 Okay. Good morning and welcome everybody to BC 106, the course on interpreting scripture. Welcome everyone to the class. Thank you for being here. Let's pray and we'll get started. Father B, thank you for this day. Thank you for everyone who is in the class present here and present online. And Father, we pray that the Holy Spirit will be our teacher today. The Holy Spirit will eliminate our hearts and minds and speak to us, teach us, enlighten us, give us instruction, give us clarity, give us wisdom as we learn, oh God, we pray that we will be able to apply these truths, apply these insights to our lives and ministries as we live for you and as we serve people. Thank you Father in Jesus' name. Amen. Okay, so I'm going to go ahead and share the notes that we were using last week and quickly review what we covered. And then we still have a little bit to finish in that chapter on culture, so we'll do that. So we started talking about different guidelines or rules in interpreting scripture. The first thing, first aspect of these rules or guidelines is to be aware of the cultural context. That means there are certain things in the Bible that were given to a people addressing something that is very cultural. It was for them in their time. And so we need to understand that, we need to recognize that when something is given that is specific to a people and their culture, then that is not necessarily permanent. It's not transferable. It was meant for them. But we can look at the principle. What was the principle behind it? And then see if that principle is applicable for us today, if that principle is transferable to us today. So that's one thing. And so we were looking at some examples and we went through this little table where we looked at different just a sample, a small list of things and we said, you know, let's see if these are permanent or these are temporary. Temporary means it was only for them. Permanent means we also practice. It's for all people all time. And then we began to kind of wrap this up by giving outlining these things as principles. And how do we apply this? So we started talking about this and then we paused somewhere here. So let's just review. So number one, so you have the principles. How do you apply this in our interpreting of scripture? Number one, some situations, commands or principles are repeatable, continuous or not revoked. Some things God said, he may have said it in the Old Testament, he may have said it in the New Testament, but it has not been revoked. It's still there. So that means we continue to observe it, we continue to follow it. Or they pertain to moral and theological subjects or are repeated elsewhere in scripture and therefore they are permanent and transferable to us. So we said, okay, example, capital punishment. It was given there in Genesis 9.6, but it was not revoked anywhere else. That means death for death. So that's okay, because God didn't change that. But of course, in different countries, every country has their own judicial system. So the country will decide. But from a biblical perspective, we are saying there is capital punishment in the Bible. Polygamy, that was practiced in the Old Testament, but the New Testament explicitly revokes it. The New Testament says, no, you don't practice that. You don't do it. So we can't. For example, some years ago in Bangalore City, there was this pastor. He was having a ministry that was going on and he had his wife and I don't know whether he had children or not. I don't know too much, but then suddenly he decided to marry somebody else in his church. And then he used the excuse, ah, David did this. So was that right or wrong? Wrong. He's using Bible. He's saying David. He could have said Solomon or he could have said anybody else in the Old Testament. Doesn't matter. But he said David did. But hey, New Testament is very clear. So when it comes to marriage, New Testament, because things have changed. Nazareth and the Old Testament, Nazareth, God said, you know, you let your hair grow, you don't drink wine and all of the clear instructions. In the New Testament, we don't say, hey, Nazareth in the Old Testament grew long hair. So we also grow long hair. New Testament says it's not something that men normally do. I mean, if somebody wants to have longer, that's their choice, but you don't use the Bible to cover that. And so the Bible is its own authority in these things. The second principle and we need to pick up from here is this. Some situations, commands or principles are for an individual, is specific to an individual. It's non-repeatable circumstance. It's a non-moral or non-theological subject and has been revoked and therefore it's not transferable for us today. Example, God told Abraham, take your son, your only son, Isaac, go off for him as a sacrifice. So you want to say, Abraham is a father of faith, so we also have to go to it. Is that correct? Femel was nodding, is it? That's not correct. God, that was specific to Abraham. God told Abraham and we also know that God didn't let him actually do it. God knew, Abraham is going to obey, but let him demonstrate his obedience. Let him demonstrate, let him actually go through it, but I will stop it. Now, we cannot say, oh God, oh