Scripture & Culture

When God switched on a rule in Scripture it's important though who's obligated by that rule to take a principle that he is set down that he intends to be normative for questions and simply dismiss it is to do violence to the authority of our Lord and yet to take something that was only meant to be of temporary cost and impose upon all people in every age is to do violence to the people of God in the Bible, we have been given the very words of God. What a privilege. Privilege comes the responsibility to interpret Scripture correctly this week on Renewing Your Mind, Dr. RC Sproul has given us basic guidelines for understanding and interpreting and applying Scripture today who help us tell the difference between commands that were given for all people everywhere, and those given at certain times to certain people in this session of our study of principles of biblical interpretation were going to examine one of the most difficult problem areas that we face as Christians trying to understand the Bible and that's the question of the relationship between the Bible and the culture in which it was written at the very beginning of this class, we mentioned the fact that there is a problem of historical tension between the 20th century, in which we live in the first century and before that in which the Bible was written there is a time gap that separates us from the documents that function as the normative authority in the life of the church and as we seek to interpret the Scripture we really have a twofold problem.

On the one hand, there's the simple problem of being able to understand things that were written in another culture.

2000 years and longer ago and at the same time not only the problem of understanding it, but even more significantly, perhaps, is the problem of applying those things that were written centuries ago to our own time. This is the broad question of what we call the problem of transcultural communication. Every missionary who's ever had to function on a foreign field understands the problems of transcultural communication. I have a friend, for example, who was born and raised in the interior of Africa. His father was a pioneer missionary to tribal groups that were primitive in terms of their cultural background and my friend himself on at least six occasions discovered tribes that heretofore were unknown and he was the first white man that these tribes of natives had ever seen in their corporate history and of course my friend then went back to Africa and became a missionary to some of these tribes and one of his most difficult task was to translate the Bible into their language and it was difficult for him because they didn't have a concept of a God of love all of their gods were evil spirits that were to be feared and to be appeased and so he had a communication problem in translating the gospel into the language of those people we have it not only in the foreign mission enterprise, but we have it within our own nation are spoken on several occasions to children who live in ghettos in the inner-city and you talk to them about the parables from the New Testament which highlights so often, images and stories that are drawn and borrowed from an agricultural society in the first century.

For example, how many times does Jesus talk about sheep and about shepherds try to communicate the meaning of that to a child who is been born and raised in the inner-city and a very closed ghetto community. I was shocked to discover that the vast majority of these children had never in their lives seen a sheep.

They never traveled outside the confines of the inner-city. And so, though they have seen picture books about sheep and never experienced life in an agricultural setting, and as our culture becomes more and more industrialized, we are that much further removed from the pastoral setting and agricultural setting in which the Bible comes to us an example that we run into and in New Testament interpretation that is troubled. Many readers of the Bible is the episode in the life and ministry of Jesus where Jesus curses a fig tree, and if you read the text there in the Gospels were Jesus approaches this fig tree, from a distance, we read that part of what the text says was that Jesus was hungry and he saw a fig tree in bloom and he approached the fig tree to gather things and then the author tells us, but it was not the season for thanks and Jesus goes to the tree. He doesn't find any things and so what does he do, he pronounces a curse upon the fig tree, and the next day as the disciples passed that tree they notice that the tree has withered and died under the curse of Jesus. And some commentators of what the data may say what's going on here. What what kind of a temper tantrum is Jesus displaying here that he would curse a poor innocent tree of bigotry for not bearing fruit when it wasn't even the season for things I do understand that how you interpret that. I know it always puzzled me and it bothered me that Jesus would seem here to be almost arbitrary and capricious in cursing a tray for not bearing things. One wasn't the fixie. Remember when I was in seminary and had an opportunity to ask you one of our professors about that particular problem in our professor did shed light on the question.

He was noted for his work in Palestine in the study of archaeology and he was an expert in the customs of the land of Palestine, and he explained to us that there are several varieties of fig trees that are growing indigenously to Palestine, and of these different varieties of fig Summer hybrids in the life there are late bloomers in early bloomers and so on, and that there is one special variety of fig tree in Palestine that has a most delectable fruit and it is preferred above the other fig trees and one of the characteristics of it is that this particular variety of fig bearing tree brings its fruit at a different time of the year than the rest of the varieties of fig tree, and so there is a thing season, and in that season is when one would normally expect to find bags growing on the trees.

But in addition to the thing season, there is this one variety of bigotry that does bring forth its fruit in a different time. Out of thing season and its fruit is particularly desirable not only because of the sweetness of the taste of it, but because it's so rare and because it produces that fruit when the other trees don't. And so it's like getting strawberries in January. That's a trait even though their commonplace at different times of the summer in the country and so the professor went on to say so. But the real test of whether or not one is going to find things than in Palestine is not whether it's the fake season because it's possible that you can come up on a variety of bigotry that is its fruit policies and he said, but whenever the treason boss that is the sure sign that things will be present.

