Who were the outcasts? the Mamzers

In the 1960's the Munsters was a much-loved TV show. The family was loveable. And they had one normal family member. A running joke on “The Munsters” was family niece Marilyn Munster, the “ugly duckling”. She was an "outcast" in looks. In the Jewish times of Jesus. There were outcasts, who were referred to as a Mamzer.

A MAMZER is often associated with the English word Bastard which is not the same thing.. A Bastard is the child of parents who are not married. A Mamzer is a child which was the result of an illicit relationship; usually between two Married People who are not married to one another a relationship deemed UNacceptable to the Jewish leaders.

Jesus' was the result of an unnatural relationship, in some respects an unknown relationship. And in many cases, Mary and Jesus would have been considering outcasts, by their community. We know the folks in Nazareth wanted to stone Jesus and toss him off the cliff.

But one more interesting story is that of Timothy. He was the child of a mixed marriage. Between a Jew and a Gentile, something which in the small town of Lystra would mostly lily would not have been accepted

Listen to Ray Vander Laan speaks to this story. The whole episode is very interesting, but Lois's story starts at the 30-minute mark

Paul's encounter with Timothy