Abraham, sacrifice, I also sacrifice. That was to a particular individual at a particular time, so it's not transferable. That's just one example. So like that, we'll find other situations in the Bible where God may have spoken to a person, telling them to do something that's specific for them. The principle of obedience applies to all of us. We're all called to obey God, but we're not all called to sacrifice children or children like that. No, we're all called to obey. Principle of obedience, yes, not the practice. So we have to understand the difference. Number three, some situations or commands pertain to cultural settings that are only partially similar to ours in which only the principles are transferable. That means they did it like that, we do it like this. So we are not following the same practice. We practice it in a different way, but the principle is the same. So example, we talked about this last week, how we greet one another. In different cultures, people greet one another in different ways. Handshake, bowing, touching the feet or whatever, hugging, so many different cultures. They express that greeting in different ways. Fine, whatever cultures. The point is, you greet one another. You're hospitable, you're kind, you're expressing that greeting to one another. It's not the following of that explicit practice across cultures. You do it however you want. Number four, some situations or commands pertain to settings, cultural settings with no similarities, but in which the principles are transferable. Example, when Moses was facing, saw God in that burning bush, God said, Moses, take off your sandals because the ground on which you are standing is holy ground. Does that mean every time we pray, we have to take off our sandals? No, that was something specific given to Moses at that moment. So many others prayed with their sandals on. But the principle is, we show reverence to God. We recognize and we reverence God's presence however you want. Some people may kneel down, some people, whatever. You recognize and you reverence the presence of God. And reverence is mainly from the heart. You respect, you reverence the presence of God. So it's not like, oh, God told Moses, take your sandals off. Therefore everybody take the sandals. No, it's not a rule. If some people want to do it, it's up to them. Think of another situation where in 1 Corinthians chapter 11 verses 2 to 16, the apostle Paul writes about women covering their heads. So again, this is a passage or this is a topic that a lot of people argue about. And maybe not all over the world, but maybe in certain parts of the world, this becomes a big point of argument. And I remember, I know sometimes in pastors' conferences, when somehow when we get into this subject, there's arguments. And I've seen that happen. But how do we understand 1 Corinthians chapter 11 verses 2 to 16? So if you turn there with me, I'll just quickly point a few things out for us. 1 Corinthians chapter 11, because in some parts, especially of our country in India and in certain denominations, this becomes a big issue. You have to cover your head, all women have to cover their head when they come. And they use this passage. This is the only passage in the whole Bible in the New Testament that is addressing this. And if you look at it carefully, let us see what conclusions we can come to. 1 Corinthians chapter 11. So I'll just quickly go through this. In verse 2, the apostle Paul is telling them about traditions that he delivered to them. He says, okay, these are some practices, some customs that I delivered to you. And then he begins to talk about headship. That's verse 3. In headship, the word term headship has to do with God's government. It's not talking about superiority, but it's talking about this is how the government of God flows. That's headship. Meaning, if you look at it in verse 3, it says, the head of the woman is the man. The head of the man is Christ. The head of Christ is God. But we also know that man and woman are co-equal. We also know Christ and God, God the Father are co-equal. God the Father is not superior to God the Son. They are co-equal. They are the Godhead. Romans 1 says they are the Godhead. Philippians 2 says, though he was equal to God, John 1 says the word was God. He doesn't say the word was less than God or the word was second to God. The word was God. So the truth is, God the Father, God the eternal Word, whom we now call Christ the Son of God or Jesus, so many names we have, and God the Holy Spirit, they all co-equal. So sometimes when we say second person of the Trinity, that's actually very misleading. He's not, quote unquote, second, he's co-equal. When you say third person of the Trinity, that's very misleading. It's not the Holy Spirit comes third in rank. The Spirit of God is co-equal with the Father and with the Son. They're co-equal. Understanding me? Okay. So even the Bible teaches man and woman are co-equal. Example 1 Peter 3 and verse 7, I think it's verse 7. It says, you know, husbands love your wives because you are heirs to get the grace of God. The husband is not superior to the wife. They're co-equal. In the eyes of God, they are the same, just like Christ and God the Father are