Echoes of Introversion in the Bible
The Bible does not
directly address personality categories such as introversion or extroversion.
In order to be good interpreters of Scripture, we need to attend to the original
history, cultural and literary contexts that it was written in and for. I am
hesitant to superimpose a psychological grid onto the Bible, which would have
been completely foreign to the original writers and readers, so what follows
are only suggestions or hints at the personality features that echo in the
stories of biblical figures.
Jesus’ closest
disciple and the gospel mission’s first apostle, Peter stands out as a man with
highly extroverted tendencies. Peter was upfront and aggressive, quick to speak
and quick to act. He planted himself at the center of the group of disciples,
bluntly spoke his mind and learned by making mistakes. He was the first to
confess Jesus as the Messiah, and he was also quick to rebuke Jesus when Jesus
said that his own messianic journey would go the way of the cross. Showing a
tendency to act before thinking, Peter climbed out of the boat to meet Jesus in
the waves, and then reconsidered and sank. He was courageous enough to stand up
on the day of Pentecost and preach the gospel to thousands of Jews, seemingly
without having previously reflected on his message! Peter was bold and active,
taking center stage in the gospel mission. I have wondered whether the Gospel
of Mar—which is traditionally attributed to a writer who accompanied Peter and
recorded what he said about Jesus—is an action packed as it is because of Peter’s
extroverted influence. Mark’s story flows quickly, punctuated by sharp
narrative introductions and sudden entrances of new characters.
On the other side,
there are several biblical characters that show signs of introversion. Jacob,
patriarch of the nation of Israel, was described as a “quiet man” (Gen 25:27).
Moses, when he was alone in the wilderness and encountered the God of his ancestors,
he resisted God’s call by saying he was “slow of speech” (Ex 4:10) and wary of
the spotlight. Mary, the mother of Jesus, showed a reflective, introspective
side as she “treasured all these things in her heart” (Lk 2:51). Another Mary,
Martha’s sister, chose to sit at Jesus’ feet and listen to him when he dined in
their home (Lk 10:38-42). Then there was Timothy, whom the apostle Paul felt
the need to remind that the Holy Spirit is one of power and not of timidity (2
Tim 1:7), perhaps because Timothy let an introverted cautiousness turn into
fear and passivity.
And finally, there was Zacchaeus. We might
strain our necks a bit to note that Luke’s famous tax collector didn’t utilize
his short stature to maneuver his way through the crowds to be near Jesus, but
instead he climbed a tree to observe (Lk 19:2-10). His first inclination was to
consider Jesus from a distance, and he seemed content to let Jesus pass without
interacting with him. Unlike more aggressive biblical characters, Zacchaeus
waited for Jesus to initiate with him, rather than pushing his way through the
crowd to touch or talk to Jesus. (Adam S. McHugh, Introverts in the Church: Finding Our Place in an Extroverted Culture [Downers
Grove, Ill.: IVP Books, 2009], 46-47)
