Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes: Removing Cultural Blinders to Better Understand the Bible

by E. Randolph Richards

strange world where things are very unlike our own. Most of us don’t speak the languages. We don’t know the geography or the customs or what behaviors are considered rude or polite. And yet we hardly notice. For many of us, the Bible is more familiar than any other book. We may have parts of it memorized. And because we believe that the Bible is God’s Word to us, no matter where on the planet or when in history we read it, we tend to read Scripture in our own when and where, in a way that makes sense on our terms.

This is such an important thing for us to recognize, and a big part of why I've started a YouTube Channel - to make this idea accessible to people who watch more than they read. Plus, a book is limited in how it can help to visualize some of these differences. It's been about a year since I read this book, but I remember it being very helpful in it's premise, and maybe less helpful it where it went with it. I don't remember specific issues, but maybe some falling into the same pit it was trying to get people out of. Still, a useful book to read.

When we cook it, we serve plates of rice. But rice is very important in Indonesia, as in most of Asia, and so Indonesians have specialized vocabulary to describe it. In Indonesia there are fields of padi, bags of beras and plates of nasi. These distinctions may seem unnecessary to us, but we make distinctions that seem equally unnecessary to Indonesians. Because Indonesia is a majority Muslim nation, pigs are not important in Indonesian culture. So the language has one word for them: pigs. We, by contrast, see pigs when they are in a barn. Slaughtered, we have pork. On the plate we have chops, loin, ribs, roast, bacon and sausage.

I think this illustrates one of the strengths and weaknesses of the book. The author spent a lot of time in a non-American culture and was therefore prepared to recognize cultural differences. But that doesn't make them an expert on Ancient Near East culture, or Roman culture. I wish there had been a bit more research into Bible cultures, or maybe just referenced better.

invitations note the day and time. To understand what’s going on here, we need to know a bit about the culture. When folks were invited, it was okay for them to decline the invitation. But these people had accepted the invitation, so preparations were made based upon their attendance.[4] In antiquity, one announced a banquet as happening “soon.” The exact date was always a bit negotiable for several reasons. First, they didn’t have five-day weather forecasts; who knew in advance if the weather would be conducive to banqueting? Second, some supplies had to come from out of town. When supplies were ready, you would let the guests know the banquet was “near.” Finally, one did not kill the fatted calf until the day of the feast. There was no refrigeration. When all the preparations were made, the host looked outside. If the weather looked good, he’d give the order: “Today is the day.” They’d kill the calf, and messengers would go to tell the guests to come. The feast happens on the right day (kairos). Likewise, Jesus tells us the time (kairos) for the kingdom is near (Mk 1:15).

Reference? I'd like to know if we have record of banquets being done this way, or if it's a reasonable guess

What is Luke saying to us through the timing (the sequence) of the stories? Is the widow a role model of sacrificial giving, or is Jesus holding her up as an example of how religious folk can exploit the piety of the poor? Should those of us who preach this story actually be afraid of it?

Interesting idea...