🐍“If Your Son Asks for Bread…” | How Culture Shapes Bible Reading

“If your son asks for bread, you will not give him a snake.”

For many of us, this sounds obvious. But in some cultures, snake is considered a delicacy. So what does this example really communicate?

In this episode of Faith Across Borders, two pastors one from Ghana and one from China explore how cultural background shapes the way we read and understand the Bible.

What seems clear in one culture may feel completely different in another. And that changes how we hear Jesus’ words.

Discover how reading the Bible across cultures can deepen your understanding of Scripture.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:02

The Bible has the same text around the world, but it does not experience the same with everything. In this episode, Brother Desbot and Pastor Ganard reflect on Luke 11, verses 11 to 13, and explore how to shapes the way we read it. Welcome to Faith Across Borders at MAK Studio. Today we'll be exploring very interesting text about snake and bread in Luke chapter 11, verses 11. It was a question that Jesus asked. And in the studio, we have two guests to help us unpack this text. I have Pastor Nana from Ghana, and he is the lead pastor of Love Christian Center in Amsterdam, the South Ost. And also we have brother Desmond. He's from Singapore. He moved to the Netherlands in 1991. And he is also involved in Good Shepherd FL Ministry in Germany. A cross-cultural and interdenominational ministry. You're welcome. Thank you very much. Thank you. Now I'll read the text from the New King James version, then we'll try to unpack this text. Luke chapter 11, verses 11. If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Now in this text, what does snake and bread mean in your own home country? I would like to start with Pastor Nana. Well, interestingly.

SPEAKER_02 2:11

In my own country, I come from Ghana. And to talk about snake, we are talking about an endangerous uh reptile, and we're talking of a deceiver. We are talking about something that deceived humanity to bring us where we are. So we see it as a very dangerous and deceitful animal. And when we talk about bread, we know we are the word of God is the bread of life. And uh we know we need bread to sustain us. So Jesus was trying to compare our fatherly love and our uh let me put this way. He was trying to compare a fatherly love and godly love, that if we are fathers could do that, why can't he do? So he would not give us anything which is opposite when we come to him. So in our context, snake is deceitful and dangerous, and bread is for life. That's what I can say for life.

SPEAKER_01 3:07

Okay. Because I realized that uh depending on where you come from, these symbols could have different meaning. So, brother Desmond, snake in the Chinese culture, Asian culture, for me, I think it's a delicacy. How would you respond to that? Because it has to, I mean, uh guy, like we do eat snakes. Yeah, we're not.

SPEAKER_00 3:32

So, how would you interpret this text exactly? But okay, snakes, uh, we we can interpret it in a in a very uh, let's say in both ways. Okay, you also have in the Bible where you say be wise as a serpent, but harmless as dove. Yeah, so yeah, snakes can be uh yeah, can be very flexible, can be very intelligent. On the negative side of it, you could see as dangerous, potentially he may harm you. So, yeah, so I do not okay. God makes snakes too, just like you know, yeah, God makes you know the other thing. Of course, in the Bible we know the cultural background of the where it explained that the serpent is the one that deceived. So we tend to associate as Christian, all right? But to uh a Chinese uh uh Christian, all right, we do not uh see that in in let's say exactly only the negative part of it. It's a bit also the same like dragon, okay? In the in the uh in the revelation, you'll be talking about the dragon, the beast, and the things like that, all right? But actually, also in the culture of uh the Chinese that this dragon is like a heavenly creature, all right, is mighty, all right? So it does not necessarily mean uh negative in that sense, but we understand we live in the world in the West, okay, where it's predominantly we see it from a certain perspective that way. So come back to snake again. Let's be wise the serpent, but harmless as does that doof.

SPEAKER_01 5:14

So, does that mean that if you have a Bible study on this text with Chinese uh congregation, yeah, how would they perceive this text? Because I believe it's written from a context. Yes. Luke is writing from a context. Yes. And now you are reading from your ancient Chinese context. Yes, yes. Would you say that the question Jesus asked was erroneous, or it has a different interpretation?

