Communication only establishes the raw material that is to be interpreted, understood, and applied to ourselves. Perhaps the most important variable we must consider for properly interpreting the biblical text is Context. It has been said that a text lifted out of context, and thus misapplied, becomes a pretext. As you study your Bible and think through what is said, shown, and implied, keep these questions ready in your mind:
- What kind of text is this? The biblical text ranges in literary type from narrative to legal code to poetry to biography and epistles (letters). Understanding the type of literary structure that is being used helps us greatly with questions of application.
- In what period of history was this written? Does this text pertain to the time before Moses, the time of Israel, or the life of Christ and His apostles? Knowing whether a command or example is binding, for instance, depends greatly on its ability to be properly applied to Christians today.
- What is said immediately before and after this text? This “local context” can shed much light on how we should approach a particular line of scripture. For example: “If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” (Lk 4.7) sounds great, right? Yes, up till the point when we read all of Luke 4 and notice that these are SATAN’S WORDS TO JESUS!
- What is said about this text elsewhere in scripture? This “remote context” allows the rest of scripture to inform our understanding of a particular line or section. For example, 1 Cor. 1.17a seems to downplay (or negate) the importance of baptism: “For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel...” However, after seeing that Jesus commanded both preaching AND baptism of believers (Mark 16.15-16), both occurred on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2.14.41), and even Paul was himself baptized (Acts 9.18), we can see that Paul wasn’t picking preaching over baptism, he was dealing with a specific problem in Corinth.
The Bible was written to be read, and understood.
Let’s rightly handle “the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2.15)
Kyle Sanders
Kyle has been preaching since 2016 in Chiefland, Florida and Clinton, Mississippi before coming to work with the Jamestown church of Christ in 2021. Before preaching, he spent several years as a high school mathematics teacher in Indiana, Kentucky, and Florida. Kyle is a teacher at heart and brings his love of studying and interacting with students into his preaching and teaching efforts. He and his wife, a native Hoosier, have been blessed with five children, two dogs, a full house and zero leftovers.