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Cultural World of the New Testament

  1. Lesson One
    Honor and Shame in the Greco-Roman World
    8 Activities
    |
    1 Assessment
  2. Lesson Two
    Honor and Shame in 1 Peter
    7 Activities
    |
    1 Assessment
  3. Lesson Three
    Patronage and Reciprocity in the Greco-Roman World
    7 Activities
    |
    1 Assessment
  4. Lesson Four
    Patronage and Reciprocity in Hebrews
    7 Activities
    |
    1 Assessment
  5. Lesson Five
    Kinship and the Household in the Greco-Roman World
    7 Activities
    |
    1 Assessment
  6. Lesson Six
    Kinship and the Household in 1 Peter
    7 Activities
    |
    1 Assessment
  7. Lesson Seven
    Purity and Pollution in the Greco-Roman World
    7 Activities
    |
    1 Assessment
  8. Lesson Eight
    Purity and Pollution in Hebrews
    7 Activities
    |
    1 Assessment
  9. Course Wrap-Up
    Course Completion
    2 Activities

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The works of the New Testament were written in a different language, under very different living conditions and circumstances, and in a world that had substantially different cultural knowledge, practices, and priorities than our own. To understand these texts as their authors and their primary audiences heard and understood them, we need to immerse ourselves in the social and cultural “knowledge” of the first-century Mediterranean world. In this course, you will learn about aspects of Greco-Roman culture that influenced the writers and audiences of the New Testament, including honor and shame, patronage and reciprocity, kinship and the household, and purity and pollution.

Learning outcomes

By completing this course, you will be able to:

  1. Interpret the New Testament through the lens of first-century culture with an understanding of honor and shame, patronage and reciprocity, kinship and the household, and purity and pollution.
  2. Integrate a culturally-sensitive reading of the New Testament into your own Bible reading or teaching.
  3. Implement the desirable social values of the early church in your own relationships and faith community.

Course Introduction

We encourage you to watch this introductory video in which Dr. David deSilva discusses the purpose and relevance of this course.

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Transcript

Lesson Overviews

Select the headings of each lesson to read about the specific learning outcomes that you will achieve by working through the content of each lesson.

Lesson One: Honor and Shame in the Greco-Roman World

In this lesson you will learn how the cultural concepts of honor and shame motivated or constrained behaviors within first-century communities. You will also consider how this compares to your own cultural experience.

When you complete this lesson, you should be able to:

  1. Explain key features of honor and shame in first-century culture.
  2. Reflect on how cultural aspects of honor and shame shaped how the early church related to God and to each other.
  3. Identify ways to integrate an awareness of honor and shame in New Testament culture into your own Bible reading.
Lesson Two: Honor and Shame in 1 Peter

In this lesson you will observe how aspects of honor and shame are leveraged in 1 Peter to build up believers in the first-century Christian community. You will also consider how these concepts might shape your own faith and Christian community.

When you complete this lesson, you should be able to:

  1. Interpret aspects of honor and shame in New Testament writings.
  2. Reflect on how honor and shame in the New Testament shape how we think about and relate to God.
  3. Identify aspects of the appeals of honor and shame in the New Testament that can shape relationships in your own community of faith.
Lesson Three: Patronage and Reciprocity in the Greco-Roman World

In this lesson you will learn about the practices of patronage and reciprocity in the first-century world and how “grace” fits within these relationships of mutual assistance. You will also consider how this compares to your own cultural experience.

When you complete this lesson, you should be able to:

  1. Explain key features of patronage and reciprocity in first-century culture.
  2. Reflect on how the practices of patronage and reciprocity shaped how the early church related to God and to each other.
  3. Identify ways to integrate an understanding of patronage and reciprocity in New Testament culture into your own Bible reading.
Lesson Four: Patronage and Reciprocity in Hebrews

In this lesson you will observe how the writer of Hebrews uses the concepts of patronage and reciprocity to discuss the relationship between first-century Christians and God. You will also consider how these concepts might shape your own faith and Christian community.

