The Most Important Bible Study Principle: Context

A detective finds a piece of brown wool thread at a crime scene and immediately concludes that the perpetrator wore solid brown clothing that was woolen. An accurate conclusion? Maybe. But the investigator won’t know that for sure without determining what other colors and types of threads might have been woven together with that thread. In other words, he needs to know the “context” in which that piece of thread was found.

A Bible student finds a verse or hears one quoted that seems to support a particular conclusion or validate a certain practice or belief. However, a careful examination needs to be made of the context---the passages before and after the verses--- to see if the conclusions drawn are accurate ones.

The word “context” means “weaving together of words, from Latin contextus connection of words, coherence, from contexere to weave together, from com- + texere to weave” Merriam-Webster. Words in written or oral discourse are “woven” together in the same way as threads in a garment. Just as we are not free upon finding a piece of thread to draw a conclusion about it without looking at the entire garment, we are not at liberty to isolate biblical verses and attach meanings to them without a consideration of the words among which they are woven: i.e., the context.

Ignoring context can lead to conclusions which are harmless, though erroneous. For example, no one will lose their soul if they conclude that 1 Cor. 2:9 (“ but just as it is written, "Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him.") is speaking of heaven, even though the context clearly indicates that it is God’s plan for saving mankind that is under consideration.

However, too often the conclusions drawn can lead one into error and the loss of the soul. One might conclude from reading, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law”, Gal. 3:13, that we are free from any spiritual law at all. Such would be a fatal mistake. The context (vss. 10-12) makes it clear that Paul speaks of a system in which perfect obedience is required for justification.  

Few mistakes are as significant as the failure to read the context of a verse and allow the verses woven together with a passage to determine its meaning. And yet, determining context in biblical passages is no more difficult than determining such in any other piece of literature. The following suggestions, by no means exhaustive, might help.

Frequently repeated words and phrases. The often repeated terms in the two sections of Ephesians illustrate this principle. A careful reading of chapters 1-3 makes it obvious that God’s grace (1:2 6, 7; 2:5, 7, 8; 3:2, 7, 8) and glory (1:6, 12, 14, 17,18; 3:13, 16, 21) and what this glorious grace has done for us are the dominant theme. But in chapters 4-6 the emphasis shifts and words of duty and responsibility are dominant.  “Walk” occurs five times in 4:1-5:21. Then, in 5:22-6:9, terms denoting subjection and obedience express the key thoughts. Finally, in 6:10-20, Paul uses “strong”, “strength” and “resist” to emphasize the need to “take up the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand”, 6:13.

“Therefore”, “wherefore” and “for this cause” introduce conclusions based upon things just discussed and give reasons for what has just been said. They demand that we understand those things if we are to properly interpret what is about to be stated. Again we turn to Ephesians. Paul begins 4:1 with, “I therefore…beseech you”. The beseeching that follows is based upon what he has previously said. Remembering that Paul has just discussed the blessings we have due to God’s glorious grace, we conclude that we have the responsibilities to “walk” (4:1-5:21), be in obedient subjection (5:22-6:9), and be strong (6:10-20) because our lives are to be “to the praise of the glory of his grace”, 1:6, 12, 14.

Context determines word meanings. Romans 4:2 declares, “For if Abraham was justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not toward God.” However, James says in 2:21, “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar?”. A contradiction? Hardly. The “works” in Romans 4 are those which earn us salvation: perfect works. But in the context of James 2, “works” are a demonstration of our faith, i.e. obedience. And before we conclude, based upon Rom. 4:2, that no “works”---no obedience such as in baptism---are required of one who follows the Lord, we should look carefully at how the word “works” is used in the context.

“All things”. When Paul said, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me,” Phil. 4:13, he was not espousing the positive thinking, “you can do and be anything you want”, philosophy of Robert Schuller, et al. Vs. 12 explains the “all things” he was able to do. And in Romans 8:28 (“all things work together for good”) Paul isn’t saying everything that happens to us in life—even the tragedies—will somehow work out for our good. That might be true, but it is the things in the context of which Paul speaks: the spiritual provisions in Christ. Whatever is included in “all things” is always limited by context. If one would read “all these things” it might remind us to include in “all things” only those things about which the writer has been speaking. 

Conclusion

If the three most important words in real estate are “location…location… location”, then the three most significant terms in Bible study are “context… context…context.” The responsibility of “handling accurately the word of truth”, 2 Tim. 2:15, demands, among other things, a careful consideration of a passage’s context before teaching others lest we reach sloppy conclusions that embarrass us or, in the worst case scenario, determine something to be truth that is, in fact, soul-damning.

David Smitherman