Unlocking the Bible's Meaning
Keys To Interpreting Scripture
Key #2
The literary context always determines the meaning of the author’s words and sentences.
The importance of this principle for understanding and interpreting the Scriptures cannot be over emphasized. The failure to consider the context when reading, studying or quoting the Bible (or any other form of literature for that matter) has resulted in endless error, misinterpretation and misunderstanding.
Our English word context comes from a Latin word ('contextus') which means to ‘weave together’. In order to understand the proper meaning of an author’s word, phrase or sentence, we must always consider it together with (weaved together with) the surrounding words, phrases and sentences. It is this literary context that determines and/or clarifies the intended meaning of the author. Without a literary context, a word or phrase can have several different meanings, many of which do not correctly convey the author’s meaning and some of which directly contradict his meaning.
Here is a hypothetical example. Let’s say that you received a partial text from a friend which reads “I’m leaving my wife”. What would you make of such a statement? What does it mean? Is it even possible to know your friend’s meaning without more information (without a context)? For sake of illustration, let’s consider the various potential meanings of the phrase “I’m leaving my wife” when it is connected to a specific context.
“I’m leaving my wife for another woman.”
“I’m leaving my wife to go to the store.”
“I’m leaving my wife alone for a few minutes.”
“I’m leaving my wife with the nurse.”
“I’m leaving my wife at the beach.”
“I’m leaving my wife my entire estate.”
“I’m leaving my wife to watch the kids tonight.”
“I am leaving my wife the key to the safe.”
“I’m leaving my wife in charge of our finances.”
“I am leaving my wife a full tank of gas.”
“I’m leaving my wife in the car while I go inside.”
“I’m leaving my wife resting on the sofa.”
“I’m leaving my wife to answer the question for herself.”
“I am leaving my wife in a quandary.”
Dr. Joseph Dillow has made the observation that “a word [or phrase] without a context can have no real meaning, only a potential meaning.” As illustrated above, the possible meanings of a given word or phrase are almost limitless. Only the context reveals the proper meaning (the author’s intended meaning). Note: Even the examples above would typically require more contextual information before they could be correctly understood in their full and complete sense.
The dictionary definition of taking something “out of context” is to consider the text without regard to the surrounding words, phrases, sentences and circumstances (therefore making it not fully understandable). In spite of this definition and its critical importance for understanding the Bible, it has become almost universally commonplace for pastors, teachers and authors, as well as Bible study leaders and participants, to read and quote passages of Scripture without regard to their proper contextual setting. This unfortunate practice, an illegitimate form of what is called “proof texting”, is typically employed to prove a point or to add credibility and support to what the speaker or writer wants to emphasize. Regardless of whether it is being done intentionally or unintentionally (naively), taking a verse or passage out of its context is irresponsible and even unethical, especially when it serves to misrepresent the author’s original meaning, i.e., what God intended to communicate in the first place. As Dr. R.C. Sproul says “much false teaching is not deliberate but comes as a result of ignorance”, none-the-less it is still false teaching that misrepresents God’s intentional meaning.
Helpful Hints:
The best way to avoid taking a passage out of its context is to leave it in its context.
Therefore, as you read and study the Bible, make a deliberate and conscious effort to avoid thinking of phrases or verses outside of (or without regard for) their literary context.
Always keep in mind that the correct meaning is always the author’s original intended meaning (see Key #1) and that the author’s meaning is revealed by the immediate and overall context, i.e., within the scope of the surrounding concepts and ideas.
As your read the Bible, periodically ask yourself...
1. What is this paragraph or section about?
2. What is this book about?
3. What do these verses mean in light of the verses, paragraphs and chapters that surround them?
Finally, remember that the definition of a literary context is the setting for an event, statement, or idea; the parts of something written that immediately precede and follow a word, sentence or idea in order to clarify its meaning. So, if you want to interpret the Bible correctly always pay close attention to the context, because when it comes to understanding Scripture its all about context, context, context!
Go to Key #3
If you have any questions or comments about this article, please feel free to contact us.
