Separating Binding Commands from Cultural Norms in Scripture
Distinguishing Binding Commands from Cultural Norms
The task of separating binding commands from cultural norms in Scripture is a complex one, requiring careful consideration of biblical text, historical context, and theological interpretation. The distinction is crucial because it helps Christians understand which biblical directives remain applicable in their lives.
The Ten Commandments, as recorded in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5, serve as a foundational example of binding commands. These commands are considered fundamental to the covenant between God and Israel, and their significance is underscored by their repetition and the circumstances of their giving [1]. The commands are not merely cultural or temporal but are rooted in the character of God and are thus seen as universally applicable.
In the New Testament, Jesus and the apostles frequently referenced the law, but the manner in which they did so indicates a distinction between moral commands and cultural or ceremonial practices. For instance, Jesus' response to the rich young ruler in Matthew 19:18-19 highlights the importance of the moral law, quoting several of the Ten Commandments. John Gill's commentary on this passage notes that Jesus was asked to specify which commandments were relevant, indicating a recognition of different categories within the law [4].
The apostle Paul's writings further clarify the distinction between binding commands and cultural norms. In 1 Corinthians 7, Paul differentiates between commands from the Lord and his own judgment. For example, he gives a direct command regarding divorce (1 Corinthians 7:10-11), citing the Lord's authority, while in other matters, he offers his own judgment, indicating that not all directives are equally binding [3].
The early Christian community faced challenges in distinguishing between Jewish traditions and universally applicable Christian teachings. The New Testament writers addressed this by emphasizing the fulfillment of the law in Christ and the importance of moral principles over ceremonial practices. For example, the letter to the Hebrews discusses the supersession of the ceremonial law by the new covenant in Christ, indicating that some aspects of the law were not universally binding [7].
Abraham Ibn Ezra, a Jewish commentator, categorizes the commandments into rational laws, which are universally applicable, and others, like the Sabbath, which are specific to the covenant between God and Israel. This distinction is useful in understanding how different commands might be viewed [5].
In Romans 13:1-7, Paul instructs believers to submit to governing authorities, a command that is contextually specific yet rooted in a broader principle of respecting authority. The Tyndale House commentary notes that this submission is not unconditional but is guided by the ultimate submission to God, indicating that cultural context influences the application of biblical commands [6].
The challenge of distinguishing between cultural norms and binding commands requires a nuanced understanding of Scripture, its historical context, and its theological themes. By examining how Jesus and the apostles interpreted and applied the law, Christians can better discern which biblical directives remain binding.
The historical and theological context provided by various commentators and theologians across different traditions offers insights into this complex issue. For instance, the Baptist/Reformed tradition, as represented by John Gill, emphasizes the distinction between moral and ceremonial aspects of the law, while Protestant academic sources like the Tyndale House commentary provide detailed exegesis that informs this distinction [2, 6].
Sources
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Ten Commandments — The popular name in this, as in so many instances, is not that of Scripture. There we have the "TEN WORDS," (Exodus 34:28; 4:13; 10:4) the "[1215]Covenant," Ex., Deut. 11. cc.; (1 Kings 8:21; 2 Chronicles 6:11) etc., or, very often as the solemn attestation of the divine will, the "TESTIMONY." (Exodus 25:16,21; 31:18) etc. The circumstances in which the Ten great Words were first given to the people surrounded them with an awe which attached to no other precept. In the midst of the cloud and the darkness and the flashing lightning and the fiery smok”
- Mark (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Mark 7:8: For laying aside the commandment of God,.... Meaning not any particular commandment, but all the commandments of God, the whole written law; to which they preferred the oral law, or the traditions of the elders, and the decisions of their doctors. So the Syriac, Arabic, Persic, and Ethiopic versions read, "the commandments of God". Ye hold the tradition of men: very significantly are the elders, whom the, Jews revered, and whose traditions and constitutions they extolled above the Scriptures, called "men", in distinction from "God", whose commands they neglected; which”
- 1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 7:25: no commandment of the Lord: yet . . . my judgment--I have no express revelation from the Lord commanding it, but I give my judgment (opinion); namely, under the ordinary inspiration which accompanied the apostles in all their canonical writings (compare Co1 7:40; Co1 14:37; Th1 4:15). The Lord inspires me in this case to give you only a recommendation, which you are free to adopt or reject--not a positive command. In the second case (Co1 7:10-11) it was a positive command; for the Lord had already made known His will (Mal 2:14-15; Mat 5:31-32). ”
- Matthew (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Matthew 19:18: He saith unto him, which?.... Whether those commandments of a moral, or of a ceremonial kind; whether the commands of the written, or of the oral law; of God, or of the elders, or both; or whether he did not mean some new commandments of his own, which he delivered as a teacher sent from God: Jesus said; according to the other evangelists, "thou knowest the commandments"; not the true nature, spirituality, and use of them, but the letter and number of them; being trained up from a child by his parents, in the reading them, committing them to memory, and the outwar”
- Sefaria (Jewish (Rationalist)) “Abraham Ibn Ezra on Exodus 20:2: THE FIRST STATEMENT: I AM THE LORD. Note that all of the commandments fall into one of the following two categories. One category consists of rational laws which God implanted into the minds of all intelligent human beings. There are many such commandments. The only one of the Ten Statements which does not fall into this category is the command to observe the Sabbath. Hence every intelligent human being of every nation and of every tongue assents to them, for they are implanted in the human mind by reason. There is nothing to add to them or to subtract from the”
- Romans (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Romans 13:1: 13:1-2 The basic command of 13:1-7 is to submit to governing authorities. In God’s ordering of the world, we answer to those in positions of authority. Our submission to them will usually take the form of obedience. However, because God stands over all governments, our submission to governing authorities must always be in terms of our ultimate submission to God (see Acts 4:19-20). The Roman Christians might have been resisting government (see study note on Rom 13:6) based on a false understanding of the Good News, as if no longer copying “the behavior and customs ”
- Hebrews (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Hebrews 7:17: For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment,.... Not the moral law; though what is here said of the commandment may be applied to that; that is sometimes called the commandment, Rom 7:12 it went before the promise of the Messiah, and the Gospel of Christ, and the dispensation of it; it is in some respects weak; it cannot justify from the guilt of sin, nor free from the power of it, nor secure from death, the punishment of it, nor give eternal life; though it has a power to command, accuse, convince, and condemn: and it is also unprofitable in the business o”