The Incarnation is the pattern for God’s revelation. God has always delivered his truth in ways accessible to particular cultures as exemplified in the way the Hebrew Scriptures bear the marks of ancient Jewish culture. The prophets and apostles who wrote the Bible communicated God’s truth in language common to their culture, and they addressed issues present in their culture in appropriate ways.
Paul, for example, knew his address and the addresses of his hearers. His speech at Mars Hill in Athens is a classic example of cultural adaptation. He knew exactly to whom he was speaking, and he shaped his speech to their understanding. He started his speech in their world and moved them to the world of the gospel. The next week, speaking to Jews in a synagogue in Corinth, he used different thought patterns and language to make the same point.
Paul made tents to support himself in Corinth lest he offend the new believers. Later, in Ephesus, he rented a hall where he taught the Christian faith for three years. His constant cultural adaptation is summed up in his powerful statement in 1 Corinthians 9:22-23: “I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel.”