Avoiding Culturally Specific Examples in Biblical Teaching
Biblical teaching often warns against the dangers of being swayed by "divers and strange doctrines" or "philosophy and empty deception" that are rooted in human tradition rather than in Christ [2, 5]. This caution extends to avoiding culturally specific examples that might obscure or distort the core message of the gospel. The apostle Paul, for instance, admonishes against "stories and endless genealogies" that lead to "arguings, rather than that stewardship of God which is with faith" [3]. Similarly, Titus is instructed to "shun foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain" [4].
The concern is that such culturally specific or peripheral discussions can distract from the fundamental truths of Christian faith. The author of Hebrews urges believers to move beyond "elementary teaching about the Christ" and "press on to maturity," rather than continually laying a foundation of "repentance from dead works and of faith toward God" [1]. This implies a focus on essential doctrines over secondary issues. John Gill, commenting on Hebrews 13:9, notes that "divers" doctrines can refer to various rites and ceremonies of the law, traditions of elders, or doctrines of men, contrasting them with the singular, uniform doctrine of Scripture [5]. The Tyndale House commentary on the same verse suggests that "strange, new ideas" often involved rules about food in some branches of Judaism, which could tempt believers away from the Christian community by focusing on ritual meals rather than Christ [8]. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown further elaborate that "divers" doctrines are those "differing from the one faith in the one and the same Jesus Christ," and "strange" doctrines are "foreign to the truth," often involving ascetic Judaic practices concerning meats [9].
The New Testament frequently addresses the tension between universal Christian truth and particular cultural practices. In 1 Corinthians, Paul confronts the issue of believers identifying themselves with specific teachers, a practice common in Greek culture, but one he deems "not in keeping with the mind of Christ" [6]. This highlights how cultural norms, even seemingly innocuous ones, can become problematic if they overshadow the unity and focus on Christ. The Bible itself, while rooted in specific historical and cultural contexts, often critiques practices that are culturally specific but deviate from divine principles. For example, the Old Testament prohibition against mixing diverse kinds, as seen in Leviticus 19:19, is interpreted by Abraham Ibn Ezra as a warning to preserve each species as God created it, reflecting a broader principle of not altering God's work [7]. While this is a specific Mosaic law, the underlying principle of respecting divine order can be seen as a caution against human-made distinctions that contradict God's design.
The danger of culturally specific examples is that they can become "human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ" [2]. This can lead to "arguings" rather than genuine spiritual growth [3]. The focus should remain on the core tenets of faith, which are universally applicable, rather than on practices or examples that are limited to a particular time or place. Matthew Henry, in his commentary on Titus 3:9, distinguishes between "needful questions to be discussed and cleared" that lead to "improvement in useful knowledge" and "idle and foolish enquiries, tending neither to God's glory nor the edification" [4]. This distinction is crucial for teachers seeking to avoid culturally specific examples that do not contribute to spiritual maturity.
Furthermore, the New Testament emphasizes a shift from external, ritualistic observances to an internal, spiritual understanding. The Old Covenant, with its detailed laws and ceremonies, was a "shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities" (Hebrews 10:1). Therefore, dwelling on culturally specific examples from the Old Covenant, or creating new ones, can hinder a full apprehension of the New Covenant in Christ. John Gill, commenting on Hebrews 8:11, explains that the prophecy "they shall not teach every man his neighbour... saying, know the Lord" does not negate the public ministry of the word or private instruction, but rather points to a time when the knowledge of God would be so widespread and internal that the previous emphasis on external teaching would be superseded by an inward understanding [10]. This suggests a move away from reliance on external, potentially culturally bound, forms of instruction towards a more direct and spiritual apprehension of truth.
The consistent message across these biblical texts and commentaries is to prioritize the foundational truths of the gospel and Christ-centered teaching over peripheral discussions, human traditions, or culturally specific examples that do not contribute to spiritual maturity or the glory of God. The goal is to establish believers "with grace" rather than with "meats" or other external observances [9].
Sources
- Hebrews “Hebrews 6:1 (NASB) — Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,”
- Colossians “Colossians 2:8 (BSB) — See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ.”
- I Timothy “I Timothy 1:4 (Rotherham) — Not to be teaching otherwise, nor yet to be giving heed to stories and endless genealogies,—the which, bring, arguings, rather than that stewardship of God which is with faith;—”
- Titus (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Titus 3:9: Here is the fifth and last thing in the matter of the epistle: what Titus should avoid in teaching; how he should deal with a heretic; with some other directions. Observe, I. That the apostle's meaning might be more clear and full, and especially fitted to the time and state of things in Crete, and the many judaizers among them, he tells Titus what, in teaching, he should shun, Tit 3:9. There are needful questions to be discussed and cleared, such as make for improvement in useful knowledge; but idle and foolish enquiries, tending neither to God's glory nor the edif”
- Hebrews (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Hebrews 13:9: Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines,.... The word "divers" may denote the variety and multitude of other doctrines; referring either to the various rites and ceremonies of the law, or to the traditions of the elders, or to the several doctrines of men, whether Jews or Gentiles; whereas the doctrine of the Scriptures, of Christ, and his apostles, is but one; it is uniform, and all of a piece; and so may likewise denote the disagreement of other doctrines with the perfections of God, the person and offices of Christ, the Scriptures of truth, the anal”
- 1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 3:4: 3:4 Proudly identifying oneself with a preferred teacher (see 1:12) was common in Greek culture, but it is not in keeping with the mind of Christ (3:5-9; cp. Matt 23:8-10).”
- Sefaria (Jewish (Rationalist)) “Abraham Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 19:19: [THOU SHALT NOT LET THY CATTLE GENDER WITH A DIVERSE KIND.] The reason Scripture states Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind is to warn us. Since you are holy, in that you do not act violently towards your fellow human being, you must also not do anything to an animal which entails changing God’s work. Scripture therefore reads, Ye shall keep My statutes ; that is, each species is to be preserved. A kind is not to interbreed with another kind.”
- Hebrews (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Hebrews 13:9: 13:9-10 Since Jesus does not change (13:8), it is unwise for a believer to be attracted by strange, new ideas. The false teachings in view seemed to involve rules about food. In some branches of Judaism, certain ritual meals were understood as providing God’s grace to those participating. Some in the community might have been tempted to abandon the Christian community by participating in Jewish fellowship meals. These Jewish meals at times encouraged participants to focus on the Jerusalem altar. The author reminds his hearers that we have an altar of which those ”
- Hebrews (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Hebrews 13:9: about--rather, as oldest manuscripts read, "carried aside"; namely, compare Eph 4:14. divers--differing from the one faith in the one and the same Jesus Christ, as taught by them who had the rule over you (Heb 13:7). strange--foreign to the truth. doctrines--"teachings." established with grace; not with meats--not with observances of Jewish distinctions between clean and unclean meats, to which ascetic Judaizers added in Christian times the rejection of some meats, and the use of others: noticed also by Paul in Co1 8:8, Co1 8:13; Co1 6:13; Rom”
- Hebrews (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Hebrews 8:11: And they shall not teach every man his neighbour,.... The Alexandrian copy reads, "citizen"; that is, fellow citizen; and so the Syriac and Arabic versions: "and every man his brother, saying, know the Lord": this is not to be understood, so as to set aside the external and public ministry of the word, which is a standing ordinance of God under the Gospel dispensation; or even the, private instructions of saints one to another, in Christian conversation, whereby they may build up one another in their most holy faith; but the sense is, that men should not only teach, ”