Historical and Cultural Context of the Bible

Exodus 12:26-27: This passage, part of the instruction for the Passover celebration, anticipates future generations asking about the meaning of this ritual. It underscores the importance of remembering and explaining the historical context of Israel's deliverance from Egypt.
Deuteronomy 6:20-25: Similar to Exodus 12, this passage discusses the importance of explaining the historical and cultural significance of Israel’s laws and customs to one's children, highlighting the need to understand the reasons behind the commands.
Nehemiah 8:8: This verse describes the Levites reading from the Book of the Law of Moses and making it clear to the understanding of the people. This act of explaining suggests the importance of interpreting the Scriptures in a way that considers the people's current context.
Ezra 4:11-16: This passage is part of a letter to King Artaxerxes, providing insight into the political and cultural tensions surrounding the rebuilding of Jerusalem. It shows how historical and cultural contexts affect the interpretation and application of God’s commands.

Luke 24:27: After His resurrection, Jesus explains to two of His followers how all the Scriptures (what Christians now refer to as the Old Testament) spoke about Him. This implies the importance of understanding the historical and prophetic context that points to Jesus.
Acts 17:10-11: The Bereans are commended for examining the Scriptures daily to see if what Paul said was true, indicating the importance of contextual and scriptural verification in understanding teachings.
Galatians 4:21-31: Paul uses the story of Sarah and Hagar from Genesis to allegorically explain the difference between living under the law and being free in Christ, showing the necessity of understanding the historical context of Abraham’s family to grasp the theological point being made.
1 Corinthians 9:19-23: Paul talks about becoming "all things to all people" so that by all possible means he might save some. This reflects an awareness of cultural context in the way the gospel is presented and practiced.
Revelation 1:1-3: The introduction to Revelation places the entire book in the context of a vision given to John for the seven churches in Asia, emphasizing the importance of understanding the historical and cultural situation of early Christianity and its apocalyptic expectations.