Context: 4 types and how they've helped me in studying Scripture

Recently I've had several conversations regarding the issue of context.  Some about Scripture and Biblical teachings and some about current events as related to or contrasted with historical events.  I love history.  I love reading about it, watching documentaries, talking to other history enthusiasts.  I often tell my kids that the more you learn about history the more you realize that truth really is stranger than fiction.  I'm certainly no expert in either the Scriptures or history; but one of my frustrations is seeing comments where the person clearly has no, or very little, understanding of Scripture or history. Or they try to understand them by only looking at a small piece or comparing them to how the world is today.   One of my favorite history writers is David McCullough he writes:  

This quote is a great summation of why context is so important to understand.  I've found that there are 4 types of context that are important to evaluate for a more full understanding of what I'm reading.  Also, these are a good "check" to make sure I'm not taking a verse out of context; which is dangerous since we should always be seeking to understand what God is saying and not bend Scripture to what we want it to say.  These have really helped me in understanding Scripture and history; here I'm going to use some examples from Scripture.

1) Literary Context - Literary context asks the questions: who is writing?  who are they writing to?  what is the passage? what is the overarching message/main idea? 

An example of this would be to look at Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." this is a verse that seems to be taken out of context a lot.  This verse is in the middle of a message Jeremiah is giving to the Israelites who are in captivity in Babylon.  The overarching message of this passage is that they will be in captivity for 70 years; God's plans are good for them and He will bring them out of captivity but there are consequences for their disobedience that they will have to endure.  This verse does not mean (as so often I've seen it portrayed) that life will be a bed of roses once we accept Christ and we will never face any bad things because "God has plans to prosper" (NIV translation)  this also does not mean that we will have monetary prosperity.  

2) Historical Context - Historical context asks the questions: where does this take place? what was the world like?  what was happening politically & socially?

So, in the case of the verse above (or the whole chapter) Jeremiah is writing in Israel warning the people what will happen if they don't turn back to God, and then what will happen now that they didn't turn to God.  Some are captives in Babylon while others are kept as captives in Israel.  Israel was overthrown by Babylon, they had been worshiping idols and disobeying the rules God had set out for them as a nation.  God had warned them before they entered the Promised Land that if they turned from Him they would be overthrown and taken captive.  (See Deuteronomy 4)

3) Cultural Context - Cultural context asks questions like: what was the culture like?  what were the societal norms of the time?  

One of the most frequent bashes against the Bible that I see from unbelievers is that they pull out a verse, typically from the Old Testament, and mock the guidelines given.  A favorite to bash is the one that says you shouldn't wear clothes of mixed materials or sow your fields with two types of seed. (I found a good summary of explanation for these commands Here .)  Many of these commands were often in response to the culture and how Israel would be distinct from the pagan nations around them.  One example of this from the New Testament is found in 1 Corinthians 11 where Paul talks about a woman covering her head.  Now, to us in our culture and time this may seem odd but in Corinth, at the time that Paul was teaching, a head covering for a woman was a sign that she was married so to go without one was to dishonor her husband and to announce she was available.  Paul is also addressing some of the underlying attitudes from this that were causing issues in the church at Corinth.   (a further explanation of the cultural guidelines around head coverings and some of the attitudes causing issues can be found Here ) 

4) Scriptural Context - Scriptural context asks the questions: what are parallel verses or passages to what I'm reading?  Are there other Biblical teachings or standards regarding this?  where does this fit into the overarching message of the Bible or this passage?

One passage that I was recently pointed to regarding this (thanks to Warren Wiersbe's study on 1 Corinthians titled "BE Wise")  is 1 Corinthians 13. Again, another passage that is often taken out of context.  Yes, it speaks to the qualities of showing genuine love; but in this particular passage Paul is speaking to Corinth about the proper place for spiritual gifts.  Our gifts are to be used for the common good of the church body and for building each other up. (See Philippians 2, Ephesians 4, Romans 14). If we preach, teach, minister, show hospitality or exercise any other spiritual gifts without love, they become as annoying as a loud clashing sound and can drive people away from rather than towards the Gospel. 

God is God and Truth is Truth and they never change; so yes, we can absolutely learn from, be encouraged by and grow from all of Scripture.  Yes, we can trust that God has good plans for us (see Romans 8:28-29 for a New Testament parallel; also note that God's goals for us are always eternal so His good plans often look very different than what we might imagine) but we must also see the context surrounding these verses and passages.    When we evaluate Scripture in context it becomes much richer and we learn so much more.  Culturally, today in the U.S., a woman not wearing a head covering isn't dishonoring her marriage; however, we do need to be mindful of other cultural things that we should not be conforming to, so that we are a light shining Truth to our world and not just blending in with society.  By putting passages into their literary, historical, cultural and Scriptural context we see more clearly the beauty and consistency of the Bible.  We can understand more fully the wisdom of God's commands and His great love and care for us.  We also see how we can better live for Him, glorify Him and share the Gospel with others.