SPEAKER_00 5:44

I think not at all. If you take the whole whole verse, yeah, yeah, okay, a snake and a stone, yeah, yeah. Yeah. So I I I would not uh see that there will be any uh let's say misunderstanding or felt that you've been deceived in that sense. But people basically understand the contrast that is being made there. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 6:08

But in terms of good say in terms of like where I come from, I'm a Ghanaian. Yeah, and you eat snakes too? Maybe other parts.

SPEAKER_00 6:17

Other parts, okay.

SPEAKER_02 6:19

But when we see a snake, everybody will run. Okay, it's a dangerous thing.

SPEAKER_00 6:26

Yeah, yes.

SPEAKER_02 6:27

You know, so it's not something you do you want it to come your way. Okay. No, not at all. Okay. But I know probably in Asia. I was in Thailand recently, yeah, and I realized that openly they um they eat um alligators.

SPEAKER_00 6:43

Yes, they do.

SPEAKER_02 6:44

Yeah, I but in other parts it's it's uh it's it's like where I come from, no. Okay, yeah. So if I want to, you know, out of this context, if I want to explain it, I will explain it as a dangerous thing. But yeah, somebody from Asia will say, Oh, no, no, no, it's not dangerous. It's something which is a delicacy.

SPEAKER_00 7:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 7:04

So I don't know how I sneak, but it's also a delicacy at your end.

SPEAKER_00 7:07

Yes, yes, it is uh in many parts of Asia. Yeah. Sometimes we joke about it. We eat anything that moves, that fly, that swim, and of course we don't eat furniture that don't move.

SPEAKER_01 7:24

All right, thank you very much. Okay. So, from this reading, what struck you when I read this text? Of course, it's not new to you, but what struck you and how could it be explained to our migrant communities? I start with uh Pastor Nana.

SPEAKER_02 7:44

I think basically I'll say that we see the analogy of deceit, somebody who is sneaky, somebody who uh stable, and we see another person who is able to feed us, give us bread, to sustain us and make sure that everything goes well with us. So it will be very simple to bring a narrative out, like, okay, you have two choices. Are you going to choose the one who deceives you, or you're going to choose the one who gives you life? So you depend on the person. But I will portray that. I would always advise you to choose somebody who gives you life and not to follow someone who will be deceitful. Because if your fathers who are evil or who are not even godly could do that, how much God? So I would just simply put it straight. Please choose what is good for you. And what is good for you is the bread of life, which is God. All right.

SPEAKER_00 8:43

I fully agree with Pastor Nana, okay, that there is a choice, but also we also need to be very careful because sometimes deception, danger comes in a camouflaged way, in a hidden way that you do not know. Okay, so all the more we must be very close to our Heavenly Father. All right. Then we are able to discern, yeah, whether what is coming, is it really a snake, or is it something attractive? That is something that is uh a beautiful promise, you know, like the way uh this uh Eve and Adam were being deceived in the yeah in the Garden of Eden. Yeah. So, yes, it's a choice. Yeah, we must really choose uh to decide and uh to follow, yeah, the one that gives us life, that give us nourishment, give us real hope. Yeah. So I I felt that yeah, it's very important. That that strikes me, the contrast is very great. That even we human beings, we are not perfect, we are sinful, and yet, you know, no normal, loving parents will want to harm your own children, right? Yeah. So so let's learn from our Heavenly Father.

SPEAKER_01 10:03

Yes. So are there moments in your life when you prayed to God for bread and you were expecting to give snake? Well, I'm saying that symbolically, yeah, uh, not snake, you know, or serpent, but uh at the moment in your life when you prayed to God for provision, you thought, oh, I'm gonna receive snake, but the Lord provided bread. Yes. It could be in ministry, it could be uh, you know, for your daily life.

