How can I know what passages of the Bible have a specific cultural application vs. a universal one?

The book of James instructs believers to not merely listen to Scripture but to “do what it says” (James 1:22). To obey this command, readers must discern which instructions were for a specific time and place, and which apply to all people in every era. Such discernment requires wise interpretation. This process starts with discovering the biblical author’s intent, identifying the passage’s genre or writing style, and understanding the cultural and historical context of the writing.

The starting point of wise biblical interpretation is knowing the author’s purpose for writing. Readers cannot understand the meaning of a passage, including whom it applies to, without taking this step. Closely related to this is understanding how the original readers would have understood and applied it. While some passages—mostly prophetic—carry meaning that extends beyond what the writer or the original readers fully understood, this does not change an essential truth: wise interpretation always begins with the author’s intent.

Another key step in discerning whether a passage has a cultural or universal application is identifying its genre. The Bible includes various literary forms, such as narrative, law, poetry, wisdom literature, prophecy, and letters. Each of these communicates truth in a distinct way. Interpreting a narrative, for example, differs from interpreting a poem. Recognizing the genre of a passage helps readers avoid two common mistakes. One is treating cultural customs as if they were a universal model. The other is dismissing timeless instructions as culture-specific.

Leviticus 19:19 is an example of how identifying genre helps interpretation. That verse reads, “Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material.” This command was part of the law given to ancient Israel under the Old Covenant. According to the New Testament, Christians are no longer under the law, because Jesus has fulfilled it (Romans 6:14; Galatians 3:24–25; Hebrews 8:13). Therefore, avoiding cotton-polyester blended clothing, for example, is not an application for today. The purpose of this command was to set Israel apart from other nations under the Old Covenant. It is not a timeless application for all people.

In addition, readers should be attentive to a passage’s cultural and historical context because some reflect situations that no longer exist. For example, Jesus once said, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s” (Mark 12:17). At the time, Caesar referred to the reigning Roman emperor. Although the title later inspired similar titles in Germany and Russia, its original purpose as a Roman imperial title is no longer active.

However, just because the office of Caesar no longer exists doesn’t mean Jesus’ words have no purpose for modern readers. There is still a general principle behind His statement that applies to all people in all eras. The principle is that believers should obey the government, pay their taxes, and respect government leaders. Therefore, the specific application was cultural, but the broad one is universal.

An important way to confirm the meaning of one passage is comparing it to others. The principle of using Scripture to interpret Scripture is called “the analogy of faith.” One example of this is when Paul mentions obeying civil authorities in the book of Romans. He writes, “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves” (Romans 13:1–2). Thus, Paul confirms the broad principle of Mark 12:17 without repeating the specific command to give to Caesar.

Another example of discerning a cultural vs. universal application is the proper approach to 1 Corinthians 11:2–16, where Paul writes about head coverings. In verse 5 he writes, “But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved.” The broad application of this passage relates to the distinction between men and women based on God’s design. However, the specific instruction about head coverings reflected first-century cultural norms. In that context, a covered head symbolized modesty and submission. People viewed a woman without a head covering as immoral or rebellious.

By following wise principles of interpretation, readers can discern which passages were culturally specific and which ones express timeless truths. Paul had this kind of careful attention to Scripture in mind when he wrote 2 Timothy 2:15: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” Discerning what applies across all time periods and what was meant for a specific culture takes work. But with wise interpretation, readers can correctly apply the Bible today.