The Historical Milieu With Poor Illustrations for the Historic-Literary Hermeneutic

Virkler gives a rather extreme 'trick-or-treat” example here because there are no good Bible examples.
Virkler gives the Mark 7 example of 'corban'; but there is no extra-Biblical understanding of the culture that he explains. The Pharisaic tradition is derived from studying the text and linguistics not in understanding a prevailing culture.
Virkler offers cultural insight into Genesis 15:9-21 BUT IT IS ENTIRELY FABRICATED

This is where Abraham divides a number of sacrifices and passes through the mist to seal a covenant with God.
Virkler says “In Abraham's time two parties making a legal agreement” … would do this. There are no sources for this conjecture. i.e. Which came first the chicken or the egg?
The only source for such a conjecture is Dr. Mucketymuck of Someorother Seminary who taught that the Jews copied Hammurabi's laws … so they must have copied this covenant sealing ritual from the world as well. Jews are not authentic, they are just copycats they go on to say..
With no sources this conjecturing about cultures is just that.

Knowledge of what customs will clarify the meaning of given actions.