Social and Historical Context – Edinburgh Passion Play 2025: Behold the Man

But our story is obviously set in the past, and these notes are designed to give you some sense of the play’s setting, what it meant to be a man in the Roman Empire, and the masculinity of Jesus in the gospels.

At the time of Jesus, the small territory of Judea was under direct Roman rule, with a governor (such as Pontius Pilate) in charge. Much of the day to day running of the country was left in the hands of the traditional Jewish leaders, the priestly aristocracy in Jerusalem. But these men always had to operate under the beady eye of Rome – one wrong turn and they could lose their position. The Roman governor came to Jerusalem a few times a year to see what was going on, bringing with him a number of auxiliary troops. Not surprisingly, tensions were always high during these visits, and riots and upheaval were common.

As the capital city, Jerusalem was rich and cosmopolitan. Although Jewish, it had been heavily influenced by both Greek and Roman culture, and the Jerusalem elite shared the same ideas and outlook as elites in any other city. At the centre of everything was the Temple, where sacrifice was offered to the Jewish God. The whole complex had been lavishly refurbished by Herod the Great, turning it into one of the wonders of the ancient world. At Passover, the city was full to bursting with pilgrims and tourists and tensions were high.

Like other societies at the time, Judea was thoroughly patriarchal. The fundamental unit of society was the household, and the male head had a great deal of power over his family (and slaves, too, if he had them). Legally, politically, and economically, men were in charge. But it wasn’t enough just to have all the power, it was important that others held you in honour and respect, that you were seen to be “manly.” (The opposite was to be shamed, humiliated, or to be a laughing stock.)

Men could become manly in a number of different ways. Coming from a good family automatically gave you a certain respect and standing, as did wealth. But the best way to assert your manliness was through glory won on the battlefield, through a display of courage, endurance, quick-wits, and prowess with the sword. Even if you weren’t victorious, a noble death for your country established an enviable legacy as a manly man. Not everyone was cut out for warfare, of course, and there were other things you could do to enhance your

manliness. A man skilled in oratory, who got the better of others in debate, would also be seen as a good male role model, as would a just father at the head of a well-ordered household. A “true man” was expected to show moderation and restraint, not to become too emotional or passionate about things. But he was very much an alpha male – active rather than passive, striving to be first at the expense of others, ready to dominate others (especially women and his social inferiors).

In some ways, Jesus does fit the manly stereotypes of his day. He has amazing abilities and is able to cure people, drive out demons, and even command the sea and the weather. He acts as a great benefactor when he feeds 5,000 people. He travels the country with twelve male disciples, and his quick wit and intelligence allow him easily to win debates with opponents. All of this marks him out as a manly man.

But at the same time there are elements in the Jesus story that push against this. Jesus’ central teaching is that the first should be last, and that people shouldn’t strive for glory and power. If anyone wants to be his disciple, he says, they should be willing to be last of all, to be like a slave (see Mark 8). What Jesus is describing here is, in many ways, the kind of behaviour associated with women, who were also expected to be passive, not to take the lead, and (in most homes) to serve others. In effect, Jesus says to his followers that they should strive to be more like women than alpha males.

Another place where Jesus loses his manliness is at the cross. Crucifixion was a slave’s death, reserved for bandits and nobodies. Throughout this part of the gospel story, Jesus becomes entirely passive as other people do things to him. He’s handed over, nailed to a cross, and made fun of by a whole range of people. In the eyes of the world, he’s entirely humiliated and shamed. Of course, the Christian claim is that it’s precisely in this shame and lack of manliness that true honour is found. The Christian message turned much received wisdom on its head, reaching out to the poor and marginalised and urging followers to seek honour in service, manliness in putting others first.

Join Dave Roos and Helen Bond as they travel back in time (metaphorically… it’s a podcast) to explore the real history of the people, places and events of the Old Testament, New Testament and everything in between.

If you saw the play, you are invited to fill out our audience questionnaire so we can assess the impact of our collaboration with Cutting Edge Theatre.