Customer Reviews

Handbook of Biblical Social Values

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This small volume is an excellent resource for scripture study. It gives a good background to some of the cultural values and practices of the ancient world and how understanding these cultural values can help us as we interpret scripture today. The values discussed in the book are those that were held by the ancient Jewish people, as well as the values of their neighbors, particularly the Greeks and the Romans. There are many topics in the book which are arranged alphabetically and related subjects are crossed referenced. Many of the topics include bibliographies so that a reader can do further research if he/she wishes. The book contains a scriptural index which for quick reference, always a help for those involved in preaching.

The book is edited by noted scripture scholars John J. Pilch and Bruce J. Malina. Many of the contributors are among the best known names in biblical scholarship. The articles themselves are well written and most are easy to read. The book can be helpful for people involved in preaching, but will probably be most helpful for those who conduct scripture classes who wish to explore topics in a deeper manner.

Both Malina and Pilch provide a useful tool for students and scholars alike. Bridging the gap of culture and time for modern biblical readers is a daunting task and this text helps the modern reader to gain clearer understandings of the Biblical world. A reference work that is a must have for any serious reader of the Bible.

A mildly difficult read, and some passages require mental stretching to be adequately wrapped in thought, but it gives a spoiled modern a good idea of what used to be important to ancient peoples.

The author deals with the biblical values that are born in the society and culture of the Bible. The Bible was written in a pre-modern culture. Unfortunately, we are trying to read it through modern and postmodern lenses. To be consider of the biblical authors, we must put on the lenses of the ancient, Near East. A thought-provoking and important work.

This book is a perfect introduction for anyone interested in understanding the social and cultural context of the Bible. It is organized almost like an encyclopedia - each entry covers a specific social value. So if I'm curious what "love" or "faith" meant to people in the ancient world, I just have to jump directly to that entry. As these were the types of questions I had when studying cultural context in the ancient world, this book was perfect. Now that I know more of how those values influence thoughts and actions, I can better understand other social/cultural commentaries on the Bible.

The intro. to this book also includes a great overview of social systems and how they operate, so the reader gets a clearer understanding of why the material is significant in Bible studies. Ancient people honestly lived in a different world, and that means they looked at things through a much different lens than modern westerners. That is a hard concept to grasp for many, but this book makes it easier, and I plan to use the material in a study at church. The charts, numbers and comparisons are done very well.

As others have stated, there are a few areas where the wording and concepts took some extra brain power to grasp, but that's not a surprise since many different writers contributed articles to the book. Overall, it's worth spending the brain power to be able to tackle this subject with clarity. An added bonus is each entry contrasts that social value with how it is seen in the west.

With material from this book, I believe it will be easy to make a good case with fellow brothers/sisters when discussing Bible texts. Because it stays on basic, surface explanations for most topics, it is enough information to get people's attention without losing them.

This book really helps the reader to see the dramatic differences between the social values of the first century Jew versus us as Americans. This contrast helps one to better understand the Gospel parables.