Having read excerpts from several sacred scriptures, namely the Jewish Bible, the New Testament, and the Qur’an, I managed to perceive the guidance for people’s daily life they provided from the perspective of their contemporaries. Since these texts were created in different environments, their implications differ, although the goal of all three is to impose rules and introduce guidance in spiritual and related spheres. Despite the similarities in instruction, the tone and emphasized issues differ, which implies different lifestyle choices according to the commands.
The text of the Jewish Bible sounds strict and emphasizes the fear of punishment or even death that people should feel if they commit a wrongful action. As a person living under the guidance of these commands, I would have been constrained in the choice of clothes, tools for work, and other everyday items. In my personal relationships, I would have been obligated to report private issues to the elders of the town while living under the pressure of strict moral expectations, the violation of which might result in deathly punishment.
Unlike the Jewish Bible, the narration of the New Testament’s commands sounds more positive and emphasizes not the punishments but encouragement to act kindly, morally, and spiritually. If I had lived in those times, I would have prioritized the church and the family as the most important things in life. I would devote myself to teaching my children the lessons of being kind, merciful, wise, forgiving, and patient.
As for the Qur’an, this scripture’s guidelines are similar to those of the Jewish Bible in terms of underlying the harmfulness of sins. Since the excerpt determines the importance of being aware of God’s continuous presence in human life, I would have been a very religious person in ancient times that would respect the commands of God and never sin in fear of being punished. Besides, I would have been particularly concerned with material things and wealth in terms of inheritance. Conclusively, the impact of scriptures on everyday human life was very significant. Not only the spiritual sphere was guided by the religious texts and institutions but also the relationships between people, their everyday activities, family life, finances, and other aspects. Therefore, the ancient societies guided by these scriptures were highly dependent on religion and lived according to its implications.