In the New Testament, the main history books are Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and Acts. In these books, the roles reflect trends established by God in the Old Testament. At the time of Jesus and the apostles,
Jewish people across the known world are familiar with the Scriptures (Acts 15:21). They are familiar with the choices God makes from the beginning to the end of their Scriptures, that is, from the creation of the family to the rebuilding of Israel after the exile.
Gentiles, however, have long been separated from God’s revealed culture (Ephesians 2:12; 4:18; Colossians 1:21). Idolatry and spiritism take them in various directions. Some of their religions place women in prominent positions as cult prophetesses, priestesses, mediums and fortune tellers (Acts 16:16-17). Thus, as the Gospel reaches new peoples in Asia and Europe, the apostles must clarify the roles assigned by God among His people. In a sense, these explanations disclose new dimensions. Earlier in biblical history, God simply assigns roles as He chooses, with little or no discussion of the underlying reasons. Now, as God’s message reaches Gentiles, the apostolic letters add the necessary discussions. The same cultural challenges exist today. We too, who come from Gentile backgrounds, need these inspired clarifications and explanations regarding roles.
We today enjoy the benefit of the entire Bible—“all Scripture… breathed out by God” (2 Timothy 3:16). We can see how the apostolic reasoning fits into the wider context, the long story of the Bible. As you read the Scriptures below, look at each in the light of the choices God makes all along the road of biblical history. Examine the apostolic explanations for yourself. Be like the noble Bereans who “received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so” (Acts 17:11). As you read each passage below, what is the initial impression you receive? What do you understand the apostle to be saying? Does it match the rest of the Scriptures? How should we apply these truths today?
For this exercise, we cite just the Scriptures themselves. For convenience, we offer basic quotes and we group them by topic. As you have opportunity, read more of each Scripture passage to appreciate its immediate context.