The Historical-Cultural Context

Introduction

To grasp God's Word we must understand the meaning of the text in context and apply that meaning to our lives. Context takes two major forms: literary context and historical-cultural context (commonly referred to as "background"). In this lesson you will learn about historical-cultural context as we ask and answer some important questions. Why do we need to bother with studying the historical-cultural background of a passage? Is it really important? What exactly is involved in studying historical-cultural context? Are there any pitfalls along the way? What tools are available to help us get the job done? The goal of this lesson is to show you how to study the historical-cultural context of a passage and to persuade you that knowing the background of a text can help to clarify its meaning and reveal its relevance to your life?

Why Bother with Historical-Cultural Context?

We do so because it offers us a window into what God was saying to the biblical audience. Since we live in a very different context, we must recapture God's original intended meaning as reflected in the text and framed by the ancient historical-cultural context. Once we understand the meaning of the text in its original context, we can apply it to our lives in ways that will be just as relevant. God's Word is eternally relevant. Our task as students of his Word is to discover that relevance by doing our contextual homework.

What Is Historical-Cultural Context?

Generally speaking, this kind of context involves the biblical writer, the biblical audience, and any historical-cultural elements touched on by the passage itself.

The Biblical Writer: What is the writer's background? Where does he come from? When does he write? What kind of ministry does he have? What is his relationship with the people he addresses? Finally, why is he writing

The Biblical Audience: Discovering the historical-cultural context also involves knowing something about the biblical audience and their circumstances.

Other Historical-Cultural Elements: In the parable of the prodigal son, we think nothing of the father running to greet his returning son. But when we learn that elderly Jewish men were considered much too dignified to run, we begin to see that Jesus is telling us how God feels about and responds to sinners when they come home. If you have ever been in the far country spiritually, you'll be glad to know that when you decide to return home. god stands ready to "ditch his dignity" and run to meet you.

Dangers Associated with Studying Background

While the greatest danger is ignoring the historical-cultural context, there are also dangers associated with studying it. to begin with, you need to watch out for inaccurate background information. Look at Matthew 19:23-24 as an example.

You may have herd it explained that the "camel's gate" was a small gate through which a camel could squeeze if its load was removed and the animal got down on its knees. The problem with this explanation is that there is no evidence for this kind of gate. The "eye of a needle" meant essentially waht it means today (i.e., the eye of a sewing needle). Jesus is using the largest animal in Palestine and one of the smallest openings to make a forceful statement about how hard it is for the rich and powerful to enter God's kingdom.

This is just one example of how inaccurate information can get passed down through generations of preachers and teachers. Just because background material makes a great sermon illustration does not mean that it is accurate. Your information will only be as good as your resources, and not all resources are created equal.

Tools for Identifying Historical Cultural Context

To identify the historical-cultural context you need to (1) grasp the historical-cultural context of the book that contains your passage and (2) recognize the specific historical-cultural context of the passage itself.

Bible Handbooks: Bible handbooks usually begin with general articles about the Bible and the world of the Bible.

Old Testament and New Testament Introductions and Surveys: These resources supply detailed background information on each book as well as an overview of the book's contents.

Commentaries: In most cases a good commentary will be your best bet for up-to-date, detailed information about the historical-cultural context of the book that contains your passage.

Historical-Cultural Context of the Passage Itself

After you have a good sense of the background of the book that contains your passage, you need to identify the historical-cultural context of the passage itself. This involves examining any elements of history and culture that are connected to or mentioned in the passage (e.g., geography, politics, religion, economics, family life, social customs). To accomplish this, the following resources are recommended.

Bible Atlases: If you want to learn more about the people, places, and events mentioned in your passage, take a look at a Bible atlas.

Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias: This is a place to go when you need information about a particular topic mentioned in your passage. for instance, if you want to know more about the Garden of Gethsemane, consult a Bible dictionary or encyclopedia.

Commentaries: Commentaries are mentioned again because the good ones are also extremely helpful in shedding light on background matters within your passage.

Background Commentaries: This relatively new type of commentary focuses not on the meaning of each passage, but on historical-cultural background essential to grasping the meaning.

Old Testament and New Testament Histories: Histories are most useful when you want detailed background information on particular topics within your passage.

Special Studies in ?Ancient Life and Culture: These resources provide detailed discussions on selected topics. They can be helpful when you really want to dig deep on a particular topic.

Computer Software and the Internet

You will be able to find some of the resources mentioned above in electronic format.

Conclusion

We study the historical-cultural background of the Bible because God chose to speak first to ancient peoples living in cultures that are radically different from our own. As we recapture the original context of God' Word, we will be able to grasp its meaning and apply that meaning to our lives. Remember, a valid interpretation of any text must be consistent with the historical-cultural context of that text.