SPEAKER_00 10:34

Yes, yes. Indeed, so I had uh this, you see, in the ministry, many times we have not enough resources. That's right. Whether manpower or whatever. So sometimes you are eager, all right? If somebody says, okay, I want to serve, okay, you are more than happy, you won't come and say, please let me check your background first, you know, and uh whether you know you have some mistress somewhere else or whatever. So I remember very clearly in our ministry, in the early stage of the ministry, and it's recommended by somebody, yeah? And when it's recommended by somebody, you thought that should be okay, yeah? And somehow I have no peace with this person. I do not know why. You know, he can quote the Bible very well, he's very eloquent, he could speak well, and every time he knows he knows the right answer to give you, all right? But somehow my spirit is being disturbed. So as a result, I approached the person who recommended, I just explained to him that somehow I feel something is wrong. Alright? I say, you have to let me know. If you know that there is something not correct, you must let me know. Because it's a very serious, very serious problem. We don't want to shame the name of God, right? So if something happens, especially if it's very bad and there's a bad publicity, I think you can destroy the whole ministry at all. So, but he told me, the guy who recommended, oh, we are Christian, you know, we shouldn't say anything bad about anybody. I'm saying I'm not asking you to gossip, I'm only asking you to tell me the truth. All right? But so if you refuse to tell me the truth, exactly what is happening, I give you three days. After the three days, if I don't hear from you, I will just simply stop it because I'm not peaceful. Something is wrong. The spirit is warning me about something. Just about a third day, he called me up and he tells me the truth. And the truth is very ugly and very dangerous, it's like a snake. There was somebody who is a convicted pedophile. He has sex offense against children, all right? And he's still under provision, but he's still not complying with it. So I say, I say, I thank you for letting me know about this. Okay, I will contact the person. I'm going to talk nicely to that person, and we're gonna stop the co-working, yeah, or the participation in that. And that person refused to contact me, so I have to go through another person to do that. So you see, that is how dangerous, how deceptive the devil can be in the form of a snake. Okay, so I think in the ministry, though we may know the needs, though we are really praying very hard for resources, but we must not be desperate. We must leave it into the hand of God, okay? And God did not ask us for everything, right? If we only have five loaves, did God ask us for a thousand loaves? No. So if God provides even the few who are very faithful, we must be very thankful. And I'm thankful that now after that incident, all right, God did not send hundreds of co-workers or thousands of co-workers, but we have a group of very faithful people who work together, who are Christ-centered, who are willing to follow God. So I think this is a step of faith that I have to learn. I'm still learning in the ministry that really you have to really have to trust in God, not upon human planning, not upon thinking of okay, uh who I can recruit, you know, okay, and yeah, or something or oh, he comes in a big mercy dispense, so probably he can donate more or something like that. No, it's not like that, it has to be God's way. Wow. So I'm thankful for that. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 15:00

I I see that that's very dear to your heart and it's a lived experience. And for Pastor Nana, how would you share your experience in this kind of uh context?

SPEAKER_02 15:11

In terms of somebody creeping in, or how you pray to God and then if you could go again with a question, I'll be.

SPEAKER_01 15:19

Yes, I uh you you pray to God uh to give bread, but you were expecting snake symbolically, but I mean, just like uh Brother Desmond shared his testimony. Have you encountered such kind of um a situation whereby you were expecting snake symbolically, but the Lord provided bread in ministry, in career, in your daily life?

SPEAKER_02 15:47

Actually, mine will be very simple. When we're looking for a building tool, right? We thought we could do it within a few months, and we ended up spending almost almost a year and a half because in trying to get the uh the uh funds were stuff, so we got a point we wanted to give up because everybody that had come our way was deceptive, the promises were never came to pass. So we had to struggle for almost one and a half years, and even the last minute, whilst we wanted to do that, then came across we have kept so long. If you don't do that within a week, we are going to charge you another 15% on top of the amount you owe already. So you're so devastated, you don't know, yet all of a sudden God comes in. So, in the midst of all the challenges, still God came through. So that's that's a big testimony. So, in in essence, as much as there were difficulties, the God who provides bread came through and provided for us. Yeah, that's part of the story I can say for now.