equal. However, when the term headship is used as in 1 Corinthians 11, verse 3, it's talking about God's government. For example, in a local church, the pastor is a leader. It doesn't mean the pastor is superior to the congregation. He's just a sinner like everybody else in the congregation. He's just another man or just another person. But in that setting, the Holy Spirit has put him in a place of headship or leadership. You understand? There is co-equality, but there is also in terms of government, in God's authority, there is headship. So that's what's being expressed here in verse 3, 1 Corinthians 11, that in God's government, this is how authority flows in the government of God, from the Father through Christ, through the husband to the wife. They're all co-equal, husband and wife are co-equal, but in terms of God's government authority, this is how it flows. That's why he says the husband is the head of the wife in God's government. You understand? So he introduces that in verse 3, and then he begins to address something about covering the head. He says, look, if a woman does not cover her head and then she prays and prophesies, that's not right in that context. He's talking the Corinthians. But then he also says, if a man were seven, a man shouldn't cover his head. Okay, those of you who wear helmets or you wear caps, at that time can you pray or not? Suppose you're wearing a helmet, you're going on a bike. Suppose you're to be on the bike for two hours. Does that mean for two hours you cannot pray? Because your head is covered, no? And he says here in verse 7, a man should not cover his head. Or if you're wearing a cap, maybe it's very hot. At that time, can you pray or not? You pray, right? Okay, so I'm just showing how silly it can get sometimes when we... So he says a man should not cover his head. And then he says, verse 11, so the reason is a woman needs a symbol of authority over her. So this covering that a woman puts over her head is symbolic, he says. It's a symbol that... verse 10, it's a symbol of authority. That means it's a sign that she is a married woman. That's all. So keep that in mind. Why was he encouraging women to cover their head? It was a symbol, it was a sign that that woman is a married woman, symbol of authority. Or also, it's a symbol that she's under head shape. It's a sign, under head shape. Okay, so he said that's why you do it. And then, but then he says, verse 11 and 12, neither is man independent of woman or woman independent of man in the Lord. But as woman came from man, so also, as woman came from man, even so man comes to the woman, all things are from God. In other words, he's saying, hey, ultimately we are all equal. That means a woman came from man, man came from woman. That means we are co-equal before God. And look how he finishes this. Then he says, verse 16, if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom nor do the churches of God. He says, hey, if you want to argue about this, let me tell you, this is not our custom. And other churches do not practice this. Very clearly, verse 16. So that means in the passage itself, he's saying, what I'm telling you is for you. It is for the Corinthian church. We do not have any such custom. So he starts talking verse two, we said, I know these are the customs. I want to remind you about verse 16. We do not have such kind of customs nor do the churches of God. I mean, this is not something that all the churches practice. So that therefore 1 Corinthians 11, 1 to 16 is something very specific to the Corinthian church. All the Paul is using a very sound theological argument here. He is also addressing a cultural practice that is very specific for the Corinthian church. So in 1 Corinthians 11, 1 to 16, we can look at the theology of it, gain a lot of insight on it. But the cultural practice, leave it there for the Corinthian church. The practice of head covering. So what was the problem? So you look back into the Corinthian church. What do we know about the Corinthian church, their culture, their time, what had happened? Well, in the time that of Paul's writing and Paul's visit to Corinth in his second missionary journey when he came to Corinth, Corinth at that time was what we would call today as the sin capital of the world. That means there were certain cities in the world that were known for big things. Athens was known for being the intellectual capital. It was a place of thought and learning and philosophy, the great Greek philosophers. They came from Athens. Corinth, on the other hand, was a capital of immorality, idolatry and immorality. So they had these big Corinthian temples of idolatry and where there were huge numbers of temple prostitutes serving. That's why in chapter 6 of 1 Corinthians, he says, hey, such was some of you. You were fornicators, you were adulterers, you were like this, you were like that. I mean, they came from a very sinful lifestyle. And part of being a temple prostitute, they had to shave their heads. So this is all cultural information and you can read this anywhere. Any historical cultural information about Corinth, you can read this. So these temple prostitutes had to shave their head. So now you imagine all many of these people are being saved. They