A CHRISTIAN CUTS HIS WIFE IN TWELVE PIECES
Breaking news of a Christian man who savagely dismembered the body of his wife into twelves pieces, and distributed the pieces in each and every Province in the country.
The vicious attacks, rape and murder of women and children in most gruesome style is becoming normal.
We are normalizing violence against women. Every rhetorical promise the Governments, civil societies and some men have made has fallen on deaf ear. Should we then fold our hands and live in the world where women are haunted and hunted like prey in a jungle where men dominate, and women and children are eaten by beastly men that regard women as inferior beings?
Perhaps I must at this time ask; what is the role of Christian men in gender based violence? Oh maybe I should further ask; what is the role of the Christian scriptures in the face of Gender based violence? Allow me to put in the last question; what is the role of the pulpit in homiletics on issues of Gender based violence?
In this short article I seek to address the Levite and his concubine and the circumstances that surrounded the dismembering of his concubine in (Judges 19:22-28) in three parts; hospitality, hostility and horror.
This is one of those Biblical narratives that you wish as a Christian was not included in the Bible.
It is also one of the many contetious passage of scripture under attack by those who seek to completely discredit the Christian faith and scriptures.
The questions of believers and unbelievers concerning scripture should be answered graciously without disregarding them. I will address this issue in my concluding remarks, meanwhile let us examine the text in question;
1. #HOSPITALITY
"You are welcome at my house, the old man said. Let me supply whatever you need. Only don't spend the night in the square. So he took him into his house and fed his donkeys. After they had washed their feet, they had something to eat and drink" (Judges 19: 20)
Just a brief recap; In 19:1 we are introduced to a Levite whose name is withheld. He lived in the hill country of Ephraim.
He took a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah. She was unfaithful to him, so she left and went back to her father's house.
After four months the Levite followed her to pursued her to return. The unfortunate incidence happened in Gibeah where they lodged for a night.
The old man who hosted them under his roof fed their animals, washed their feet & they ate and drunk. This hospitality didn't last long as the wicked men of the city interrupted them.
Let me define the relationship between the Levite and the woman. The Bible describes her as a concubine. That alone reminds the reader that she was not the only woman in the Levites' life.
Concubines are described as secondary wives. A common cultural phenomenon in the Ancient Near East.
Polygamy is littered throughout the pages of scripture that it is so easy to defend Polygamy than monogamous relationships if you like.
Not that I am promoting that lifestyle, but I can't stand up and pretend the Christian text never recorded it. This practice was common even among ancient godly men though it was never originally intended.
The second thing I must highlight is what seems to be the reoccurring theme of Judges.
"In those days Israel had no king" It describes a state of anarchy and lawlessness. People did whatever they pleased.
The book of Judges had a circle that repeated itself.
1. Israel commits apostasy
2. God punishes them by allowing their enemy armies to defeat them
3. Israel repents and cries out to God for mercy
4. God delivers them by sending a Judge
And the circle continues;
2. #HOSTILITY
"While they were enjoying themselves, some of the wicked men of the city surrounded the house. Pounding on the door, they shouted to the old man who owned the house. Bring out the man who came to your house so that we can have sex with him" (Judges 19: 22)
While inside the house they experienced hospitality, outside hostility was brewing.
I will be completely honest with you that today women are facing hostilities inside the house and outside the house.
And even in cases where women are safe within, their men cannot protect them outside. These men are described as vile men. The sons of Beliah are worthless.
We talking here about people who are morally or culturally defunct. Their lives are characterized by excessive indulgence in pleasure.
The Chivalry or the medieval knightly system of hospitality regarded a man as the main Guest, then his wife, concubines and lastly servants.
Now that is the Biblical and historical truths we need to wrestle with as we bring the Biblical message to the enlightened generation.
The host goes outside to negotiate with these vile men.
"The owner of the house went outside and said to them, No, my friends, don't be so vile. Since this man is my guest, don't do this disgraceful thing. Look here I have a virgin daughter, and his concubine. I will bring them out to you now, and you can use them and do whatever you wish..." (Judges 19:23-24)
What does it look like to be a woman in the Ancient Near East (ANE)?
Perhaps let me bring the question home; how does it look like to be a woman in South Africa?
One would think that when our lives are threatened, the strong among us should care, shield, defend and protect the weak and helpless among.
But don't we throw the weaker sex quickly under the bus to protect the men among us?
The old man to protect his male guest is prepared to give his virgin daughter and the Levite's concubine.
He said, "you can use them and do whatever you want"
Inside the house are three men; the host, the Levite and the Levite's servant. Why didn't these men step out and suffer the sexual violation and beating to protect the two women inside?
The Levite took his concubine by force and pushed her outside to be violated. What I see in this story is the selfishness of men inside and outside the house betraying defenceless women to be brutally violated the whole night.
How do men sleep at night when women outside are unsafe?
3. #HORROR
"He said to her, Get up; let us go".
This to me is the breaking point in the story.
The wife was taken out there by many men who raped her whole night, and after that left her to crawl her way back to where they lodged.
She passed out at the door. Raped whole night to death, but the Levite husband is indifferent.
He doesn't show any care as to enquire what went down. "Get up! Let us go!" without realizing the wife has died.
Unfeeling, without emotions life continues.
Even as a religious man he acted worse than those who violated his wife.
He lifted the body of his wife and put it on the donkey.
When he reached home he cut the body of his concubine into twelve pieces and sent them to all the twelve tribes of Israel.
Dismembering the body was a way to send a protest message to Israel concerning her moral decay.
But this doesn't excuse his inability to protect and defend the wife. He further disrespected her even in her death. Cutting her into pieces in her death is horrendous.
Biblical text is written in the context of mortal, immoral and infallible men.
Whose lives are recorded because of their proximity to the biblical narrative.
In a narrative the story is told as it was therefore a Preacher will not put another meaning to contradict historical facts.
The strengths and weakness of Biblical characters are examples for us to avoid making similar mistakes, and emulate their strengths.
In addressing the struggle of women as it regards to gender based violence (GBV) we should agree Patriarchal is visible and littered throughout the Christian text, but God doesn't commend it.
Our Lord Jesus among his disciples were women. As the Gospel penetrates into our communities, we should allow savage discrimination and Patriarchal systems to be uprooted together with sin.
I Pray that men shall defend and protect the women both inside their homes, and outside their homes.
Lawrence Musunte
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