When you complete this lesson, you should be able to:

  1. Interpret aspects of patronage and reciprocity in New Testament writings.
  2. Reflect on how patronage and reciprocity in the New Testament shape how we think about and relate to God.
  3. Identify aspects of patronage and reciprocity that can shape relationships in your own community of faith.
Lesson Five: Kinship and the Household in the Greco-Roman World

In this lesson you will learn about first-century family structures and expectations of kinship that informed and shaped the early church, and still influence the church today. You will also consider how this compares to your own cultural experience.

When you complete this lesson, you should be able to:

  1. Explain key features of kinship and household dynamics in first-century culture.
  2. Reflect on how the first-century cultural understanding of kinship shaped how the early church related to God and to each other.
  3. Identify ways to integrate an awareness of the kinship and household dynamics in New Testament culture into your own Bible reading.
Lesson Six: Kinship and the Household in 1 Peter

In this lesson you will observe how kinship language in 1 Peter helps reframe first-century believers’ understanding of their relationship with God. You will also consider how these concepts might shape your own faith and Christian community.

When you complete this lesson, you should be able to:

  1. Interpret aspects of kinship in New Testament writings.
  2. Reflect on how kinship in the New Testament shapes how we think about and relate to God.
  3. Identify aspects of the appeals of kinship in the New Testament that can shape relationships in your own community of faith.
Lesson Seven: Purity and Pollution in the Greco-Roman World

In this lesson you will learn how first-century Jews’ cultural conceptions of purity and pollution reflected God’s command to “be holy as I am holy.” You will also consider how this compares to your own cultural experience.

When you complete this lesson, you should be able to:

  1. Explain key features of purity and pollution codes in first-century culture.
  2. Reflect on how considerations of purity and pollution shaped how the early church related to God and to each other.
  3. Identify ways to integrate an awareness of purity considerations in New Testament culture into your own Bible reading.
Lesson Eight: Purity and Pollution in Hebrews

In this lesson you will observe how the writer of Hebrews uses the cultural background of purity and pollution to explain the death and resurrection of Jesus. You will also consider how these concepts might shape your own faith and Christian community.

When you complete this lesson, you should be able to:

  1. Interpret aspects of purity and pollution in New Testament writings.
  2. Reflect on how purity and pollution in the New Testament shape how we think about and relate to God.
  3. Identify aspects of purity and pollution in the New Testament that can shape relationships in your own community of faith.
Note

All Scripture quotations in this class, unless otherwise indicated, are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, NRSV. Copyright ©1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

How to Maximize Your Learning from This Course

In order to maximize your learning through this online course, you are encouraged to make use of all the learning opportunities presented to you. To take full advantage of the wealth of knowledge presented in the course content, we recommend that you:

  • Watch, listen to, or read all the lectures.
  • Reflect on the content and questions in your journal.
  • Complete all learning activities.
  • Share your ideas with your fellow learners in the discussion.
  • Implement what you have learned in your action plan.
  • Enrich your learning by reading the bonus material.

Online learning is an excellent way to bring large numbers of participants together to learn and share about God’s Word. Although this course is asynchronous and therefore other participants may not complete the course at the same time as you, there are interactive opportunities to share your learning and to gain valuable, unique insights from individuals with a diverse range of backgrounds and life experiences.

What online course engagement means

Full engagement in this course further means:

  • Working through the lessons in the suggested order—they’ve been arranged for a reason and each course has been designed with a logical sequence. Jumping ahead without completing the previous lesson may give you a disjointed learning experience.
  • Reading and listening across a variety of learning activities—some of which are text-based, some with video. (Transcripts are provided with audio-visual resources for those learners who require or prefer the written format.)
  • Sharing your learnings with other course participants in discussion opportunities.
Note

When engaging in social learning activities, such as sharing ideas or commenting on other learners’ ideas in discussions, be mindful of how you express yourself in writing. In written communication, we do not have the advantages of interpersonal cues (e.g., facial expressions, voice tone, and gestures), so it can be difficult to express intended meaning. Remember that other course participants may have different perspectives, opinions, and life experiences than you. Therefore, when communicating online, it’s important to assume the best intentions of others and use polite and respectful language.

