Historian Garret Fagan summarizes how the Romans—the culture encountered by the early church—viewed the values of strength and weakness:
Ideas of universal human dignity were almost all but nonexistent and large swathes of the population were seen as … inherently worthless. Weak members of society were objects not of compassion but of derision. More than most, Romans lionized strength over weakness, victory over defeat, dominion over obedience. Losers paid a harsh price and got what they deserved, and [resisters] were to be ruthlessly handled … Roman politics became a ruthless game of total winners and abject losers … The drive to dominate and not be forced to bow before a rival was paramount.
Possible Preaching Angles: (1) Cross; Crucifixion—Is it any wonder why the Greco-Roman world (and our world today) can't understand what Paul called "the foolishness of the cross"? (2) Dignity; Sanctify of Life—The biblical message of the dignity of each person as made in the image of God and loved by the Son of God really is a beautiful and revolutionary truth.
