About this episode

The episode explores the cultural norms left unsaid in the Bible and how understanding the collectivist perspective can enhance Scripture interpretation.

Ever wonder about the cultural norms left unsaid in the Bible? Discovering the collectivist perspective will help you better understand Scripture. Receive If we read the Bible exclusively from our Western individualist point of view, we may miss or misunderstand cultural values everybody in the ancient Mediterranean world understood. As this week’s guest, Randy Richards, reminds us, the values of kinship, patronage, and brokerage, which focus on the family or group dynamic instead of an individual, are found throughout Scripture. We also find examples of honor, shame, and boundaries in the Old and New Testaments that are used as tools to help enforce and strengthen these cultural values. Understanding the ancient Mediterranean culture that the Bible is set in can enrich our understanding of some Scripture passages. How has discovering some of the cultural backdrop of the Bible helped you gain a deeper understanding of Scripture and how the Bible applies to your life? What next step could you take toward learning more about the cultural context of the Old and New Testament? Reflect Why were the Pharisees trying to shame Jesus in Matthew 9:11 ? How was the apostle Paul trying to…

People in this episode

Guest: Randy Richards

Topics covered

• cultural norms in the Bible
• collectivist perspective
• ancient Mediterranean culture
• kinship and patronage
• honor and shame
• Scripture interpretation

Keywords

• Bible
• cultural context
• collectivism
• honor
• shame
• kinship
• patronage
• Scripture
• ancient culture

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Matthew 9:11, 1 Corinthians 15:34, 1 Timothy 2:9, Romans 1:1

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