So Jesus is walking out of the city and he sees this tree in the distance and he sees that it is in blossom and that tells him what that things will be there so he goes out of his way, he goes up eagerly anticipating the presence of things all the external signs of the presence of things are there.

But when Jesus gets there no thing what Jesus does in cursing the tree is to use a technique that was commonplace among Old Testament prophets. The Old Testament prophets didn't just speak with her mom or right with their pens. But whenever communicating prophetic true. They would often use object lesson they would take utensils, a boiling pot and make significance out of everyone make it through the streets to communicate a point they did what we call make use of the object lesson in this what Jesus does here and it was an object lesson about hypocrisy where one has the external outward signs of the fruit of righteousness, but upon careful scrutiny and close examination one fines barrenness and emptiness exegesis exploits the hypocrisy of the fig tree and pronounces his curse upon it, and indicates there by God's response to hypocrisy God's response to those who have the outward trappings of religion. The external signs of godliness, but whose lives bear no fruit. They are arid they are dry. They are like waterless clouds that give promise of refreshment but never deliver the goods that you see there's an example of our reading of the text. Unless we knew something about the fig tree growing season and the varieties of fig trees.

We read that and we would just sit there in puzzlement and consternation is less important for us to study the geography the customs and the background of the biblical lands and the biblical time but that of course the matter of the fig tree is a problem of interpretation. Understanding the meaning of the text.

As I said at the beginning that's only half the problem.

In fact, in certain respects, it's that still lesser half of the problem because so much study has been done so much information is at our fingertips in Bible dictionaries and lexicons and so on that give to us the information we need to interpret the Bible by careful examination of the ancient records in the ancient customs and so the real trick is how do we know what is written in the Bible centuries ago is still to be applied across the ages across the culture do we find anything in the Scripture that is merely an expression of the customs that are local and temporary applied only to the agent times in which they are given or are the principles that we find in Scripture able in every case to be transposed across the centuries and carried and applied to the life of the church today not to move this out of the abstract and into the concrete. Let me refer to one example.

Today, the 20th century.

In fact in the last 10 years. What Christian community what Christian church has not experienced great pain great conflict and seemingly endless turmoil over one burning question and that question is what is the role of women in the home and in the church.

Yes, there have been some who argue that the Bible nowhere restricts the function of women in the church and the really doesn't teach that the wife is called to be subordinate to the husband in the marriage relationship. There are some who argue that but those are few and far between, and I think we can say that there aren't interpretations of Scripture are acts of pure despair. Liberals and conservatives agree for the most part that the Bible does teach the subordination of the wife to the husband in the home and the liberals and the conservatives do agree that the apostle Paul. For example, didn't set down certain restrictions about the functions of women in the church. The question is, however, do those restrictions and do those positions that are ascribed to women apply to today and you know how much controversy has been engendered by that debate. Churches have been splint people have been hurt a lot of people have become very angry about the whole question. I think it would be gross oversimplification indeed simplistic in the extreme to assume that those who have resisted the ordination of women. For example, in certain denominations do so merely of a sinful disposition of chauvinistic prejudice. There are those who look around and they say we see women and according to us. They have all the gifts all of the ability all of the skill necessary to hold any office in the church. That's what it seems like. In fact, all at the say frankly if I look around and see. I watch women perform and see the gifts and talents, and particularly the contribution that women are making to the church in the 20th century. The only conclusion I could ever come to by examining it that way would be that women are eminently qualified to be in any role you want to put them in in the church, but then we go to the New Testament, and we do find call making certain restrictions about women that they are not to have a some kind of authority in the church and so we scratch our head. Some look at that and become a raise in the same, less the apostle Paul's prejudice. That's is chauvinism showing, and so on.

And they say so we can disregard that but then there are others who have a higher view of Scripture, who say that Paul isn't doing this simply out of personal prejudice, but that he is an agent of Revelation that this is the Bible that this is the word of God and we can't just dismiss it because we don't like the personality of the apostle Paul see a person has a view of Scripture like that really has a sticky prop.

I has to choose once as of yet. If the Bible is in fact saying that women have certain restrictions upon them. On the one hand of the status of the apostle Paul is going to alienate the women on the other hand, of these things with the women is in danger of violating certain principles of Scripture and that becomes an acute question of conscience for which many have suffered in our own day again. My purpose here is not to open up that very controversial question about women in the church, and so on. That didn't have to work out in your own churches in your own communities and so on part of the problem is complicated by the fact that every denomination has different concepts of what church authority is a different concept of what church offices are in different concepts of what ordination means. And so in some communities, there's no problem with the ordination of women in other communities. There are major problems connected with it and try to resolve those problems here. I'm only pointing this out as an example of the problem of application of biblical mandates to the present day. That's the purpose of this illustration so she will be aware that the problem at times is severe.