come into the church. What was their former life? They were serving in the temple as temple prostitutes. They had their head shaved. Now they're coming into the church. And so in the church, Paul suggests this is what you do. Women, you cover your head. So this is a symbol. I'm either married or I'm submitting to authority. And since you cover your heads, women, you cover your head. And men, you don't need to cover your head. That's all. It's for the Corinthian church. It's to address a particular situation. That doesn't mean a man who covers his head can never pray or prophesy. Because if we enforce this, then we have to enforce it in its entirety. We can't just only women cover your head. That means men also must not cover their head anytime. If it applies in one's context, it also applies everywhere else. So if we enforce half of it, enforce the other half also. So understand this was a cultural thing. Paul was addressing women, you cover your head when you're coming together. As a symbol of authority, it's an expression that you are married or you're submitting to the headship that God has put in that place. That's all. But he clearly says verse 16, it's not something we practice in all the churches. It's not something we're going and telling every church to do. And correctly, you don't find it written in any other episode. Most of the things of Paul are repeated in other episodes. When he talks about other things, walking in the spirit, walking in love, there's that. But just head covering, you don't find it repeated in any other episodes. In the churches. If somebody wants to practice it, somebody wants to observe it, it's up to them. But we don't maybe should not make it a rule. So like you said, there are certain denominations that have made it a rule. Is it right? It's not right. Is it biblical? It's not biblical. But they've made it a rule. So those who are part of that denomination, they submit themselves to it. Is it necessary? No. Is it biblical? No. But those who have made a choice to be part of the denomination, they do that. For example, there are certain denominations where you have to wear white. When you go to church, you have to wear full white. Is it in the Bible? No. Is it biblical? No. Is it a spiritual requirement? No. But that denomination has made it a rule. So people are part of the denomination. They follow that, but it does not make them any more spiritual than anybody else. So it's not a biblical thing. It's more of a denominational rule of which they have enforced and people have to follow it who are part of that denomination. So here's an example where the Bible is very clear that something was very culturally specific. Plus, when you study the history and culture, you'll know why it was given. Plus, when you look at the scriptures, you'll know that it's not repeated anywhere else. If it was meant for everybody, he would have written to every church, hey, when you come together, all the ladies must cover your heads. And there would be a very theological reason for it. But you don't find it anywhere else. It's only here. So it's something very specific to the Corinthian church. And when you look into the background, you understand why you had to do that. So even in our Indian culture, we realize that in different cultures, there are certain ways that women show that they are married. Like especially in the North, they would put the red thing here. It's a sign that that woman is married. I think in South, you have to wear your thali or something. Different ways to show that woman is, she's a married woman. These are just custom practices. In that culture, that's how they show that that person is married. Generally, in many cultures, people wear a ring. A ring is a symbol that you are married. Some people don't wear a ring, but most cultures, wearing a ring is a sign. This is just a cultural thing. It's not a spiritual thing, but there is no chapter in verse saying, thou shalt wear a ring. It's only a cultural thing to show that you are a married person. So there are so many different ways that people show it and so on. Let me just see if there are any questions. Any questions from those who are online so far? What is cultural? What's temporary? What's permanent? So when we are reading scripts and we see things that are cultural, try to understand the feel, I mean, see if there's something that is theological or something that teaches about God and His ways or any principle that we can apply. Think about that rather than imitating the practice. Is there a theological principle that we can take? Apply. Like we said last class, washing the feet. We don't go and wash the feet, but there's a good principle there that we can apply today of humility, of serving one another in love. That's the principle we apply. The actual practice we don't follow. So let's move on. No questions for now. So let's get into the next lesson. I'll try to cover this as well. Okay. What clothes must pastors wear? I know I've had all kinds of emails. Sometimes, you know, some people don't like the clothes I wear. There used to be a time when we were in a different auditorium. I used to wear half-sleeved shirt, shirt left out like that. I think you would call it Hawaiian