Why was James so sure that the rich would exploit the poor and take them to court (James 2:6)?
Roman courts still favored the rich who could take legal action against the lower social classes while the lower social classes could not take such action against them.
The law does not cancel Abraham's covenant (Galatians 3:15)
The Greeks used to use the term that Paul uses for "covenant" to speak of a "testament" or "last will" (legal document that is opened upon the death of a person). Although Paul means covenant in the Old Testament sense rather than in the testament sense, he plays on the legal nuances of the latter word. Judaism emphasized the covenant made at Sinai but most Jewish authors saw the same covenant announced in Abraham (Gen 17.9-14) (or, less accurately from the Old Testament point of view, in fact practiced in advance). .
Like other legal documents, wills or “dispositions” were sealed so they could not be altered. Under Greek law, wills were irrevocable. One could not impose new conditions or remove an heir, even if one added an additional will. (This was no longer true in Roman law of this period but applied to some Jewish wills). In Greek law, wills were confirmed by their filing in the municipal records office; if a new will interfered with an old one, the new document was rejected.
In order to properly understand and apply the Bible, we need two crucial sources of information. The first is the Bible itself, quite simply. The second is a good understanding of the cultural context of the passage you are reading.
Only with context can you fully grasp the author's original concern and purpose. This unique commentary provides, verse by verse, the crucial cultural context you need for a more enriched study of the Bible.
Written in clear, non-technical language, this invaluable aid contains:
a glossary of cultural terms and important historical figures
maps and tables
an up-to-date bibliography of commentaries and other resources for every book of the New Testament
introductory essays on the importance of cultural context and the use of this unique commentary
ISBN: 9782895761389