I have a friend who is Assyrian (from Iraq) and he has an middle eastern outlook on both the old and new testaments. There are areas where we disagree, but what

I have a friend who is Assyrian (from Iraq) and he has an middle eastern outlook on both the old and new testaments. There are areas where we disagree, but what has been very helpful is the insight he has gained over sixty years as a theologian and his awareness of the historical context of those times. He has been instrumental in helping me to look at the audience perspectives of the various books of the new testament and from that gaining an understanding as to why the books have been written in specific ways. One of the interesting aspects of the gospels deals with the resurrection and the interaction with the women in the garden. From an audience perspective, since the word of a woman was not considered reliable compared to that of a man, to have the events told from a woman's perspective meant that the event had taken place as described and was considered factual and verified as far as the male mindset was concerned. It is things like this that give a more detailed insight into why things were written the way they were.