How to Think Like a Bible Character

I always like to say that reading the Bible is as cross-cultural exercise.

We are separated from the biblical writings by multiple thousands of years, multiple language barriers, and a historical and socio-cultural barrier. Some things we read may puzzle us, because they are historically and culturally situated. The guiding line for me is that if I ever encounter a portion of the Bible that does not make sense to me, that is confusing, I know that it would have been completely understandable to the original intended (ancient) audience. This means that there is a historical, cultural, and or linguistic gap between me and the text.

There are three socio-cultural aspects that will give a general idea of how to think more like a Bible character: the concepts of limited good, collectivism, and honor/shame dynamics. To see how this can be applied more in-depth to specific biblical texts I have written a different take on the Prayer of Jabez here, and about Proverbs’ reflections on generosity in Prov. 11 here.

While it is difficult for us to reach back into and recreate the exact culture of ancient Israel and Judah, or of 1st century Palestine, these three concepts can broadly help as guides.

Limited Good:

An example of the American mindset is the conception that the world’s resources are infinite, opportunity is infinite, and that the economy and our standard of living can only expand. However, generations of people in their youths have come to find that this is not true, from the hippies of the 60s through to Gen Z currently. The world and its resources are and have always been finite, and there are only ‘endless’ expansion opportunities for a few rich and powerful at the top.

This reality of the world can be described by the term “limited good,” coined by Jerome H. Neyrey in Handbook of Biblical Social Values, 3rd ed. This reality was even closer for those who lived in ancient Israel and Judah, for rain and therefore reliable crops were never a guarantee, meaning that resources were always finite, if not scant. This also means that in order for the community to thrive, no one was allowed to take more than their “daily bread.” This concept ruled their day to day lives, and governed what was considered to be either sin or neighborly love. The concepts of limited good in combination with collectivism give us an understanding of how the Bible conceives of love for neighbor, and how a community should (and shouldn’t) function, in order to flourish.

Collectivism:

The opposite of cultural collectivism is individualism, and the United States by and large is an incredibly individualistic society. Particularly on the West Coast where I am from, and even more so in Alaska where I was born, people have the pioneer spirit. It takes a lot of courage and grit to strike out on your own, to go west, and start a new life. Despite the fact that in the present-day Pacific Northwest, families remain in the area now for generations, the individualistic spirit persists. Children strike out on their own and move far away from home, and often tend not to remain in the communities in which they were raised. Even in psychological terms, we call the healthy development of a child and into adolescence ‘individuation.’

All of this is the opposite of the general ancient Mediterranean culture of the Bible. Some of these particular characteristics do persist to the present day even in these societies. Collectivist cultures are concerned with what is best for the group, they find identity not as individuals but in what is called dyadic relationships—to a their spouse, their parents, siblings, children, or wider community. A dyad is any relationship that one can be in makes up that identity, whether with another individual or the larger group or community (religious identity, for instance).

The most destructive (and therefore sinful) thing that a person can do is make a decision that will detract from the community and eventually hurt others. The biblical concept of sin, particularly in the Hebrew Bible, is the opposite of an oft-quoted maxim in American culture: if I’m not hurting anyone, it is not wrong. This can be an incredibly nearsighted statement, however, for our lives do in some way overlap with others, and we can hurt the ones we love indirectly.

The Bible, however, begins with the question: how do my actions hurt or benefit my neighbor? We are encouraged to remember our interconnectedness, and live in such a way that our communities truly thrive.

Honor/Shame:

Another dynamic that we wouldn’t say is present in American culture is the concept of honor versus shame, which necessitates a certain kind of collectivist mindset. The internet has strangely become a place where people find any opportunity to point out what they consider to be the wrongs of others, whether it is from the perspective of ableism, various minoritized groups, or even one’s peers or colleagues.

To commit a social faux pas is to bring shame upon one’s head. I am sure all of us have heard stories of people going viral for racist or hateful rants, only to find that in response they are fired from their jobs, and shunned socially in their real, offline lives. It goes without saying that one can catch shame in the eyes of those watching on the internet by fraternizing with such a person. And celebrities, particularly female celebrities, are constantly subject to scrutiny and are shamed for ever tiny misstep.

On the other hand, online people can use either legitimate or phony ways of gaining honor—for honor is and always has been a limited good. If someone is legitimate and genuine, we praise them endlessly. If someone is phony, it leaves a bad taste in our mouths and we call it virtue signalling, or white saviorism, or simply selfish. It is a strange mix of individualism (I am offended by that) and collectivism (if I am offended, someone else of my identity group could and probably is offended by that).

More so than in our society, the struggle to avoid public, communal shaming and to gain honor shows itself everywhere throughout the Bible, both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament.

Conclusion

Having now given you concrete real-life examples of these socio-cultural dynamics, I encourage you to keep these three concepts in mind as you read the Bible, as a way to help you understand the actions of every individual character. They are always limited in resources, seeking further honor for themselves and their households, and constantly aware of how their actions will or would be received in their larger communities.

Last updated: 21 November 2023