This is an extremely important subject that most of us in the western culture (North America, Europe, and Australia) do not really understand. This is one of if not the most important cultural concept to unlocking Scriptures and it has been lost to us until the last 20 years. Rico Cortes and I have been studying this subject now for the past couple of months and it is really opening up our understanding of Scriptures, especially the first century writings (New Testament). We do not understand this because our primary control methods in western society are guilt and innocence. Honor is a limited commodity within a community and is ascribed or acquired in the public arena. This is very key to understand that the main driving force behind Biblical culture and Middle Eastern culture today is not a sense of personal guilt, but of public opinion. Likewise shame is not personal guilt, but public disapproval of one's actions. This is a short overview of the subject and is in preparation for a lot of teachings that will be discussing this principle. I will be recording a large series with HRN about the Suffering Servant and using these principles to show why Messiah HAD to suffer and also to give understanding and hope to why we too suffer even with our covenant relationship with YHWH.