• Play:
  
  Session 5 Video

• We must understand and honor the way God chose to communicate.

• The Bible was God’s word to them before it became God’s word to us.

• And to do this, we’ve got to close the gap between them and us.

• How can you do this?

  • Increase your general knowledge of the biblical world(s).

    • The Greco-Roman World by James Jeffers

    • Day of Atonement: A Novel by David deSilva

    • A Guide to the New Testament World by Albert Bell

    • Backgrounds of Early Christianity by Everett Ferguson

    • A Week in the Life of Corinth by Ben Witherington

    • In the Steps of Jesus and/or In the Steps of Paulby Peter Walker

    • Watch documentaries or miniseries on ancient Israel, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, or the Roman Empire.

  • Identify and research persons, places, events, customs, etc.

    • Inside the Bible itself

    • Bible Dictionaries & Handbooks

    • The IVP Bible Background Commentary series

    • Study Bible Notes

  • What to look for:

    • People (author, readers, relationship)

    • Places

    • Events

    • Cultural habits and assumptions