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con•text \ n [ME, weaving together
of words, fr. L contextus connection of words] 1: the parts of a
discourse that surround a word or passage and can throw light upon its
meaning 2: MILIEU, ENVIRONMENT.
One of the most important elements to consider in hermeneutics [a fancy
word for Bible interpretation] is context. The context often
makes all the difference between understanding and misunderstanding a
passage. The Bible has been divided into chapters and verses for our
convenience. Without these divisions, it would be much harder to find
things in the Bible. It also causes many problems, though, because the
chapter and verse divisions tend to make us ignore context. We tend to
think that the verse or chapter stands alone, which is almost always not
correct.
Our communication is based on letters, words, sentences, paragraphs, etc.
Many Bible verses are simply parts of longer sentences, and thus cannot
be properly understood without considering the rest of the sentence.
Further, a sentence often cannot be understood without considering the
paragraph in which it is found. Beyond this, a paragraph often cannot be
understood without considering the surrounding chapters, the whole book,
or the entire Bible. All of this is context.
Consider this example of stringing together individual Bible passages
without consideration of context:
“Then Judas, which had betrayed him ...
cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and
hanged himself” (Matthew 27:3-5). “And as ye would that men should do to
you, do ye also to them likewise” (Luke 6:31). “And after the sop Satan
entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly”
(John 13:27).
Consideration of the context is so important, because without it, we run
the risk of making the Bible say what we want it to say. Instead, we
need to let the Bible speak, and learn what it really says, not just
what we want or expect it to say. “Then said Jesus to those Jews which
believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples
indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”
(John 8:31-32). Context would tell us that it is not just any
truth that makes us free, but the truth of God’s Word. And if we love
truth as we should, we will make sure that we consider context.
Context
By Bob Prichard
www.oxfordchurchofchrist.com |
