Working in cross-cultural situations has taught me a lot about perceptions. Things that my white middle-class background consider “normal” are usually not the norm in other settings. That’s why I often read books about cross-cultural understanding and diversity.
D’Aun and I have been packing as we prepare to move, and I came across my old notes from college. One page caught my eye: introductory remarks by Professor Robert Gundry on the Gospel of John.
My notes from his lecture show that cultural perceptions even influences how we see Scripture, and that good cross-cultural communication exists in the Bible. I’m certainly not a Bible scholar. I know hundreds of people who could pull more out of what I’m about to share, but I’ll explain a cross-cultural communication insight that struck me.
The theme of the day when I took those notes was “universalism”, a term that perhaps has negative connotations among conservative Christians. But Gundry made it sound … obvious. The Apostle John was attempting to reach as many people as possible in a way that connected them to his convictions.
The book opens with the famous line, “In the beginning was the Word…” It’s obviously an echo of Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God….” The word used for Word in the Gospel of John is the Greek word Logos. John then immediately connects Logos with the Jesus that he knew and followed.
But the passage is a lot more nuanced than just a linear connection. Gundry’s lecture pointed out that three different groups of people from the first century would understand Logos from three different perspectives.
First, the Hebrew speaking community would clearly see the link between John 1:1 and Genesis 1:1. Their context would include references to the “word” as forever in heaven (Psalm 119:89), “words” made in heaven (Psalm 33:6), and “word” as a light and path (Psalm 119:105) among many other such passages. So to a Jewish reader of the Gospel of John, it would be very clear that Logos was referring to something preexistent, the Creator, the Messiah.
Second, the Greek speaking community would understand the use of the word Logos as something that dwells in a human. Logos is the soul of the universe and there was nothing higher or better in Greek thought. The actual Greek definition of the word Logos would be “reasonable communication.” So a Greek reader of the Gospel of John would understand the author to be saying that Jesus is all that is good, all that is beautiful, all that is logical, all that is perfect.
Third, the Aramaic speaking people of the region used the word Memra for the Greek word Logos. Memra was an Aramaic substitute for God’s name in many of the ancient holy writings. When they saw the word Logos translated as Memra they would immediately understand that the author of the Gospel of John was equating Jesus with the Divine.
One simple word. Three different perceptions. But all coming to the same conclusion. It really is brilliant cross-cultural communication at work here! John was able to use a simple word that denoted something very special to all types of people. It was a universally understood concept, although with different cultural twists for each audience.
What struck me about those notes as I was cleaning out my old files was that even my old Bible teachers weaved cross-cultural understanding into my education.
Cool.