Questions tagged [cultural-analysis]
Understanding the culture which an author wrote for/to is often key to understanding a text's original meaning.
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Were priests prohibited from tearing their garments
While studying an aspect of the crucifixion of Jesus (the seamless garment that the soldiers cast lots for), I came across a sermon transcript that said the following as part of its argument (...
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Whose faith is the subject of Hebrews 11:11?
Πίστει καὶ αὐτὴ Σάρρα δύναμιν εἰς καταβολὴν σπέρματος ἔλαβεν καὶ παρὰ καιρὸν ἡλικίας, ἐπεὶ πιστὸν ἡγήσατο τὸν ἐπαγγειλάμενον (Hebrews 11:11, Westcott and Hort)
The traditional translation of Hebrews ...
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Are the multiple mentions of Gentiles attending synagogues on Sabbath in Acts evidence that the Gentiles are to keep the Sabbath?
Acts 13:42-48 (ESV)
42 As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath. 43 And after the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to ...
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Was the use of the woman's hair to clean Jesus' feet considered an indecent act (Luke 7:36-50)?
As I was thinking about the cultural view of women's hair in the modern Middle East, and in the Ancient Near East too, it raised significant questions for me about the story in Luke 7:36-50 (I'm ...
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Does Capitalism shape modern translations of the Ten Minas?
In Kenneth E. Bailey's book "Jesus through Middle Eastern Eyes" he challenges common renderings of the Parable of the Ten Minas in Luke 19 (also called the Parable of the Pounds):
"As ...
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Scarlet or Purple?
I was talking with a friend, and he offered this up as a contradiction between the two accounts. When Jesus is about to be crucified, during his flogging Matthew says the soldiers clothed him in ...
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Is the statement "Leah had weak eyes" (Genesis 29:17) an indication that women at that time had their face covered where only their eyes showed?
In Genesis 2k9:17 the only specific part of the body mentioned is the eyes. Is this because everything else was covered up?
“Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured” (KJV). ...
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Book of Esther's major theme is that God's people may have Unwillingly strayed away from God, but God is still Loving towards said people
I'm trying to approach the Book of Esther in the Bible in a holistic manner ( taking a bird's eye view ) of God's varying calibrated auspices of His chosen Israelite nation.
Also I am taking into ...
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Do the specific gifts the father gives to the prodigal son have any special significance?
What is the significance of the robe, ring & sandals in Luke 15:22?
‘But the father said to his servants, “Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on ...
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Who was the Gilead of Judges 11?
In Judges 11: 1-3 it reads:
Jephthah [Yiftach] the Gileadite was a mighty warrior. His father was
Gilead; his mother was a prostitute. 2 Gilead’s wife also bore him
sons, and when they were ...
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Foot massage - is The Message right on Deut. 33:24; John 11:2; 12:3?
In the Message, some of the verses that normally describe foot washing are described as a foot massage (emphasis added):
"Asher, best blessed of the sons! May he be the favorite of his brothers, ...
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In Acts 3:1, What is the Significance of the Ninth Hour of Prayer?
Acts 3:1 - Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the [a]ninth hour, the hour of prayer.
I have been digging everywhere I can think of to find some description or outline of what happened ...
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Why did the disciples lay their coats on the colt during the triumphal entry while others laid theirs on the ground? And other related questions
In the synoptic gospels, all of the accounts depict Jesus riding into Jerusalem on the back of the colt of a donkey. They make a note that the disciples placed their coats on the donkey (and Matthew's ...
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What did Martha most likely mean by "the last day" in John 11:24?
John 11:22-27 (ESV):
22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise ...
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Meaning of "at the feet of [rabbi]" in Luke 10 and Acts 22?
In Luke 10:39, Mary "sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching". A common reading seems to be that Mary was physically sitting at Jesus' feet listening to Jesus. See Was it unusual ...
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Early church context: Do we have contemporary texts which add useful context for interpreting the New Testament?
