Making Cultural Relevance a Key Component of Biblical Teaching
Biblical teaching often emphasizes the importance of cultural relevance, particularly in how faith is transmitted across generations and applied within specific contexts. This involves understanding the cultural nuances of the biblical text itself and adapting its message for contemporary audiences.
One aspect of cultural relevance is the recognition of how deeply embedded cultural values are within biblical narratives. For instance, the concept of honor and shame, prevalent in Middle Eastern culture, is crucial for understanding passages like Mary's Magnificat, where her legacy to future generations is highly cherished [1]. Similarly, the Apostle Paul's discussion of spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 13 highlights that while gifts like speaking in tongues were highly prized by the Corinthians, love was presented as the more essential and defining characteristic of Christian life, transcending specific cultural expressions of spirituality [3]. Paul also challenged the Corinthians, who had a reputation for spiritual gifts, to excel in the "gracious act of giving," connecting it to true spirituality and unity in Christ [7].
The transmission of biblical knowledge across generations is another key component of cultural relevance. Commentators like John Calvin emphasized the duty of parents to diligently communicate what they have learned from the Lord to their children, ensuring that divine truth is propagated and not retained for private use [4]. Adam Clarke similarly stressed the necessity of early religious education, viewing it as a parental responsibility with significant spiritual implications [6]. This intergenerational transfer of faith requires an understanding of how to make ancient truths resonate with new cultural contexts.
Furthermore, biblical authors themselves demonstrated a concern for moving beyond foundational teachings to deeper understanding, suggesting a progression in spiritual maturity that can be culturally adapted. The author of Hebrews urged his audience to advance beyond basic Jewish instruction to a fuller comprehension of Christ, indicating that spiritual growth is an ongoing process initiated by God [2]. This implies that biblical teaching should not remain static but should evolve to address the specific needs and understanding of its hearers, encouraging them to apply their faith in ways that are both biblically faithful and culturally meaningful. Matthew Henry, in his commentary on Hebrews, notes that Christ's design is to purchase a "peculiar people, zealous of good works," calling believers to excel in duties like brotherly love, which extends beyond general affection to a special spiritual bond among Christians [5].
Sources
- Luke (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Luke 1:48: 1:48 all generations will call me blessed: In Middle Eastern culture, honor and shame were extremely important, and one’s legacy to future generations was highly cherished.”
- Hebrews (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Hebrews 6:1: 6:1-3 In light of the hearers’ immaturity (5:11-14), the author urges them to move beyond basic teachings. The six basic teachings here were all foundational elements of Jewish instruction. The author might be challenging them to move beyond these basic teachings to further understanding about the person of Christ, which he elaborates in 7:1–10:25. 6:1 Let us go on: Or Let us be carried on, suggesting that God initiates growth to maturity (Phil 2:12-13) and that it is an ongoing process. • Repenting and faith are the basic commitments that initiate a person to the”
- 1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 13:1: 13:1-13 Paul interrupts his discussion of spiritual gifts (resumed in ch 14) to emphasize that love is more important than any spiritual gift (cp. 8:1-3). The most important thing for Christians is to become deeply and consistently loving people. 13:1-3 Spiritual gifts in themselves do not define our worth to God or to the church. In fact, apart from the expression of love, spiritual gifts are of no value. 13:1 all the languages of earth (literally the tongues of men) and of angels: Tongues was the spiritual gift most highly prized by the Corinthians (see a”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 1 (Gen 1-23), section 22.18: to posterity and that they may deliver the knowledge received through us, from hand to hand, (as we say,) to their descendants. Wherefore, it is the duty of parents to apply themselves diligently to the work of communicating what they have learned from the Lord to their children. In this manner the truth of God is to be propagated by us, so that no one may retain his knowledge for his own private use; but that each may edify others, according to his own calling, and to the measure of his faith. There is however no doubt, that the”
- Hebrews (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Hebrews 13:1: The design of Christ in giving himself for us is that he may purchase to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Now the apostle calls the believing Hebrews to the performance of many excellent duties, in which it becomes Christians to excel. I. To brotherly love (Heb 13:1), by which he does not only mean a general affection to all men, as our brethren by nature, all made of the same blood, nor that more limited affection which is due to those who are of the same immediate parents, but that special and spiritual affection which ought to exist among the ”
- Joshua (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Joshua 4:22: Then ye shall let your children know - The necessity of an early religious education is inculcated through the whole oracles of God. The parents who neglect it have an awful account to give to the Judge of quick and dead.”
- 2 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 2 Corinthians 8:7: 8:7 This is the key verse in Paul’s exposition on Christian giving (8:1–9:15). The Corinthians had a reputation for spiritual gifts (1 Cor 1:5-7; 14:12). Now, they must be leaders in this gracious act of giving, which is a hallmark of true spirituality (cp. 1 Cor 13:1-13). God had been lavish in his goodness to the Corinthians, so they should be generous to the Jewish believers in their need (2 Cor 9:13). This would be recognized as a sign of unity in Christ.”