Cultural Rivers, Order, and Covenant: Tools For Reading Scripture Well (John Walton) Ep. #222

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Oct 16, 2025

John Walton, an esteemed Old Testament scholar and author of the 'Lost World' series, shares insights on how cultural perspectives shape our understanding of Scripture. He introduces the concept of 'cultural rivers,' emphasizing that ancient texts should be interpreted through their original societal context. Walton discusses Genesis as a narrative of order rather than origin, explores the significance of covenant in establishing divine order, and highlights the roles of women in the Exodus. His views offer a fresh lens on key biblical themes, merging text and culture.

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INSIGHT

Cultural Rivers Shape Meaning

John Walton's "cultural rivers" metaphor explains culture as a background current of values, assumptions, and logic that shapes thought and literature.
To understand ancient texts like the Bible, readers must learn the ancient Near Eastern cultural river instead of imposing modern assumptions.

INSIGHT

Genesis 1–11: A Pursuit Of Order

Walton reads Genesis 1–11 as a unified "pursuit of order" narrative rather than a material origins account.
Genesis 12 then introduces covenant as God's chosen method for establishing divine-human order.

INSIGHT

Key Hebrew Terms Are About Order

Common Hebrew terms (tohu, tov, shalom, menucha, raʿ) sit on an "order spectrum" rather than a strict moral scale.
Reading these words as order-language clarifies passages about chaos, goodness, rest, and disruption.

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In this thought-provoking episode, Walton explains his “cultural rivers” metaphor—how each culture swims in its own current of values, assumptions, and logic. We can’t read the Bible through modern, Western eyes without missing what mattered most to ancient audiences. Genesis, for example, isn’t about material origins but about God bringing order to a disordered world.

From Genesis 1–11, which Walton calls a unified pursuit-of-order narrative, to covenant as God’s chosen method of establishing order in Israel, this episode reshapes how we think about law, sin, impurity, and even concepts like raʿ (evil). Walton shows how words like shalom, menucha, and tov are all part of a spectrum of order—not morality.

He also addresses how Jesus and Paul recontextualize the Torah, why Exodus opens with a surprising parade of female heroes, and how poetry preserves communal memory in songs like Exodus 15. Whether you’re new to Walton’s “Lost World” series or a longtime reader, this episode offers fresh insight into how Scripture’s deepest themes emerge from its ancient context.

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Chapters:

00:00 Exploring Methodological Approaches to Texts
02:02 Cultural Rivers: Understanding Context in Ancient Texts
05:19 Genesis 1-11: The Pursuit of Order
08:04 The Role of Women in Exodus: A Unique Perspective
11:04 Intertextuality: Connections Between Genesis and Judges
14:12 The Concept of Order in the Torah
17:10 Jesus and Paul: Recontextualizing the Torah
20:16 The Significance of Women in the Exodus Narrative
23:20 Joseph and Daniel: Conceptual Connections
26:07 Final Thoughts and Future Discussions
32:50 Poetry And Prose Intermixed