SPEAKER_00 17:11

Yeah, but sometimes I felt that it's like walking on water. Yeah, you take the step of faith, and sometimes God did not uh show us straight away. Now, okay, turn left, turn right, turn. No. But sometimes it's uh it's waiting upon God. So I, you know, uh my background, my working background in uh before I'm doing uh ministry uh right now, full-time, is actually a lot of planning. You have to handle more complex things. So you're so used to it, you know, and suddenly, my God, what is going on? But you felt the peace from God that leads you. I'm gonna give you an example, all right? Uh we have uh about the German uh ministry that we have, okay. We used to have uh uh this camping house, which which we don't use very often. So we open it up for pastors, for missionary, for family in need. And suddenly we know we felt that we really need to buy our own right now because camping place, the ground is not yours. And when we start looking around, we thought that that was it, something like this. But suddenly, God shifted and God showed us some this present building which is much bigger, and we do not know. And when I look at it, straight away I tell God it's impossible, really impossible. Only you can do it. And I prayed out there, yeah. And I mean, as as an Asian, as a Chinese, let me uh just explain. Number four, uh our character number four, yeah? One, two, three, four. Four actually means death. Okay, yeah, and the house number is number four. So I just I sit outside that and I pray, God, I'm not yet ready. I'm not yet ready. Yeah. Okay, but yeah. Okay, if it's your will, God, you will do it. All right, and so it's left straight away that okay, God, if it's your will, you can do it. And when we took that step of faith, I said, My God, I think a lot of people tell me, Oh, you better be careful. You're you're going in the wrong way, you're going into a like uh, you know, uh a sandpit, you know, sinking sand inside. God did it. No, God did it.

SPEAKER_01 19:51

Yeah, yeah. It's so amazing how symbols and uh, you know, imageries can influence the way we interpret scriptures. Yeah, and that is exactly what this podcast is all about, you know, faith across borders. And to my audience, I like to encourage you that this podcast will help us engage with the scriptures. And I'd like to ask both of you uh in the context of migration, how would you encourage uh the migrant communities with the same text? Because migration comes with blessings, at the same time comes with challenges. You know, how would you interpret the concept of the bread and the snake uh, you know, for our migrant communities?

SPEAKER_02 20:41

But I'll put it this way with regard to the migrant community, because migration itself is a headache for people. It's a headache, uh, it draws you back, it destructs your image, it destructs your identity, it's kind of putting you off your feet. So the potency of being deceived is great because you migrate for success. So while you migration, you think it also about money, money, money. So through that journey, there's a lot of deception in the way. But if you come to know God and trust God, that's where your faith plays part, knowing that no, I'm going to trust and believe God that what comes my way, I'm going to succeed. And if I'm based on this word whereby Satan is deceptive, and if my father, who is not that holy, will not give me uh bread, if it will not give me snake instead of bread, then God, who is able above all, a sovereign God who loves us, if I rely on him. We just have to be sure and patient and trust that God will come our way. And in due course, God has shown us tremendously that He's still God. And nothing can come between him and Him. He will do it anyway and anyhow. All we need is to trust Him and make sure that we don't go through all the negative things to disobey God because of the problems we're facing currently. Because God is God and at all costs He'll come through for us. Okay, thank you, Brother Desmond.