Keys To Interpreting Scripture
Key #2
The literary context always determines the meaning of the author’s words and sentences.
The importance of this principle for understanding and interpreting the Scriptures cannot be over emphasized. The failure to consider the context when reading, studying or quoting the Bible (or any other form of literature for that matter) has resulted in endless error, misinterpretation and misunderstanding.
Our English word context comes from a Latin word ('contextus') which means to ‘weave together’. In order to understand the proper meaning of an author’s word, phrase or sentence, we must always consider it together with (weaved together with) the surrounding words, phrases and sentences. It is this literary context that determines and/or clarifies the intended meaning of the author. Without a literary context, a word or phrase can have several different meanings, many of which do not correctly convey the author’s meaning and some of which directly contradict his meaning.
Here is a hypothetical example. Let’s say that you received a partial text from a friend which reads “I’m leaving my wife”. What would you make of such a statement? What does it mean? Is it even possible to know your friend’s meaning without more information (without a context)? For sake of illustration, let’s consider the various potential meanings of the phrase “I’m leaving my wife” when it is connected to a specific context.
“I’m leaving my wife for another woman.”
“I’m leaving my wife to go to the store.”
“I’m leaving my wife alone for a few minutes.”
“I’m leaving my wife with the nurse.”
“I’m leaving my wife at the beach.”
“I’m leaving my wife my entire estate.”
“I’m leaving my wife to watch the kids tonight.”
“I am leaving my wife the key to the safe.”
“I’m leaving my wife in charge of our finances.”
“I am leaving my wife a full tank of gas.”
“I’m leaving my wife in the car while I go inside.”
“I’m leaving my wife resting on the sofa.”
“I’m leaving my wife to answer the question for herself.”
“I am leaving my wife in a quandary.”
Dr. Joseph Dillow has made the observation that “a word [or phrase] without a context can have no real meaning, only a potential meaning.” As illustrated above, the possible meanings of a given word or phrase are almost limitless. Only the context reveals the proper meaning (the author’s intended meaning). Note: Even the examples above would typically require more contextual information before they could be correctly understood in their full and complete sense.
The dictionary definition of taking something “out of context” is to consider the text without regard to the surrounding words, phrases, sentences and circumstances (therefore making it not fully understandable). In spite of this definition and its critical importance for understanding the Bible, it has become almost universally commonplace for pastors, teachers and authors, as well as Bible study leaders and participants, to read and quote passages of Scripture without regard to their proper contextual setting. This unfortunate practice, an illegitimate form of what is called “proof texting”, is typically employed to prove a point or to add credibility and support to what the speaker or writer wants to emphasize. Regardless of whether it is being done intentionally or unintentionally (naively), taking a verse or passage out of its context is irresponsible and even unethical, especially when it serves to misrepresent the author’s original meaning, i.e., what God intended to communicate in the first place. As Dr. R.C. Sproul says “much false teaching is not deliberate but comes as a result of ignorance”, none-the-less it is still false teaching that misrepresents God’s intentional meaning.
Helpful Hints:
The best way to avoid taking a passage out of its context is to leave it in its context.
Therefore, as you read and study the Bible, make a deliberate and conscious effort to avoid thinking of phrases or verses outside of (or without regard for) their literary context.
Always keep in mind that the correct meaning is always the author’s original intended meaning (see Key #1) and that the author’s meaning is revealed by the immediate and overall context, i.e., within the scope of the surrounding concepts and ideas.
As your read the Bible, periodically ask yourself...
1. What is this paragraph or section about?
2. What is this book about?
3. What do these verses mean in light of the verses, paragraphs and chapters that surround them?
Finally, remember that the definition of a literary context is the setting for an event, statement, or idea; the parts of something written that immediately precede and follow a word, sentence or idea in order to clarify its meaning. So, if you want to interpret the Bible correctly always pay close attention to the context, because when it comes to understanding Scripture its all about context, context, context!
Go to Key #3
If you have any questions or comments about this article, please feel free to contact us.