A bit of crafting in 2021

 I thought I'd share the projects I've finished so far this year.  

This Bible cover was my first project this year.  The edges of my Bible are getting

a bit worn so I thought I'd try a cover.  I like how it came out and 

the color blends nicely with my Bible.

 

This blanket was requested by my 2nd daughter who loves all things to

do with foxes.  I had never done a fully single crochet blanket and I'm happy

with the detail.

This little rocket was a bit of a joke.  My husband asked me to make it 

based on something happening on a website he reads.  I ended up

having someone request to buy it so it worked out well. 

This hat was supposed to be for me.  I checked my gauge and went up a hook 

size to meet the gauge but it still ended up being too small.  She loves it so it 

has now become her's. 

What projects have you started?  Completed?  Or are hoping to work on this year?

First Importance

God has done it again. :)  I've had a blog post rattling around in my head for awhile now.  I jotted down some notes about a month or so ago regarding this subject but never had it all come together in my mind enough to feel that I could flesh it out into a full post.  Well, this past Sunday our Pastor preached a message with a similar message.   He preached on being Redeemed by Grace.  I was reminded of the notes I had jotted down and so I'm finally putting this post together. 

Paul's teaches in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 what is to be our primary message to the world and what is to be of "first importance" in our own lives:

                                                        "Now I would remind you, brothers, of the 

gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by 

which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you --

unless you believed in vain.  For I delivered to you of first importance what I 

also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 

that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day 

in accordance with the Scriptures,"

Notice Paul's words here; the Gospel, Jesus crucified as payment for our sins and raised in victory so we also can have victory over sin and death through Him, is what, through our believing and receiving brings us salvation (see Romans 10:9 & 13, Ephesians 2:8-9) but it is also what we as believers are to stand on as the foundation for everything in our lives and we are to hold fast to the Gospel!  Over and over Paul reminds the Corinthians to keep the focus of their lives on Jesus and on the Gospel.  In Chapter 1 Paul talks about how distractions are causing divisions within the church and how that we need to depend on God's wisdom and not our own.  He begins Chapter 2 by reminding them of what is really important...what the church is all about; WHO is to be its focus. 

"And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming 

to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom.  

For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.  

And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 

and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, 

but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith 

might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God." (vs. 1-5)

 It wasn't how great Paul could write a sermon or how wise or educated he was.  Paul said Jesus crucified, the testimony of God, the Spirit, power and wisdom of God; these are what are most important. 

What are we telling the world (by actions or words) is of first importance?  Dressing a certain way?  Attending church? Being part of a certain political party?  Having it all "together" so no one sees your sin? Or maybe even that certain sins are acceptable but others aren't so they just need to make sure they stay within the certain acceptable sins?  Are we more concerned with judging the sins of unbelievers or preaching the Gospel?  What have we let distract us?  The Devil knows that Jesus is the Key!  If he can distract us from sharing the Gospel, if he can keep us running in circles discussing political issues, if he can keep us focused on earthly things then the Devil knows our effectiveness for the Gospel will be greatly decreased if we even have any effectiveness at all.  Matthew 6:21 reminds us that "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."  Where is your heart's focus?  On modifying someone's behavior or sharing the Gospel so that Jesus can give them a brand new heart? 

Two final thoughts on all of this. First: in chapter 5 of 1 Corinthians Paul scolds the church for judging the actions of unbelievers while allowing sin to go unchecked within the church; in verses 12-13 Paul says:

"For what have I to do with judging outsiders?  Is it not 

those inside the church whom you are to judge?  God judges

those outside.  "Purge the evil person from among you.""

The world is in darkness, those without Christ are blind to the Truth; we need to be a witness to them, lets make sure we are being a testimony for Christ with our own lives and shining His light into the darkness...they don't need our judgement and condemnation...they need Jesus! 

Second, this does not mean that we don't speak truth, but I'm concerned that we (myself included, and something I'm prayerfully working on) have become so caught up in speaking truth that we forget that Jesus Himself was not only truth but grace.  John 1:14 reminds us:

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we 

have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of 

grace and truth."

"You're not doing me any good if all you do is grace me and I know no truth; but if I got me some truth but I don't have any grace how will I ever have the dignity to get back up again after the pit I have been in, I gotta have a Savior who is full of grace and truth." ~ Beth Moore

Our world is full of people trapped in a pit of sin, many believers have been in a deep dark place of sin.  Paul addresses those believers in sin in the verses about from Chapter 5.  We all need both Jesus' grace and His truth; then we need to shine that grace and truth of Jesus to the hurting world around us because the truth is that it is only through grace that there is salvation....and that my friends...sharing the Gospel for the salvation of souls is what is the to be of first importance!  

Ephesians 2:8-9

"For by grace you have been saved through faith.  And this 

is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works,

so that no one may boast."