We have a hard time understanding old writings. Our minds don't work in the categories of ancient people. Consider the category of transportation.
Most people for most of history considered walking as the primary mode of transportation. Some animals were available to ride or drive, and boats could carry people over bodies of water. But most transportation was by foot.
Imagine stepping out of your front door when the only means of movement was walking. That hill looks steeper. It takes lots of effort and planning to get to a store. It might take half a day to pick up some food. Traveling more than about 10 miles would be out of the question. The world looks much bigger, and your own world becomes much smaller.
Survival depends on having the necessities of life close at hand. You grow your own food. You really know your neighbors. You feel the threat of the elements. Life is more fragile. But life is also simpler. Being closer to the edge of survival makes you ponder the more profound realities of life.
That mindset is so far from ours in the 21st century. When we try to understand the world of the Bible, we just don't get it. It takes some effort and imagination to think like a first century person. But the scripture comes to life when we begin to see the world like they did.
