Biblical IV

IV. Know the Historical Setting

We can’t live biblically if we are not aware of the historical gap between our world and the worlds of the Old and the New Testaments. Thus, a historical-bridge proposal would be an important technical proposal because it can bridge this historical gap. First, the books of the Scriptures were not written in a vacuum. God spoke in specific historical settings and used the language of the day to connect with real historical humans like you and me. Therefore, understanding the terminology of the time and the historical background are both essential to understanding the message of the Scriptures and, consequently, being able to distinguish between what is essentially biblical and what was constrained by social/historical setting.

 A couple of examples may clarify this previous point. Try to read a newspaper or a novel from last century, and you will probably struggle with the proper meaning of some words and phrases. Not only were some words/ phrases used differently but also the historical and social contexts of the time employed their own terms. To be more specific, imagine yourself reading a political column in a newspaper from the 1960s; you may encounter terms such as “iron curtain” or “The Cold War.” The proper meanings of these terms were familiar to contemporary readers of this period due to the historical setting in the 20th century. This is not so for you, though; you might need some googling or background knowledge to familiarize yourself with these terms and to be able to relate to the spirit of the time.

Another example from the Scriptures is the many feasts in the life of ancient Israel. These feasts were significant in a unique way in the life of Israel. Their importance exceeded the purpose of reminding Israel of her God. These feasts were associated with the seasons of the harvest and were part and parcel of the life of the people in the Land [ almost all these feasts, except the Passover, were associated with the harvest]. In other words, God intended to have a relationship with His people that is fundamentally related to their everyday life in the Land. Although this concept of feasts differs from our current setting (assuming a contemporary Christian setting), a common truth unites us with this setting. It is this close relationship with our Lord. God didn’t change, and He still seeks those who seek an intimate relationship with Him. Finally, many solid background resources (Introductory works, Commentaries, and Study Bibles) can bridge this historical gap for contemporary readers. Thus, there is no language barrier or any other legitimate excuse for not bridging the historical gap between our world and the worlds of the Scriptures for a better understanding of what is essentially biblical.