Customs and Culture of the Bible
The Bible was written in cultures very different from our own. Explore customs, institutions, daily practices and figures of speech that help explain what biblical writers and their first readers would have understood.
188 customs found
Signet Rings and Seals
Seals and signet rings authenticated documents, marked ownership, and represented delegated authority.
Primary Scripture: Genesis 41:42
Sitting to Teach
Teachers could sit while giving instruction, so sitting in biblical teaching scenes may signal an ordinary posture of authoritative exposition rather than informality.
Primary Scripture: Matthew 5:1-2
Slaves, Freedmen and Manumission
Slavery in the biblical world included several systems of unfree labor, debt service, household slavery, and war captivity, while manumission could change a person's legal status.
Primary Scripture: 1 Corinthians 7:21-23
Spoils of War and Plunder
Victorious armies commonly seized livestock, valuables, weapons, captives, and other property, with rules or royal decisions governing how the spoils were distributed.
Primary Scripture: Numbers 31:25-27
Stoning as Judicial Execution
Stoning appears in biblical law and narrative as a communal form of execution for certain grave offenses.
Primary Scripture: Deuteronomy 17:2-7
Synagogue Assembly, Seating and Leadership
First-century synagogues served as local places of assembly, Scripture reading, teaching, prayer, and community activity. Leadership roles and prominent seating help explain several Gospel passages.
Primary Scripture: Luke 4:16-21
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