The Levite and the Concubine

In this reflection, we are going to meditate on two couples: the Levite and his concubine from the Old Testament, found specifically in Judges Chapter 19, and Saint Joseph and our Blessed Mother from the New Testament, found specifically in the Gospel of Matthew Chapters 1-2 and in the Gospel of Luke Chapters 1-2. What we will see is two couples, both found in times of political turmoil, traveling to/from Bethlaham, with lodging difficulties, and facing death. As children of Adam, our flesh alone can easily perceive materially the various similarities, but stopping here or just passing by it is to maintain what St. Paul called the “veil” that  “lies over” our minds (1 Corinthians 3:15). It is in these encounters, which are often, when we are faced with a mirror image between the Old and New Testament, that God is inviting us to enter into a deep contemplation so to lift the veil and become conscious of His salvivic workings. 

It would be easy to just go back and forth and compare the couple–to think about what is similar or different. It would be more illuminating however, to focus on the who and what it means for us. Who was the Levite and his concubine? We actually do not know. The author does not give us their name, but this is not accidental. The author choosing not to reveal names is not because they are unknown, but rather, it is to transform the Levite and concubine into “everyone.” The actual “who” of this story is in fact us, and how hard this must fall onto our hearts because they are wretched. The couple that no one wants to be and despises. The couple that we point at and judge is actually us pointing at ourselves. Physically, historically, and culturally we may not resemble them, and we can argue that we are nothing like them, but these attributes are only skin deep. The depths of our connection with the Levite and his concubine are found much deeper in the darkness. Spiritually we are no different from them as we are no different from our first parents whose fallen nature corrupted and turned us from God. In this context then, who really are the Levite and the concubine? They are sinners, as we too are sinners who are capable of horrendous acts.

Looking a little closer into the “who.” The Levite, the man, the husband, is from the tribe of Levi. This is the tribe commanded by God to be His priests (Numbers 3:12). We read that the Levites were a “gift” to Israel (Numbers 18:6). The Levites were men who were “to stand and minister in His name for all time” (Deuteronomy 18:5), and “to serve Him, and to pronounce blessings in His name” (Deuteronomy 10:8). Where do we see these commands being performed in Judges Chapter 19? No where. The Levite, who was supposed to be a spiritual guide of the people, a holy man of God, was nothing of the sort. In one of the darkest times of Israel, we find a perverted individual who cares for no one but himself. Rather being a minister of goodness and peace, we find an agent of destruction and death. The concubine, although the victim of evil in this story, is also not innocent. We are told that she was unfaithful to her husband. How she is unfaithful we do not have total clarity, but we see her leaving him to return to her father breaking the commandment of God who said, “they shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24) so “what therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder” (Mark10:9). Both individuals, in their sinnerful nature, did “what was right in their own eyes” (Judges 21:25) rather than seeking God’s truth. Their choices and their ways were uncharitable and led them only to death. First the death of the concubine then to a civil war that almost annihilated the tribe of Benjamin. Nothing would seem good in this story. Nothing is exactly what we see here. No love, no kindness (except the man that let them in his house), no self-sacrifice or heroics, and nowhere do we find happiness. This truly is an oblique time with sinister individuals, but God never abandons His people. 

It is an entire library to go into why God allows evil. It is ultimately a mystery, but there is no doubt that we are a covenant-breaking nation. Our sinful nature turns us from God. The act of disobedience turns our life into anarchy, and ultimately into idolatry. God, however, never turns from us. He works through these dark periods in human history, but where we see the fulfillment of his promise is found placed into the hands of a husband and his wife in a quiet little town of Nazareth. This is why I said in the beginning of this article that when we see the Old Testament being reflected in the New Testament, a veil is uncovered. We are sinners, but the wickedness of the Levite and his concubine is not our end. The true vision of God’s plan for us is found in the new couple found in Matthew and Luke where we find the antithesis of sin—holiness.

Who are they? Saint Joseph and the Virgin Mary. They are named because now we have our examples. As a man who is a sinner and husband, I want to emulate Joseph. I want to know him, and I want to go to him because of his closeness to our Lord. For a woman who is a sinner, she wants to emulate and know Mary. In fact, not just women, but all men want to also know her, and be close to her because no one except the Father is as close to Jesus. To go to her is to go to the one who is “full of grace”  (Luke 1:28). What does this mean? Between this man and this woman who are faithful and obedient to God, we find what a relationship is truly supposed to bring–life, and how does this happen? With them, we are able to encounter the true God, and finally we are able to experience pure joy and lasting peace. These two are what Adam and Eve were created to be, but because of Adam’s sin we were faced with being the Levite or the concubine, but no longer. Because of Mary’s yes, and her husband's commitment to protect the life inside her womb, we are saved from sin and are welcomed eternally into His Kingdom to be present with Him.

What we can not forget is that this holy man and holy woman could have chosen not to be obedient. They could have chosen death. They could have chosen to seperate. They could have said no to God, but they did not. For them, it was never about what was “right in their eyes.” Their eyes were only looking at the truth–God. Their life was moved and guided by the path that God put in front of them. Even if they did not understand, their faith saw past fear and doubt. For having chosen God, they chose a life that all of us can experience if we do the same. It is not easy but neither was it for them. They had hostility all around them. They had to travel, and be rejected, but being who they were, but more importantly in who they put their trust in, they endured. They accepted their cross and picked it up as Christ tells all of us to do (Matthew 16:24).

Who are we? The Holy Family teaches us that we are sons and daughters of the Father. We are His adopted children and our inheritance is not what the Levite was looking for in this world. Our inheritance is found only in Heaven with the Father. The concubine sought out her worldly father but like the Levite, her father easily gave her away. Our Father does not want to let us go. He wants us to stay with Him and be with Him for all eternity. This is who we truly are and Who we truly belong to.