Week 5

Stepping Into Their World — Historical and Cultural Context

The Bible was not written to 21st-century Americans. It was written to ancient Israelites, first-century Jews, and early Greco-Roman churches. Understanding their world unlocks meaning we would otherwise miss.

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Key Terms

Cultural Context — The customs, values, social structures, and daily realities of the original audience — the world they took for granted
Historical Background — The events, political situations, and circumstances surrounding a biblical text — what was happening when it was written
Anachronism — The mistake of reading modern ideas, values, or situations back into an ancient text — treating the Bible as if it was written yesterday

Key Concepts

  • The Bible was written FOR us but not TO us
  • Cultural and historical background unlocks meaning
  • Avoiding anachronism — don't read modern assumptions into ancient texts

Scripture Focus

1 Corinthians 8:1-13 Luke 15:1-7 Acts 10:1-16 Romans 14:1-4

Learning Objectives

  • Explain why understanding the original historical and cultural context changes how we read a passage
  • Use study Bibles, Bible dictionaries, and commentaries to research the background of a passage
  • Identify at least one example where knowing the cultural context completely changes the meaning of a familiar verse

Resources

Download the companion handout for this lesson to review key terms and concepts offline.

Download Lesson Handout (PDF)
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