When we come to the New Testament Epistles we must first grasp the difference in thinking. Between who? Between Jews and Hellenists (Greeks). Naturally by being westerners, who live in a society which descends primarily from Europe, the Greek thought has married itself to ours. I'd like to give a chart with a few differences which truly impact the original authors, and our interpretation of New Testament Epistles.
Here's a few Books I'd Recommend (and where I learned most of the below):
- Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes: Removing Cultural Blinders to Better Understand the Bible - E. Randolph Richards and Brandon J. O'Brien
- Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels - by Kenneth E. Bailey
Hellenistic Approach
|
Hebraic Approach
|
Life analyzed in precise categories.
|
Everything blurs. "Holistic thinking"
|
A split between natural & supernatural
|
Supernatural affects everything.
|
Linear logic
|
Contextual / Circular
|
"Rugged Individualism"
|
Importance of being part of group
|
Equality of individual
|
Value in Clan / origin of person
|
Desire to be Free
|
Desire to be Safe
|
Competition is good
|
Competition is better
|
Man-centered universe
|
God/tribe/family-centered universe
|
Worth of person based on money/material possessions/power
|
Worth derived from relationships
|
Biological life sacred
|
Social life supremely important
|
Chance causes
|
God causes
|
All is Material
|
All is Spiritual / spiritually empowered
|
Linear time divided into neat segments. Each event is new.
|
Cyclical or spiraling time. Similar events constantly reoccur.
|
History is recording facts chronologically.
|
History is recording truths
|
Oriented to the future
|
Oriented to lessons of history
|
Change is good = progress
|
Change is bad = destruction of traditions
|
Material goods = personal achievement
|
Material goods = measure of God’s blessing
|
Blind faith
|
Knowledge-based faith
|
