At Christmas time I got four books on my cultural and biblical background study wish-list and super excited about them. Some of you may know I have been studying biblical cultural backgrounds for a more in-depth look at the ancient world for a while now. As modern-day people we tend to look at biblical scripture, ancient society’s ideas and norms and beliefs with modern day eyes. It helps to have a better look at how things were for a clearer and richer understanding of the Bible and the early Christian’s lives. It is most likely that if you are a seminary student getting a BA in Religious Studies, you may be reading some if not all these books. If not, I highly recommend you read them.  

I’m currently reading the first book mention below and it is wonderful. There is so many facts I already know about the Greco-Roman period in the 1^st and second 2^nd period but they are being expanded on in this book. After I read and study all of these books, I will be ordering four more from my wish-list. Most likely it will be next year. However, I’m thinking about creating a master wish-list of books for these types of studies and post them. That may be a useful resource for those of you who are interested.

Side note: The Behind the Scenes of the Old Testament: Cultural, Social, and Historical Contexts book is heavy like a text book. Aren’t the covers lovely!

Stephanie

The Greco-Roman World of the New Testament Era: Exploring the Background of Early Christianity by James S. Jeffers

What was life like for first-century Christians? Imagine a modest-sized Roman home of a well-to-do Christian household wedged into a thickly settled quarter of Corinth. In the lingering light of a summer evening, men, women and children, merchants, working poor and slaves, a mix of races and backgrounds have assembled in the dimly lit main room are spilling into the central courtyard. This odd assortment of gathered believers–some thirty in number–are attentive as the newly arrived and travel-weary emissary from Paul reads from the papyrus scroll he has brought from their apostolic mentor. But if you were to be transported to this scene you would perhaps be overwhelmed by a flood of unexpected difference. The voice of the reader recedes as through open windows the din and clamor of the city assaults your ears. Hooves clunk and cart wheels grind and echo from the street while drivers shout, vendors call and neighbors gather and converse. And later, as you accompany a family through darkened and dangerous streets to their third-story tenement apartment, you might try to mask your shock at the cramped and unsafe conditions. In the Greco-Roman World of the New Testament Era James Jeffers provides an informative and scenic tour of daily life during the time of Jesus and the apostles. He affords “you-are-there” glimpses of everything from legal codes to dinner foods, from social hierarchy to apartment living, from education to family dynamics. His eye-opening book will advance your understanding of the New Testament and early Christianity and enrich your reading and application of the Bible.

Reading Romans with Eastern Eyes: Honor and Shame in Paul’s Message and Mission by Jackson Wu

Combining research from Asian scholars with his many years of experience living and working in East Asia, Jackson directs our attention to Paul’s letter to the Romans. He argues that some traditional East Asian cultural values are closer to those of the first-century biblical world than common Western cultural values. In addition, he adds his voice to the scholarship engaging the values of honor and shame in particular and their influence on biblical interpretation.

As readers, we bring our own cultural fluencies and values to the text. Our biases and backgrounds influence what we observe—and what we overlook. This book helps us consider ways we sometimes miss valuable insights because of widespread cultural blind spots.

In Reading Romans with Eastern Eyes, Jackson demonstrates how paying attention to East Asian culture provides a helpful lens for interpreting Paul’s most complex letter. When read this way, we see how honor and shame shape so much of Paul’s message and mission.

God’s Kingdom through God’s Covenants: A Concise Biblical Theology by Peter J. Gentry, Stephen J. Wellum

In this abridgement of the groundbreaking book Kingdom through Covenant, a biblical scholar and a theologian offer readers an accessible overview of the overarching structure of the Bible. Tracing the significance of the concept of “covenant” through both the Old and New Testaments, this book charts a middle way between covenant theology and dispensationalism―exploring the covenantal framework undergirding the history of redemption.

Behind the Scenes of the Old Testament: Cultural, Social, and Historical Contexts by Jonathan S. Greer (Editor), John W. Hilber (Editor), John H. Walton (Editor)

This authoritative volume brings together a team of world-class scholars to cover the full range of Old Testament backgrounds studies in a concise, up-to-date, and comprehensive manner. With expertise in various subdisciplines of Old Testament backgrounds, the authors illuminate the cultural, social, and historical contexts of the world behind the Old Testament. They introduce readers to a wide range of background materials, covering history, geography, archaeology, and ancient Near Eastern textual and iconographic studies.

Meant to be used alongside traditional literature-based canonical surveys, this one-stop introduction to Old Testament backgrounds fills a gap in typical introduction to the Bible courses. It contains over 100 illustrations, including photographs, line drawings, maps, charts, and tables, which will facilitate its use in the classroom.