Studying the Cultural Context of the Bible

December 2, 2020 // The Biblical Languages Podcast

In this episode, Kevin and Josh share why studying the cultural context of the Bible is important, as well as how you can start doing it! Here are some topics they touch on:

• The main cultural contexts of the Old Testament and New Testament
• Practical resources you can use to start studying cultural contexts
• How studying culture contexts can improve your biblical languages skills
• Common "pitfalls" to avoid when studying cultural contexts

The biblical examples discussed are the Exodus narrative in the Old Testament and Ephesians 2:14.

Show notes

The following resources are recommended as good starting points for studying the cultural context of the Bible:

Getting started:

• Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture
• The IVP Bible Background Commentary (Old Testament & New Testament volumes)
• "Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament: Introducing the Conceptual World of the Hebrew Bible" John H. Walton

Finding primary texts:

• "As the Romans Did: A Sourcebook in Roman Social History" by Jo-Ann Shelton
• "Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament" by James B. Pritchard
• "The Context of Scripture" (4 Volumes) by William W. Hallo
• "Ancient Texts for New Testament Studies: A Guide to the Background Literature" Craig A. Evans

Where to listen

The Biblical Languages Podcast hosts discussions and interviews related to learning the biblical languages and issues relevant to biblical exegesis. Episodes cover topics in 4 major categories: language acquisition, linguistics, cultural backgrounds, and exegesis.

Listen & subscribe here: https://biblingo.org/podcast/