Context, Context, Context

Read the text exchange below.

  • Context matters. How might context be important when we read a Bible passage?

 

When reading the Bible it’s best to clarify what the writer means, not what we want it to mean to us! Without a good sense for a passage’s context, we could come to all kinds of problematic conclusions about what it means.

In some cases, it’s hard to know how sound our understanding of a Bible passage is. If so, it’s worth getting the perspective of mature Christians who really know and respect God’s Word. You can also check out the recommendations below!

Uncovering context

To figure out context, we consider things like:

  • Who wrote this?
  • Who were they writing to?
  • Why was it written?
  • When and where was it written? 
  • What was happening culturally at that time?

 

Physical Bibles typically begin each book by answering these questions. Here are some other trusted guides that’ll help you figure out context: