Get the Context

Bill Brinkworth

Too often a Bible verse is selected to prove a point or doctrine without understanding what it is really talking about. The context of the verse is often ignored. Because previous, or following verses, that inform more fully what the Scripture is about are not heeded, Scripture is often misunderstood.

Not understanding the context of a verse is very much like something we all have done at least once. We have listened in on a conversation, and thought we knew what was being talked about. However, after we put our two cents of an opinion into the discussion, we were soon embarrassed because what we thought was being talked about was totally wrong. They were talking about something completely different. We came into the conversation at the end and did not understand the original context.

Too often this happens to a Bible reader. They assume they know what the verse means, but are in left field in understanding the verse. Getting the context of the verse is paramount.

Here are some simple guidelines to keep one from making an error in understanding a verse(s):

To whom is the verse addressed? Too many try to apply to this church-age what was given to Old Testament saints only or it was given to the Jews and should not usually be applied to today’s church. One should not make verses fit to suit what they want them to mean.

Although many principles in the Bible apply to today, many do not. To be safe, read the verse as the original recipient would understand it. (This will take some knowledge of the audience and their customs, practices, thinking, etc.) Read “Matthew” as a Jew would with their understanding of the Old Testament, and what they were looking forward to in their future. Read Paul’s Epistles from the point of a man burdened for the Gentiles, and with a vast background of the Old Testament.
What event or time are the verses concerning? Some verses were specifically dealing with a time in history past to us, but future to the ones being written to. Often those verses are made to fit in to today, when they do not apply.
Do other verses indicate that a previous practice or teaching is no longer to be followed? Some have tried to follow Old Testaments worship, when the New Testament clearly commands that we are no longer to have sacrifices, as Jesus is the once-forever sacrifice. We are also no longer to have high priests as Jesus is our High Priest (Heb. 4:14).
Is the verse a part of a previous sentence? Sometimes the verse is a continuation of a previous verse(s). Perhaps that verse ends with a comma or a semicolon (;). Understand those verse(s) before jumping to conclusions about one select verse.

Sometimes a verse starts with a word that connects it to an earlier verse, or even a chapter. A giveaway is if it is a verse that starts with “Therefore,” “Wherefore,” or other connecting words. A common rule is if one sees a connecting word such as “therefore” ask one’s self “What is it there for?”, and look and see!
What are the previous verses (and chapters) talking about? Some read a whole chapter that is about one thing, and take one verse in that chapter and claim it is about something completely different. ALWAYS read previous verses, maybe even the whole chapter or more, before assuming you know what the verse means.
Is the principle you believe that is being taught, taught elsewhere in the Bible? Many stick to a biblical doctrine that is only “taught” by one verse. Usually, a doctrine is taught in many places in the Bible, not just one. One should be suspicious when they are getting a doctrine from only one verse. Search further. If it is a teaching God wants you to know, it will be in multiple places.
Do not take another’s understanding of the verse for granted. We all make mistakes and often have the wrong context of the verse. Study it and search it out for yourself. I have heard too many times somebody’s understanding of a verse was based on, “what our religion teaches,” “what our tradition follows,” or “what my Aunt Hilda, who’s great-grandfather was a preacher, says.” The best commentary of the Bible is the Bible! Make sure that Bible you are using is the KJV. ALL other modern versions change words, delete words and verses, and teach many things differently than the preserved Word of God!

The Bible is not just a book. It is God’s preserved Word. Often it is not easy to understand what you are reading unless you have the proper background of the verse. Always understand a verse’s context before coming to any conclusions concerning its meaning!

“A text without its context is a pretext!”

This lesson was feature in The Bible View #629.