What are the oldest known Christian texts that are not part of scripture, or considered apocryphal text? I'd be interested in brief details of any texts which may aid in our understanding of the New ...
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What position in society did the teachers of the law hold?
Matthew 23:27-28 (NIV):
27"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you
hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on
the outside but on the inside are full of the ...
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In the New Testament, What is the Origin of "Believe In" and "Believe Into"?
Is there any Extra-Biblical source, (in Classical Greek, or Semitic sources), or a syntactical rule, behind the construction: ["πιστεύων ἐν" and "πιστεύων εἰς" + "Some Leader"]* — Or, is this ...
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What did the ram mean to ancient Hebrew shepherds as to inform its use as a guilt/trespass offering?
Why is a ram without blemish used for the guilt offering?
N.B:
Unlike the bulls, goats and lambs used for sin offerings, the ram is not required to be young only that it be without blemish.
Lev 6:...
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Why was Amnon not punished by David for raping Tamar?
David is unwittingly involved in the set-up, by agreeing to Amnon's request to have Tamar make him some cakes. II Samuel 13:6,7.
He KNEW what happened next, and was very angry. II Samuel 13:21.
He did ...
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Did David and Saul have different afterlife theologies?
On the one hand, one could arguably say that David seemed to have believed that the dead were unconscious, based on what he said in Psalm 146:4 (YLT):
His spirit goeth forth, he returneth to his ...
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Does 1 Corinthians 11:1-16 support my beliefs in head coverings?
I believe that any woman who prays without her head covered & looks up is disgraceful to God & any man who wears ANY kind of head covering & looks down while praying is disgraceful to God. ...
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In 1 Corinthians 11:4 why does Paul consider it a dishonor for a man to cover his head when praying or prophesying?
Why does the apostle Paul consider it a dishonour if a man prays with his head covered in 1 Corinthians 11:4?
NIV-UK Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonours his head.
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Does Numbers 5:27 involve an induced miscarriage/abortion?
Recently, I have come across Numbers 5:27 being used to show that abortion is not wrong and, in fact, even was advocated to test against a woman committing adultery through a certain type of drink. In ...
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What are the exegetical options for the argument the Jews are making at John 5:18?
John 5:18 is
"Because of this, the Jews tried all the harder to kill Him. Not only
was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was even calling God His own
Father, making Himself equal with God."
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Is the church at the time of the book of James meeting in synagogues?
In James 2:2 (YTL)
for if there may come into your synagogue a man with gold ring, in gay raiment, and there may come in also a poor man in vile raiment,
or in ASV
For if there come into your ...
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Why doesn’t Paul use a Greek word for “influence” in 1 Corinthians 15:33?
We read:
“Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”” I
Corinthians 15:33 NKJV
One might assume that Paul means evil company can corrupt good habits, but people are in control ...
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Why were the fornicators in Leviticus 19:20 not slain?
And whosoever lieth carnally with a woman, that is a bondmaid, betrothed to an husband, and not at all redeemed, nor freedom given her; she shall be scourged; they shall not be put to death, because ...
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When Was Zechariah 10:10 Fulfilled?
I would love for someone to help me answer this question. The prophet Zechariah prophesied after the exile from Babylon and when the Jews were rebuilding the temple. Zechariah mentions that Jews from ...
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What are the origins of the different elements present in the setting of the parable of Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:19-31)?
Luke 16:19-31 (ESV):
19 “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, ...
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What are the theological implications of Paul's continuing identifying himself as a Pharisee in Acts 23:6-10 despite being an Apostle of Christ?
Acts 23:6-10 (ESV):
6 Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to ...
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Did Saul believe that the spirit of Samuel was in Sheol?
Several questions have already been asked on 1 Samuel 28 (e.g. here, here & here), but none has had a focus on what Saul believed about Sheol. In 1 Samuel 28, the witch of En-dor describes Samuel ...
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Did the Apostle Paul, as a Pharisee, believe in disembodied spirits? Acts 23:6-10
Acts 23:6-10 (ESV):
6 Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to ...
