How easy cultural norms blind us to the truth! Yesterday’s sermon at Emmanuel was partly based on Luke 24 and the story of the two friends leaving Jerusalem after the crucifixion. They were so obviously disappointed in the events of ‘Good Friday’ but had not realised what had happened on the third day and so they leave for Emmaus.

As I read the passage I realised that their lack of understanding about what had happened to Jesus on that day was not based on a lack of knowledge but rather on assumptions made due to their own cultural norms. They had been told by the women who had been to the grave side that Jesus had been resurrected (v.1-8). They had been amazed (v.22) by what the women had to say about the lack of body and the words of the angels. But they did not believe them simply because the testimony of women was not acceptable in their day. In fact, Luke records how the apostles themselves felt about what these women had to say – ‘But these words appeared to them as nonsense, and they would not believe them’ (v.11).

And this was a cultural issue not a legal one for the Old Testament does not legislate against women giving testimony. It was something that became the norm probably because of the general view that women were second class citizens and not worth listening to. (That the New Testament includes their witness statements and makes so much of them is an indication of how radical the church was in those early days.) Truth was rejected based on dominant tradition and custom.

What cultural norms affect us today as we grapple with truth – not only in the world but also in church?

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