SPEAKER_00 22:31

Yeah, it's indeed a big challenge also for me. Of course, I came in uh not as an illegal uh immigrant. Okay, I have a proper job and all that kind of thing. But even that is very difficult uh for me, uh, in the sense that uh the culture is different, the mentality is different, and I don't speak Dutch, the language. And when I first ended up in Amira at that time, it's a very small place, about 50,000, and there is no English-speaking church at all at that time. And I say, my God, I'm used to after my work, I work until 8, 9 a.m. and then I go to the supermarket, but here the supermarket closes at 6 o'clock, something like that, or five, even five, yeah? Okay, something like this. And also the the people, all right, that you meet. I I met a lot of wonderful people, local people. I'm very thankful, all right? But also there are some uh not so uh friendly people that we have uh met as well. And when you are working, you come in, all right? You are not familiar with the culture, and so I have somebody who who who try to exploit in that sense, you know, it's actually a public holiday here, all right? But he doesn't tell me, he expects us all to work, and when there is a public holiday back in Singapore and it's not a public holiday, so we are working too, and we don't get paid extra in that sense, you know what I mean? So in that sense, it's like you know, uh exploitation, yeah? So yeah, so uh, but I'm thankful when there was a uh a big problem that came at that time. Okay, normally when you come in first, uh you get a short-term uh working permit or stay permit. All right, and for God did a miracle, which I did not realize, which I did not realize, something happened when I was working, and the company threatened me. It says that okay, if I do not cooperate and do certain things, it's going to terminate my working permit and stay permit. Alright? But lo and behold, you know what happened? Only God knows. I did not ask for it. My permit, stay permit, and working permit was changed to longer term and not dependent upon the company. Yeah? So you see how God rescued. My my uh encouragement is to people who are facing uh challenges, you know. You are walking into an area where you are vulnerable and you probably need help. The first help really comes from God, and secondly, seek out a church or people who love God and uh and seek their help. And I want to give another example, if I may. If I may there was a case, a real case, of an elderly. We are talking about an elderly uh lady that came in to work. All right, she was thinking that she was working uh legally, and she was she she really had to do that because of some family situation. She needs the money. And she was cheated in that sense. But fortunately, she managed to get herself and come to the church. He approached us, and then we understand the situation. And so we took the effort to go in against actually, there can be also a dangerous situation if you are dealing with the wrong type of people who can be very nasty. So we call up the embassy first, you know, where she comes from and explain the situation and tell the embassy what is happening and what we plan to do, and with the advice from the embassy. So we went in nicely to the situation and explained to the people that this person, you have to let this person go, go back home. All right, return the passport and all that kind of thing. Okay, so we thank God that we managed to do so. But some people are afraid. I can understand. They say, oh, it's it's not my business, you know. I cannot bring it myself into harm's way. Yeah, or some are even one even tell me, oh, the church don't get involved in this kind of thing. All right. So, okay, I want to leave it to that church to decide what they what they think, but what Jesus thinks is more important. So this is a situation that we encounter, and we are also helping these vulnerable people, uh refugees or people. So this is uh we feel we must have the courage to listen to God and willing to do it, to take up our cross. Sometimes it doesn't mean it's going to be easy.

SPEAKER_01 27:45

Yeah. All right. We would like to wrap up, but um, I would like you to share some words of advice to uh Christian brothers in the Netherlands and in the Flames, and of course, uh the migrant communities. How would they benefit from this text? How can this text come alive for them?

SPEAKER_02 28:10

Well, my simple advice would be just trust God. God has spoken and he will do it, and he's given us a clear example who he is as God, who we are as humans, as mortals. And if we know how to do good things, how much more about him? And he explained that okay, this is who I am, this is what I want to do for you. The choice is yours. I will never give you any bad things, I will only help you to fulfill your dream. All I wanted you to know is that simple, I am God all by myself. Everything I say is final. Rely on him, rely on him, read his word, read his word, rely on him, trust him, pray. And it does no matter how difficulty the situation is, God will come through. I I have encountered so many difficult situations, and always, it does not matter how long it takes, the Lord comes through. I'm a living testimony of what God can do. Take somebody right from nowhere and bring him to the highest position. He's God by Himself. Trust Him. If our early fathers know how to give good things to us, how much God is the whole world.

SPEAKER_00 29:33

Amen. I fully agree with Pastor Nana. Yes. And uh one thing that came into my mind is that you know, all things work for good for those who love God. And there are some times we may make decisions that is not the best because we want it. Yeah. So be careful of what we are asking for, okay? And when God give, show us a different way, help us ask God to grant us the grace and the strength to follow Him. And especially in a migrant context, when you are thrown into a situation, you probably may face discrimination or you can be cheated, exploited, whatever. Commit it into the hand of God, okay? And he is our Heavenly Father, He is also our good shepherd, and He will lead us. So this is my encouragement. And I know that especially right now for some of the migrants that come from countries that are very difficult, okay? Whether it's religious uh persecution or difficulty, stand strong on your faith. All right. When we honor God, God is going to honor us, okay? And as leaders, I felt that we should set the example, okay? And uh uh I want to be uh careful about you know uh just telling people everything will be fine, okay, God is going to provide you three meals or a day, you know, you're gonna get 1,000 uh euro, you know, the next week or something like that. I I won't do that, but it says whatever God promised to provide, okay, and as leaders, uh action speak louder than words. Let's lead by example. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 31:30

Wow, this text has really been unpacked. And uh I'd like to say very big thank you and uh to our audience till we come your way next time for another interesting episode on faith across borders. Samuel is my name, and I'll be your host. Bye for now. Bye.