The Bible: Transcultural Truth

The Bible, as God’s word, is not confined to a single time or culture. It claims to be the very word of God to us (e.g., 2 Timothy 3:16). Consequently, it can be challenging to read, understand, listen to, and apply in various ways. The Bible being outside of us makes it best suited to speak to us. Even if, for that very reason, it’s difficult for us to receive. 

The Bible is, as Christopher Watkin has said, “a book that does not share our contemporary assumptions or blind spots and that was not written for our particular culture. More than that, it is a library of old books, illuminating our blind spots and assaulting our prejudices from a kaleidoscopic range of angles simultaneously.”[1]

So, the very thing that some people balk at in the Bible is one of the very things that shows its worth. We often need a critic of our culture even if we don’t think we do, probably especially if we don’t think we need it. The Bible being outside our culture is best able to speak to our culture. “The Bible will affirm some aspects of all cultures and challenge some aspects of all cultures, and it can find a home in all cultures as it transforms each of them from within.”[2]

If you think the Bible is out of date or not in line with your sensibilities, that might be just what you need. Your date and sensibilities are not the arbiter of truth. You need a measurement other than yourself. You need a compass outside your culture. 

The Bible is much more than a map, but a map helps us not because it tells us what we want to hear, but because it aligns with reality. In fact, a map helps us in proportion to how much it matches reality. We need something outside of us to orient us, even if we don’t like it or naturally agree with it. Perhaps especially if we don’t agree with it; that’s when a map or GPS is most helpful, when we’d be most lost without it. 

A treasure map like I used to make as a kid, with a squiggly line and an “X” marking the spot, doesn’t do anything to orient us. It’s fully autonomous.[4] Sometimes, however, we don’t like accurate maps. For instance, I don’t always like where the GPS says I am located in reference to my destination, especially if I’m late for an appointment. It’s true. It’s useful. But it’s not always enjoyable. 

The Bible is not like a mirror reflecting an image of ourselves, but yet it is a mirror showing us ourselves.[5] But through the mirror of God’s word, we see ourselves not alone, but in reference to God, so we see ourselves as we were meant to be, and not just as we are (James 1:22-25). The Bible, in contrast to science (not that science is bad!), gives us what ought to be, not just what is.

I’m not trying to be unkind in saying this, but if we think about it for more than a moment, I think we should be able to realize that our autonomous reason is not the most reliable truth-discerning tool in the universe. If, however, there’s a God like the Bible describes, He’s smarter, and His judgments are more reliable than mine. If He and I differ on a matter, and He’s God and I’m a creature, it’s reasonable to assume He’s correct and I’m mistaken. If the Bible’s God exists, His reason and ways are more reliable than mine.[3]

God is much more than a cosmic referee, and the Bible is much more than a measuring stick. It is that. It tells the truth (John 17:17). And we need that. But the Bible tells a story. A big, grand, true story. A story that starts before time and ends in eternity, ends in happily ever after. It tells the story of a wise and loving King, a fierce dragon set to destroy, and a rebellious people in great need of rescue.

So, the Bible is not only transcultural truth, it’s a transcultural story. God not only speaks the truth to the world, but He loves and provides salvation to the world (John 3:16). The Bible narrates a cohesive story with Jesus as the central figure who fulfills every promise of Scripture and defeats sin, death, and the dragon of old. This story calls for a response, urging individuals to accept or reject Jesus and His promise of eternal life in a new creation.

Conclusion

The very thing that some people find objectionable in the Bible is one of its greatest strengths. We often need a critic of our culture, even if we don’t realize it, especially if we don’t think we need one. The Bible’s external nature is the quality that makes it both difficult to receive and inestimably valuable.

The Bible, as God’s word, transcends time and culture, challenging and affirming aspects of all cultures. It serves as a compass, aligning with reality and providing a grand, true story that offers a perspective beyond our own.

Notes

[1] Christopher Watkin, Biblical Critical Theory, 333.

[2] Watkin, Biblical Critical Theory, 583.

[3] Watkin, Biblical Critical Theory, 135.

[4] The ancient Greek word autonomos, which means “having one’s own laws” or “self-governing.” It combines autos (“self”) and nomos (“law”).

[5] God is not like us; He is not a mirror in the sky reflecting our reflections back at us. Instead, He is a window that shows us something beyond ourselves. He rebukes our pride and never quite conforms to our idea of how He should be (Watkin, Biblical Critical Theory, 522).

*Photo by Meredith Spencer