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What did the medium of En-dor mean by "god(s)" in 1 Samuel 28:13?
1 Samuel 28:12-14:
12 And the woman seeth Samuel, and crieth with a loud voice, and the woman speaketh unto Saul, saying, `Why hast thou deceived me -- and thou Saul?' 13 And the king saith to her, `...
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Why did Jesus' disciples believe in ghosts / disembodied spirits? [closed]
Luke 24:36-39 (NASB):
36 Now while they were telling these things, Jesus Himself suddenly stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be to you.” 37 But they were startled and frightened, and ...
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What is the logic behind the Jews' reasoning which led them to spontaneously stone Stephen to death?
Acts 7:51-60 (ESV):
51 “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. 52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not ...
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What is the biblical worldview of the arabs that Paul encountered in his three years from his conversion? [closed]
Did he encounter a view of God that was based on Abraham as the father of the Arabs apart from the Jews?
Could God have been helping him to understand abrahamic covenant theology from the Arab ...
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In which sense has the woman become defiled in Deuteronomy 24:4?
Deuteronomy 24:1-5
If a man marries a woman who becomes displeasing to him because he
finds something indecent about her, and he writes her a certificate of
divorce, gives it to her and sends her ...
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Does "men" (Greek, anthropos) refer specifically to "the Jews" in passages such as Matthew 10:17?
Matthew 10:17-18 reads (NKJV, emphasis mine):
"But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. You will be brought before governors and kings for ...
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What does it mean to "divorce her quietly"?
To intentionally navigate towards Christmas, I've been following an Advent devotional plan. Today was considering Matthew 1:18-24 and meditate on how loving was Joseph's posture. Got particularly ...
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How did Jewish people living under Roman rule understand the role of a Paraclete?
John 14:16 (DRB):
And I will ask the Father, and he shall give you another Paraclete,
that he may abide with you for ever.
John 14:26 (DRB):
But the Paraclete, the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will ...
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Why were the destitute in the dunghill?
The metaphor of lifting the poor from a dunghill (Psalm 113:7, 1 Sam 2:8) or sending the proud to the dunghill (Lamentations 4:5) is quite the visual. In most verses, אַשְׁפֹּת seems to be used more ...
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In the Gospel of John, did the Jews disbelieve or misunderstand the Lord Jesus Christ?
Several times during the narrative provided by the Gospel of John the Jews attempt to kill the Lord Jesus Christ.
For example:
John 5:17-18
17 But He answered them, “My Father is working until ...
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What does it mean to cast a shoe?
What is the cultural context of casting a shoe?
Psalm 60:8: Moab is My washpot;
Over Edom I will cast My shoe;
Philistia, shout in triumph because of Me.”
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A nose ring, earring, or other in Genesis 24:22?
Abraham's servant is on a mission to find Isaac a wife, and he is blessed in that work. Upon Rebekah's fulfilling of the sign conditions of the servant's prayer to YHWH (Gen 24:12-20), the servant ...
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What kind of magic did Simon practice? Acts 8:9-24
Acts 8:9-24 (ESV)
9 But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great. 10 They all paid ...
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Did people sat on mats in the bible era or mainly on chairs? [closed]
Did people sit on mats in the bible era (like some Arabic cultures nowadays) or they sat mainly on chairs?
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Luke 23:11 - What did Herod communicate when he sent Jesus back to Pilot in "splendid clothing?"
11 And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate. 12 And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other ...
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Does Song of Solomon 8:1 suggest that kissing before marriage was "despised" in Bible times?
Song of Solomon 8:1 reads thus (NKJV):
Oh, that you were like my brother, Who nursed at my mother’s breasts! If I should find you outside, I would kiss you; I would not be despised.
In other words, ...
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Meaning of the Jews’ response in John 8:41?
John 8:41 (NASB)
…They said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father: God.”
What was the intent/meaning behind these words? Did the Jews really view God as their Father, or was ...
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