Now if we can sharpen the question and sharpen the problem. We can boil it down I think to this. The issue focuses on one critical matter and that is are there parts of the Bible that merely express local customs and are there also parts of the Bible that communicate enduring principal. That's the question. The question of principle and custom principle and custom. Well let me give some definitions. What we mean by a principle of biblical principle is a teaching or an admonition or a precept that is transcultural, that is, it applies to all people in all places in all ages. For example, we have a biblical principle that we ought not to be engaged in idolatry the worship of idols not go in one culture that idols are made out of wood and another culture made him start another Cozumel summer go relevant kinds of items in the idols will change from culture to culture. The principal remains intact to all men everywhere at all times God supports the worship of idols. That's were talking about when we refer to a principle that which transcend geographic and temporal differences that goes across cultural boundaries.

Then there's also what we call custom local customs that reflect principles necessary for a certain people at a certain time in a certain locality well.

Some will argue that everything in the Bible is a matter of custom the dark any absolutes. There aren't any transcultural principles that everything that we find in Scripture is nothing more nothing less than the expression of the attitudes and the values and the ideas of first century or earlier primitive Christian people let that reflexive course in particular view of the Bible that viewed assumes that the Bible is merely the opinions of people who lived a long time ago.

It doesn't carry the weight of a divinely inspired book that gives us transcendent Revelation from the mind of God. On the other hand there are those who believe that the Bible is the word of God designed that it is a transcendent book that comes ultimately from the mind of God that is Revelation and that goes beyond the mere opinions and insights of primitive people but the comes to us from the mind of God himself know those who hold that position.

Some of them take the pack that because this all comes from the mind of God. There is no room for customs in the Bible that everything that is in the Scripture is to be applied everywhere all the time to all people and so there's no room at all for the distinction between principal and custom that creates real serious problems because I think we can find with in the Bible a certain indication that the Bible itself recognizes the difference between principles and customs all right if we grant that there are portions of Scripture that are principle portions of Scripture that do apply to every age and every cultural situation, but at the same time try to be responsible and say, but we also grant that there are passages in the Scriptures that are of local significance only that are customary rather than Prince Scipio which I personally think is the only responsible thing we can do with coming Scripture I think is simplistic to say it's all principal or to say it's all custom that we would in in in either direction, we have to face the fact that there are portions of Scripture that transpose over culture and there are those that don't have any particular bearing on our culture today.

But once we make that statement. The part of Scripture is principal part of Scripture is custom were left with a really sticky problem or problems. This how do we know what is principal and how do we know what is cost. It would be a very serious offense against God to take a principle that he is sent down that he intends to be normative for Christians of all ages and all places and simply dismiss it as a local custom have no bearing upon us today to treat a principle of God as something of only having temporary significance is to do violence to the authority of our Lord. And yet at the same time to take something that was only meant to be of temporary cost and imposes upon all people in every age is to do violence to the people of God is not easy to solve. So what I want to do in our next time together is to look at these problems and see if we can discern any principles that we may be able to you that will give us guidelines is oh so that we may be able to determine and do it.

Responsible what is principal and what is cost. For we know both exist. Luke tells us, for example, in chapter 10. As Jesus sends out the 70 on the mission, he says carry no purse carry no bag, no shoes, etc. on this mission.

How would you apply that to the 20th century. Does that mean that the only kind of evangelism that's valid in the sight of God is that which is done in bare feet. Does that principal mean that Billy Graham is negligent and derelict, and disobedient when he takes the suitcase with them when he goes on a mission or was there a specific reason for that specific time. The specific place why Jesus put those restrictions upon his disciples. What about foot washing his foot washing something that is only meaningful in a culture where people walk around in bare feet in open sandals with her feet are constantly being covered with dust and it's a matter custom and practice to wash the feet assumes your commando house or did Jesus establish the process of foot washing as a perpetual practice of the church. Those are the kinds of things that we wrestle with.

When we touch on the Bible and culture. Those are the things that are going to try to sort out guidelines give you in our next session. Glad you joined us today for Dr. RC Sproul series knowing Scripture in 12 messages.

She provides the basic guidelines for understanding and interpreting and applying Scripture correctly we W some time-tested principles to help us find the true meaning of the Bible's contents and we like to send you this for DVD set for your donation of any amount to litigator ministries make a request to give your gift@renewingyourmind.org or you can call us at 800-435-4343. Our goal for the ongoing work here with regular ministries is to proclaim the holiness of God to as many people as possible and your gifts help make that possible. So we are grateful we do hope to hear from you. Our phone number again is 800-435-4343 holy hope you join us again tomorrow as we wrap up Dr. scroll series knowing Scripture you don't know whether a particular passage is custom or principal if you treat a passage with God intended to be binding on you forever as a mere local custom dismiss you are guilty of disobeying God and doing violence to his holy law. So it's important that we learn how to discern between biblical principal and a local custom. Please join us Friday for Renewing Your Mind