Why Bible Study Part III
Imagine walking into church Sunday morning. When you step inside, everyone welcomes you with a big, “Hey! How are you?” and a kiss on both cheeks.
Be a little weirded out?
On the other hand, in Latin America, a warm greeting similar to this welcomes you everywhere you go. It’s normal culturally. It was the same in Asia in Bible times.
The Bible took place in a different land, a different time. Does that mean it is irrelevant to our lives today? No – it just means we should interpret it through a different lens.
Some religions take the personal words from the apostle Paul to the churches he wrote to, “Greet one another with a holy kiss,” literally. I’ve seen that practiced in the States, and it can be a little awkward. Kissing our acquaintances’ cheeks is not a cultural norm for us. But a friendly handshake or hug does express the same heart of affection Paul wanted the Christians to show each other. That’s translating the Bible into our culture.
Face it: the way we think today differs a lot from how the people of Israel saw life in 70 AD and before. So when God spoke through the Biblical authors, he gave them words in the vocabulary and thought patterns of their audience.
God’s Word to us was first of all God’s word to them. If they were going to hear it, it could only have come through events and in language they could have understood.
– Gordon D. Fee & Douglas Stuart
As you read the Bible, ask yourself good journalism questions: What? Where? When? Why? How? Look for things that stand out in contrast to our culture today and then look for their explanation. Really look at what was going on and think through what you read.
First look for the answers to these questions as you think through what you read in the Bible’s text. Then read the background in your Bible’s introduction to each book. Use Bible dictionaries or Bible encyclopedias to uncover more information about culture in those days.
Stories and teachings come alive in new ways when we piece them together their original settings before applying them to our lives today.