One of the biggest mistakes I see people make when studying the Bible is the failure to consider context. The inspired words of God did not drop down in book form in a vacuum. The Holy Spirit moved men to write eternal truth in their times, cultures, languages, and personalities.
Types of Context
By context, I mean the unique place, time, and style of each part of God’s Word. We may consider several different contexts in a passage of Scripture.
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Literary Context
God used several different types of context to communicate His truth to us. Likewise, we should understand different types of literature in different ways. Poetry reads differently that narrative. We understand letters differently than historical writing. The book of Revelation and several parts of Old Testament prophecy include cryptic apocryphal language. We have to interpret them in that light.
Historical Context
The authors of the Bible lived and wrote in times different than ours. When we understand the cultural norms and practices of Bible times, we gain deeper insight into its message. Good Bible interpretation considers what the Bible meant to its original readers and hearers. Then we can find application for our current lives. The Bible cannot mean something it never meant.
Grammatical Context
The Bible is a written document. (I know, duh!) It was written primarily in two languages, Hebrew for the Old Testament and Greek for the New Testament. Additionally, there is a little of the ancient Aramaic in the Old Testament as well. Translators work diligently to bridge the gap between those languages in the Biblical period and our contemporary language.
Likewise, we must consider a word in its relationship to the sentence. We look at the sentence in relation to the chapter, chapter to book, and book to the entire Biblical narrative. Never forget that the Bible, Genesis to Revelation, is a unified story. Grammatically, how does a particular passage fit into the whole narrative?
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A Case in Context Point
Just the other day a Facebook post described a “new” meaning to Psalm 23:5, “You anoint my head with oil.” According to the article, shepherds rubbed the heads of sheep with oil to protect them from flies who would lay maggots in their ears. The sheep in turn might injure themselves by beating their heads against rocks in an attempt to alleviate the torment. The article’s author drew the conclusion that God helps us when we are mentally tormented.
I do not claim to be an expert on shepherding – today or in David’s time. Shepherds may very well anoint their sheep for such a purpose; however, that is not the meaning of Psalm 23:5.
The clearest understanding is found in grammatical and literary contexts.
Grammatical
In Psalm 23:5 David attributes three actions to God. God prepares a table for David in the presence of his enemies. He anoints David’s head with oil. Then God pours an overrunning supply into David’s cup.
Sheep do not sit at tables and eat, and they do not drink from cups. Since the first and third actions do not apply to sheep, why should we suggest the one in the middle does?
Historical
The three actions David ascribes to God were common displays of hospitality a host would extend to a guest. Upon the guest’s arrival, the host would provide fragrant oil to refresh the body. Then he would present a cup of the finest libation available in the home. Finally, the host would be sure to provide something for his guest to eat. All three actions describe a good host. David is pointing out that even when death and enemies threaten, God takes the time to provide an abundant and intimate fellowship with His followers.
Give Attention to Context
When we fail to account for those unique factors, we run the risk of misunderstanding or misusing God’s truth. When you read the Bible take the time to ask yourself a few questions.
- Are there customs and practices that may be different then than today?
- How does this Scripture fit in with the chapter, book, and the whole story of the Bible?
- Am I reading into this passage something I want it to say, or am I letting it speak on its on?
Read on. Study. Meditate. Learn to do more than casually read God’s Word, learn to take the deep dive into His truth.
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For further reading:
Questions That Apply the Bible to Your Life
How to Do A Bible Verse Analysis