The Rites of Passage

Ryan White

Resources• The Rites of Passage by Arnold Van Gennep• Ancient Israel by Roland De Vaux• The Threshold Covenant by Henry Clay Trumbull• The Bible by God• What is Liminality? http://www.liminality.org/about/whatisliminality• Betwixt and Between: The Liminal Period by Victor Turner (

http://www2.fiu.edu/~ereserve/010010095-1.pdf)• The Ritual Process by Victor Turner (Excerpts: http://faculty.dwc.edu/wellman/Turner.htm)• Enthronement of Yahweh by Jeremy J. Stewart • What Do Shaving Rites Accomplish and What Do They Signal in Biblical Ritual Contexts? by

Saul Olyan• The Leper in Leviticus by Jeff Schulman• Circumcision as a Rite of Covenant by Erich Isaac• Graded Holiness by Phillip Peter Jenson

What are the 'Rites of Passage'?

They are a process that occurs during times of significant change, because there is such a big difference between the two states or areas, there is a need for rites to be performed in order to ensure proper transition.

When were the Rites of Passage performed?

Childbirth

Social PubertyAdoption

BetrothalMarriage

Death OccupationSpecializationReligious

Conversion

Transitionto a NewCountryChange in

Social Status

Change in Season

Rites of PassageOld Man NEW MAN

Rites of Separation

Rites of Transition

Rites of Incorporation

Preparation for incorporation

• Isolation from normal society• Training period• Trials and test• “set apart”• Typically 7 days (but not always)• State of ambiguity

Separation from the old

• Death & rebirth (symbolic)• Purification from old self• Leaving the old ways

Integration into the new

• Sacrifice often involved• Consecration into new renewal• New name given

“In buildings, only the main door was the site of entrance/exit rites, perhaps because it was consecrated by a special rite or because it faces a favorable direction”

Rites of Passage

ANE Marriage

Unmarried(Child) MARRIED

Rites of Separation

Rites of Transition

Rites of Incorporation

Preparation for incorporation

• Learning to live as a wife• Mourning for parents (Deut 21)• Preparation for wedding day

Separation from the old

• Betrothal – Anointing head with oil

• Shaving bride’s head• Living with groom’s family• Veil on wedding day

Integration into the new

• Wedding ceremony & feast• Carrying over the threshold• Consummation of marriage

with sign of blood

Boot Camp

Rites of Passage

AbramThe Pagan

ABRAHAMTHE HEBREW

Rites of Separation

Rites of Transition

Rites of Incorporation

Preparation for incorporation

• Walking to Cana’an• Trial’s and tribulations in the land

• Egypt• Lot• Hagar

• Binding of Isaac

Separation from the old

• Leaving Mesopotamia• Leaving idolatry• Falling into a deep slumber

Integration into the new

• Circumcision• Covenant of the pieces• Renaming ‘Abraham’• Redemption of Isaac (new life)

PassoverIsraeliteSlaves

VASSAL KINGSTO YHVH

Rites of Separation

Rites of Transition

Rites of Incorporation

Preparation for incorporation

• Passage to Mt Sinai• Trials/testing en route• Preparation for meeting YHVH

Separation from the old

• Lamb’s blood on doorpost• Restriction & removal of leaven• Trial by Ordeal/Purification in

the Red Sea

Integration into the new

• Circumcision• 10 Commandments –

Suzerainty treaty• Boundaries on the mountain• Covenant meal with leadership• Sprinkling of blood in Exod 24

The Exodus

IsraeliteSlaves

VASSAL KINGSTO YHVH

Rites of Separation

Rites of Transition

Rites of Incorporation

Preparation for incorporation

• Learning Torah• Trials and Tribulation for 40 years• Minimal historical accounts• Ambiguity – not yet received

inheritance

Separation from the old

• Passover• Crossing through the Red Sea• Receiving Torah/Shunning

idolatry

Integration into the new

• Covenant renewal at Mt Gerazim and Mt Ebal

• Crossing the Jordan• (re) circumcision

Priesthood(Exod 29, Lev 8-9)

Levites (sons of Aaron)