shirt, like just loose shirt. Then I got one email. I got somebody. Somebody was watching those days. Somebody used to have TV programs. This used to go on TV. So some pastors, some other state watched. He sent me an email. You should not be wearing clothes, shirt like this. So different people, you know, they have their own. So I don't bother about it. I wear what I'm comfortable with, right? So right from the time we started, I always just wear a shirt and trousers. That's it. I may wear half-sleeves or I fold my sleeves or whatever. I just wear what I'm comfortable with. So the answer to your question is, each preacher or pastor or minister should wear what they're comfortable with. And if they're what you're comfortable with, that's it. Now, the only thing we can say is as a guideline, right? It should be decent. It should be relevant to the audience you're standing. Like, see, now I'm wearing jeans. I don't wear jeans on a Sunday morning service. At least I haven't tried it until now. But most other times I'll wear like this jeans, casual. Like when I'm doing this or week in schools or any of the youth services, I'll just wear casual. But I don't wear it on a Sunday morning. Sunday morning because there are older people, adults. It will offend them, at least in our context, right? So I would say we need to be a little sensitive to the people that we are ministering to so that what we wear doesn't become a hindrance to them from receiving the word of God. Otherwise, they'll be thinking all the time. They'll be thinking about what you're wearing, not paying attention to the word you're preaching. So that's the only point. Just be sensitive to your audience. But otherwise, just wear what you're comfortable with. Now, I don't think it's right for one pastor to tell another pastor what he should wear. It's entirely up to that pastor. However, he knows his congregation. He knows his people. He knows whom he's ministering to so he can decide. I don't think we should go around telling people what they should wear unless they're wearing something really silly. So let's go to the next chapter. There's another question here on the chat. If the cultural practice in the north, Christian, for women to cover the head while in church, is it better to conform or explain that it is a cultural reference and not really applicable now? Okay, here's an interesting question, right? Suppose you go to a church and suppose you're visiting a church somewhere. And in that congregation, everybody's covering the head. That means before you enter the building or women must cover the head. What should we do? Should we go and tell them, hey, this is not biblical, not necessary? Or should we just go with the flow? I would say just go with the flow. Just cover your head, sit there for two hours and come. You're not going to lose anything. And this doesn't really matter. This is not something we should be fighting about. Don't even worry about it. So Nina, that would be my answer. If people are interested in knowing, they really want to understand whether it's biblical or not, then we can explain to them. Otherwise, if you're visiting some place and women are covering the head, you just cover the head, enjoy the service, come out. It really doesn't matter. And we don't have to waste our time and energy trying to fight with people about this. I remember once in the pastor's conference, we were teaching about the house of God. I think it was Pune. I forget which city. We were doing a pastor's conference. And one pastor asked about this first Corinthians 11. So I explained. Another pastor disagreed and became an argument. Then I had to, hey, guys, come down. Don't fight about this. If you want to cover your head, if you want your congregation to cover your head, cover your head. You don't want them. Don't cover. Let's not fight about something like this. It's totally unnecessary. I remember once when I went to one church to preach, and this was a Pentecostal type church. I was wearing a belt. But the belt had yellow gold color. It was not gold. You know, this belt buckle, right? It can be silver color. It can be gold color. That happened to be gold color. It's not gold. It's just gold color. Everybody knows. But before I could enter the building, I think he was a superintendent, a person in charge. He took me back. He said, see, in this church, we don't wear any gold. So if you're going to go and preach, you have to take off your belt. Only then we can let you inside. I said, that doesn't matter to me at all. Happily, I took off my belt, left it there. When minister came back, wore my belt and went. So it's not worth fighting about. I didn't want to argue saying, hey, this is not gold. It is just metal. It's only that color. It's yellow color. I didn't even waste one second arguing with him. Pointless, right? They have certain rules. Some rules are meaningless. But in order to satisfy them, I took out my belt, left it there, went inside, preached. So it really doesn't matter at all. Yes. Right. So in both these places, so the question is, for the question is in 1 Timothy 2, 9 and 10, 1 Peter 3, 3 to 7, Peter's writing about women, their dressing, you know, and he says, the basic Paul is writing in 1 Timothy and