from a desire to form part of God’s people (Rahab, Ruth); others went seeking refuge from violence (Moses, David, Jesus’ family). The willingness to live as an alien is a praiseworthy trait in the Bible (Hebrews 11:13–16). In fact, all Christians are called to live in such a manner (1 Peter 2:11).
In the same way, the Bible praises those who welcome strangers. To this day, nomadic cultures value highly the norm of hospitality, the receiving of guests. People like Abraham, Rahab, Boaz (edited 9:47 a.m.) and Abigail show the value God places on treating strangers well. The Law forbids the mistreatment of aliens (Exodus 22:21; 23:9) and actually demands that God’s people love aliens (Leviticus 25:23; Deuteronomy 10:19). The alien was to be cared for and provided for (Deuteronomy14:29; 16:11, 14; 26:11).
Jesus mentioned the treatment of aliens as one of the points of judgment applied to the “sheep and the goats” (Matthew 25:35, 43). The concept of “hospitality” in the New Testament is related to the receiving of strangers, both linguistically (xenodocheo, philoxenia) and by example (Hebrews 13:2).
like, so far so good
I’m sort of, kind of perplexed as to the purpose of your study?
“People like Abraham, Rahab, Booz and Abigail…”
I am familiar with Abraham, Rahab and Abigail, but Booz?
Are we to welcome Booz into our homes? What about the warnings about intoxication? I am confused.
(And btw, I hope you know I have my tongue firmly in my cheek – although chuckling somewhat) :)
Paul
I’m looking forward to where you take this. Immigration is such a hot button issue in this country (and in Australia). It’s easy to demonize illegals without considering their story. It’s easy to place the national boundaries above God’s concern for the individuals soul. God has always had a heart for the displaced.
I would also add Jesus as an immigrant from the throne room to the stable. I like to use the word “refugee” when describing his family’s flight to Egypt, it seems to contain some shock value.
Also there are those who fled under questionable circumstances: Jonah, and Jeremiah.
Rafael,
For now, it’s an attempt to get a finger on the pulse of what the Bible says about this subject. It’s part of an interest I have in the whole subject of Christians as strangers and aliens, as well as our relationship with nations of this world and citizens of other nations.
Booz? Only at Weddings, Paul!
Paul,
Yeah, the names of biblical characters is the big pit translators have to walk around. Keeping straight which name goes in which language can be tricky. I’ll correct the post.
Pita,
I thought about including J & J. Jeremiah fits under those forced to emigrate, though he was forced by his own people to go to a foreign country.
Jonah attempted to flee, but couldn’t.
Thanks, Tim. I’ve been struggling with this area for many years and lately how it applies to our immigration issue. I believe as you do, that we are to welcome strangers (foreigners?) with open arms and many of us do. My wife and I are sponsors of the Foreign Student Exchange Program. I’m sure you’re familiar with that. We also have provided shelter for victims of domestic violence in our home but I’ve never been able to find Biblical support for harboring or assisting those that break the law. I think one of the key points that I never hear people talk about is changing the law so that it decriminalizes these people. I’m reminded of my son who while out riding motorcycles one day we come to a stop sign and I stop. He pulls up next to me and says, “Why are you stopping? There probably hasn’t been a car on this road for years!” Of course he was making fun of me. I said, “because there’s a stop sign and until they take it down, we have to stop.
Rafael,
The immigration issue isn’t an easy one. I do know that the church has historically been slow in responding to the needs of the oppressed and slow to recognize unjust laws. We agree in theory with the idea of obeying God’s Law over man’s law in such cases, but we historically have waited for society to change before we do. Examples:
I don’t want to be on the wrong end of this one. Few will claim that immigration laws are just. If we’re truly honest, most of the immigration policies in place are based on ungodly principles.
Immigration laws are a relatively new thing, something which really didn’t exist in biblical times. It’s hard to point to anything similar and say, “There’s what the Bible says to do about that.” But we don’t have to wonder about what the Bible says about how we are to treat foreigners. That is made very plain in Scripture.
I think it would be nice to put together a forum to openly discuss the subject. I think the University Church would be on the cutting edge if it would sponsor something of this nature. It would be an opportunity to invite our denominational friends also to join us. At the Highland Church there in Abilene, even.
Tim, I’m thinking of Jonah… Let’s call him a missionary.
There’s some value in considering the Golden Rule here. We send our friends and families overseas as missionaries hoping that in a foreign culture they’ll be well accepted and maybe even adopted and loved by locals. They may even be breaking the law be sharing the Gospel is some extreme situations. If that’s our hope for “our” people then “do unto others” would provide some rules of thumb for the way we treat aliens (here for a whole range of reasons) in our country.
Oh, and Esther is another one. A second generation immigrant still attached to her parents culture and religion.
Or was Jonah on a “study abroad” program??? ;-) Because there’s certainly a lot of international students this topic relates to also.
Some disconnected thoughts:
How about the Saturday before Summit for some conversations on immigration –or some available day? Is that too far into the future?
In some Latin American countries there are as many displaced nationals (due to violence) as we have “undocumented visitors”. We treat the second ones much differently than the first. Why the double standard?
The apostle Paul used his Roman citizenship to confront authoritative abuse.
What does it mean to have “unalienable rights”? (I know, I know. Stretches the word a whole lot. But I can’t get the question out of my mind.)
A related perspective…I believe that a theology of foreignness not only courses through the NT, but is the heart of the gospel. Jesus’ main focus was not only to accept those foreigners who would come His way, but go to them on His way…the Samaritan woman, Syro-Phoenician woman, lepers, etc. One of the main reasons He was able to draw people to him was because they knew He would love them in a genuine, wholly unbiased way. I believe that one of the (significant) reasons that some churches have floundered is because they have struggled with unconditionally (or even in an unbiased way) loving the foreigner (visitor)…the foreigner often does not find family or even a warm reception (whether they find their way to the church or the church has “found” them). I believe this is changing in many places, and this is critically important. But…in all of this, we can learn much from our Master.
The Mosaic Law was also clear that aliens were to be subject to Israel’s laws (Exo. 12:49, Lev. 24:22, Num. 15:16, etc.). There are no grounds for claiming, as many do and as seems to be implied here, that we should turn a blind eye to those foreigners who disobey the laws of the land, including those who enter illegally or under false pretenses.
Jenny, I respectfully disagree. Immigration laws did not exist in biblical times, so you’re comparing apples to oranges. Religious laws and immigration laws are NOT the same.
The oppression of the descendants of Jacob in Egypt was not viewed favorably by God, even though it was done through official, government means. There is ample biblical precedent for standing up for the oppressed, even when that oppression occurs through “legal” means and when resistance is deemed “illegal.”
As I’ve said before, many Christians lagged behind society in denouncing the genocide of native Americans, the kidnapping and enslavement of Africans, and the oppression of minorities under Jim Crow laws. Will we again wait until Congress acts until we decide to get on the right side of things?
I for one won’t wait.