PRIESTSUNTO YHVH

Rites of Separation

Rites of Transition

Rites of Incorporation

Preparation for incorporation

• 7 day training period• Priests, but not yet able to

officiate

Separation from the old

• Wash with water• Anoint with oil• Removal of old clothing

Integration into the new

• Altar purification• Purification of priests with blood• Consecration of the altar• Index to altar• Official garments signifying

office

PurificationLev 14

“Leprosy” defilement

RESTOREDCOVENANTISRAELITE

Rites of Separation

Rites of Transition

Rites of Incorporation

Preparation for incorporation

• Live inside the camp, but outside the tent

• Preparation for integration into normal Israelite society

Separation from the old

• Cleansed of disease (corpse defilement)

• “Scape-bird” ritual of cleansing• Shave, bath, wash clothes

(repeat on day 7)

Integration into the new

• Purification with blood and oil upon right side appendages• Re-index with altar

• Anointed with oil

The Tabernacle

Clean Physical World

Courtyard

Spiritual World

Holy of Holies

Liminal Zone

Altar

Holy Place

UncleanWorld

Cf. Mt. SinaiImportance of boundary maintenance

Rites of Passage – The Zebach Shelamim

The Legal Means to Approach YHVH

Slaughter of the animal Animal fully eaten

Common Common

Elevated HolinessCommunion with God

pg 22, Sacrifice: its nature and functions

Rites of Passage – The Calendar

Rites of Separation Rites of Integration

Old Season/Month New Season/MonthLiminal Period

Elevated Holiness

Rites of Passage – Mourning for the Dead

Corpse DefilementEnter a state of mourning

Cleansed by waters of chatta’at(Red Heifer)

Common Common

State of Ritual Defilement

Other Examples• Numbers 31:12-24 -> Purification after battle• The Nazarite vow• Bondservant: Exodus 21:2-6

• The "abbuttu lock," the marker of the slave in some Mesopotamian contexts, is imposed by means of shaving when the slave is separated for slavery; cutting the abbuttu lock frees the slave (Laws of Hammurabi, Eshnunna)

• Parturient• Pesach for a ger who wants to become native born• Deuteronomy 22 -> War bride• Coronation of kings

• David’s ascent to the throne

• 2 Sam 12 -> David weeping for his son for 7 days. => Don’t mar your beard

Importance of Rites of Passage

“The Rites of Passage satisfy psychological needs of the

individual undergoing a life crisis, as well as the needs of the

community for creating and maintaining throughout its

generations an agreed set of values and ways of life”

"It is dangerous to cross boundaries, since the transgression

of a norm can provoke a reaction from whomever or

whatever is associated with the preservation of the order,

whether demons, God, nature, or society. You must have

permission to cross boundaries and also to perform the

proper protocol to cross the boundaries.”

Legal Passage of

Yeshua

Yeshua,Son of Joseph

YESHUA,SON OF GOD:

MESSIAH

Rites of Separation

Rites of Transition

Rites of Incorporation

Preparation for incorporation

• Led by Spirit (i.e. the Tutor) into the wilderness for 40 days

• Trials/testing by hasatan• Yeshua overcame the test

that Adam failed.

Separation from the old

• Mikveh in the Jordan river• Legal Adoption by YHVH

through adoption language from heaven

Integration into the new

• John the Baptist dies before Yeshua starts his ministry

• Anointed with oil (Mark 14)

Legal Conversion

GentilePagan

ISRAELITECITIZEN

Rites of Separation

Rites of Transition

Rites of Incorporation

• Weekly Torah study – Acts 15:21• John 16:7, 13, Heb 5:12, Gal 3:21-

28• Trials of life, learning Holiness,

preparation to be the Bride• Yeshua is the Door (liminal)

• Legal adoption – Mikveh and confession of faith in Yeshua

• Separation from idolatry – Acts 15:3, 19-21• Rom 6, Eph 4:21, Col 3

• Separation from society – John 15:19

• Physical circumcision – partake in Passover

• Position/role in community• At Yeshua’s return:

• Renewed covenant, marriage supper

• Circumcision of heart• New names, new

garments

More from Paul

Romans 6:11-16

Galatians 4:1-6

Ephesians 4:30

1 Corinthians 9:19-23

What is the Purpose of the Millennial

Kingdom?

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