Technology requirements

Engaging with the materials in this course requires minimal technological skills or equipment:

  • An electronic device such as a computer, tablet, or smartphone capable of running a web browser and playing video and audio.
  • Internet access capable of streaming videos, loading webpages, and downloading files.
  • A PDF reader (optional) for working with downloadable PDF files. Though most browsers allow PDFs to be viewed within the browser, we recommend downloading and saving them to your device so that you can save your work.

For premium subscribers, the ODBU app is available in Google Play and the App Store. In addition to providing full functionality of all course features, the app also allows you to download courses for offline study.

Have a question?

We have made every effort to make this course accessible for all learning styles and abilities. If you have a question or need assistance, please contact us.

What Activities to Expect

Each lesson will guide you through a series of activities. Select the headings below to read a brief description and instructions for completing each activity. Activities with a “lock” symbol 🔒 are available to premium subscribers only.

Overview and Objectives

This activity offers a brief introduction to the lesson and informs you of the lesson’s objectives.

Viewing this activity is required for course completion.

Lecture

This activity provides the main teaching content for the lesson. You may choose to watch the video, listen to the audio, or read the transcript. Closed captioning is also provided for any video segments. In each case the content is the same.

This activity is required for course completion.

Check Your Understanding 🔒

This quiz activity checks your understanding of the concepts learned so far. It is not a timed activity, and the quiz can be attempted as many times as needed.

Earning a quiz score of 70% or better is required for course completion.

Scripture Meditation 🔒

This activity allows you to spend time in Scripture and connect it to the topic of each lesson. Spend some time carefully reading the passage provided in the activity, utilizing the simple three-step method of Receive, Reflect, and Respond.

  • Receive simply involves reading the text and asking, “What does the text say?”
  • Reflect challenges you to ask, “What does the text mean?”
  • Respond invites you to apply the meaning of the text to your life.

Instructions for reflection

  1. Get and use a hard copy journal or an e-note-taking tool such as Notion, OneNote, or Apple Notes. You can also complete these activities in the course workbook, which can be downloaded in lesson one.
  2. Spend time reflecting on the questions provided in the activity. Make it a time of prayer by sharing your thoughts and reflections with God.
  3. Write down your answers, thoughts, and other revelatory ideas in your journal that God reveals during your time of prayerful reflection.

For reflective journaling activities such as this one, find a quiet place in which you will not be disturbed by other people, noises, or other distractions. Silence e-devices and quiet your mind by reading Bible passages or praying before attempting the activity.

Share Your Thoughts 🔒

This discussion activity is designed to help you articulate what you have learned in each lesson. It may also help you collect ideas from other course participants about their understanding of how first-century culture impacts our reading of Scripture. Since this course is asynchronous (i.e., other learners complete the course at different times), you may not see many discussion submissions or receive replies to your posts. Therefore, consider your submissions to this discussion forum as a way to share your insights about what you have learned to inspire or challenge others in their learning journey, and to enable others to do the same for you.

While other learners may not see or respond to your comments in the short term, encouraging others and engaging with others enhances your learning experience.

This activity is required for course completion.

Make a Plan 🔒

These application activities are designed to help you consider how to put your learning to use in your own context. When you finish this course you will have an action plan that will help you deepen and improve your Bible engagement!

Complete these activities digitally in the downloadable workbook, or write them in your own journal. Find the link to download the digital workbook in lesson one.

Further Study 🔒

At the end of each lesson there are links to additional Our Daily Bread Ministries resources you can watch, listen to, or read that will enhance your understanding of the course content. This material is optional and not required for course completion.

This section also includes suggested readings from David deSilva’s book Honor, Patronage, Kinship, and Purity: Unlocking New Testament Culture, which provides the background for this course. These readings are not required for course completion, though you may choose to purchase the book to extend your learning (and support the instructor of this course!).

Lesson Summary

This activity sums up the concepts learned in each lesson and looks ahead to what comes next.

Summative Activity 🔒

This activity appears in the course wrap-up section at the end of the course. It allows you to review what you have learned in the course and identify actions you will commit to in order to implement the course concepts.

Course Completion Requirements

To successfully earn a Completion Award for this course you will need to engage with all of the pages in every lesson, view all of the lectures, earn 70% or higher on each quiz activity, contribute towards the discussion boards, and complete the Course Evaluation. All other activities are recommended but not required for course completion.