Peter's writing in 1 Peter. And he's talking about women and their clothing. And the basic thing is it must be with modesty. Women must profess godliness. It must be an expression of godliness in both places. So the thing is, we understand that. That's the principle. Now, here again, how that is applied in different cultures vary. For example, if you go just, if you take a flight, four-hour flight to go to Malaysia or Singapore, there the ladies will be walking around during summer in shorts. Yeah, you don't see that happening in India. But there it's normal. And they'll be wearing very, the women, they'll be wearing very thin clothes, you know, it's part of their culture. Nobody says anything. Oh, ladies, they're all walking around with shorts. No, it's very hot there. It's on the equator. So that's what they do. Similarly, it's only a four-hour flight from here. It's totally cultures, totally different. And if you go across, you go the other side, you go to Pakistan, full Burqa is like, top to head, they're covered. Totally opposite. That's the culture. You go across to the western world, North America, South America, Australia. There again, the clothing style is all very different. You can't go and say, don't wear shorts, it's not modest. They'll say, I'm wearing shorts, so hot here. I want to feel comfortable wearing shorts or I'm wearing these clothes, whatever. So the point is, if we point out, say from India, we point something, point a finger there, they will point back at us and say, look, you're wearing saree, half your stomach is open. What you're telling us, we have to cover ourselves. Because of anywhere a woman wears a saree, below chest to waist is open. They'll point their finger at us and say, look at what you're wearing. And you're saying, we have to be modest. You are showing more than we are showing. So there are all these pros and cons of that. So I think the point is this, the principle of first Timothy 2 and first Peter 3 is modest. How that is expressed in different cultures, how what is considered modest in different parts of the world, it varies. And we shouldn't be wasting our time policing people. Don't waste your time. Because if a person from some other country comes to India, we can't tell them to adapt immediately to our culture. Some people may be sensitive, they'll adapt. Some people are not sensitive. They'll just wear whatever they're wearing in their country because they're here for a short while and they're going back. So I think we should just understand the dynamic, especially in today's world, that people are mixing. It's all over the world cultures, especially in urban cities. People from different cultures are coming together. They can't police everybody and say, when you are coming to this church, you have to wear like this. You can't do it, you'll be wasting your time. So there is modesty. We have to encourage that. But then just remember, in different cultures, people see different. If you go in America, you go to church, during summertime people will be coming in shorts. Like maybe even 70-80% in church wearing shorts. You'll be like, whoa. But for them, it's okay. They're coming to church in shorts. But you have to see the heart, because they love God. It's part of the culture there. So I wouldn't waste time judging people on that. Because all over the world, things are practiced differently. Yes, Sean. The question somebody like that will ask is, does that mean when you leave church after two hours, God is not with you? That's the question they will ask us. We ask them, hey, you're going to church to worship God. The question they will ask us is, does this mean when you come out of the church building, God is not with you? We are spending more time outside the church building than inside the church. Does that mean all the time God is not with you? No, we say God is with us. Same God is with you. Do you pray? Yes. Do you worship? Yes. Then how come that time you're wearing something else? But they will say, you are the church. Which is true, right? The building is not the church. The believer is the church. You are the church. So we have to listen to both sides of the argument. And their argument is also very biblical. It's not like you are the church. And God, we worship God in spirit and truth. It's not about what we wear. God looks at the heart, not on the outside. All this is true. It's their argument, right? So that's why we cannot emphasize the outer clothing. I mean, you think about, you know, when you think about so many different contexts, example, you think about a church in the slum, what they will wear and come. They will come just as they are. They may not have had bath for many days. They'll come. They'll think about a church in a village. They'll come just like they are. You can't say where your best clothes will come. They'll come as they are. But they worship God. They worship in spirit and truth. So, you know, will their worship be accepted? Of course. So we have to think about this. Okay. Good questions. Fine. Let's take a break. It's 9.48 already. We'll get to the next chapter on grammar. Studying the grammar and interpreting scripture, understanding grammar. Let's take a 10-minute break and we come back.