The Importance of Context: Commonly Misunderstood Passages

by Laura Springer, Th.M., Ph.D.

During elementary school, I received Christ, and one of the benefits in my church was taking communion. Once a month, the pastor would lead us, repeating the words of Jesus in Matthew. When he got to the cup, he would read “Drink ye all of it” as “Drink ye <pause> all of it.” To my literalist, elementary school brain, this meant I could not leave any juice in the cup. So I dutifully stuck my tongue in the tiny plastic cup to get the last drop. Sure, it’s a funny story, but it has a serious side. As we have seen this year, the written word of God matters. Because it matters, need to understand and communicate its intended meaning.

This month we look at four commonly misunderstood passages, laying out some common misinterpretations, informing context, and the meaning in light of that context.

2 Chronicles 7:14

• Assumption: If <insert name of modern nation here> prays, everything will be okay.
• Context: This verse is part of his blessing of the Jewish Temple built by Solomon, during which God restates to Solomon the promise of discipline for sin and his covenant-based response to their prayers (2 Chronicles 7:11-18).
• Meaning. In the midst of God's discipline of his people Israel, he will hear their contrite prayers and bring healing and deliverance.

Proverbs 22:6

• Assumption: If I raise my child as a Christian, God promises that my child will return to Christ if he or she falls away.
• Context: The book of Proverbs is composed of wise sayings intended to guide a wise, godly life. These sayings are not promises (Proverbs 1:1-7).
• Meaning: The way one raises a child has a strong influence on the child’s life but does not guarantee specific outcomes.

Matthew 18:20

• Assumption. God is (only) present when two or three of his followers are gathered.
• Context. Here Jesus is teaching his followers about church discipline. An important part of the process requires two or three witnesses (Matthew 18:15-20).
• Meaning. When two or three believers are carrying out church discipline on a fellow believer, God is with them as they do this difficult work.

1 Timothy 6:10

• Assumption. Poverty is more holy than wealth; desire for money causes all sin.
• Context. In this passage, Paul is teaching Timothy about contentment versus craving (1 Timothy 6:2-10). Key terms are “love of money” and “a root.”
• Meaning. Contentment is healthy and possible in Christ.

Returning to elementary-age Laura: I spent my childhood and teenage years not understanding the incredible depth of Jesus’ very simple statement in Matthew 26:27. At the time, I assumed this passage meant we must not waste any of the communion juice.  Thankfully as a young adult, I came to realize that this context is Jesus is talking to the community of his followers who had gathered for the last supper. When he hands them the cup, he says, “All of you drink it” (Matthew 26:26-29). Every believer, regardless of status, is called to drink from the cup. We are one people. We have one Lord, and we are siblings. That is worth knowing.

All biblical truth is worth knowing and worth getting right.

Exegesis—Studying and Understanding the Word

by Laura Springer, Th.M., Ph.D.

This year we have seen that the Bible is God's written revelation of himself (revelation), co-written with his apostles and prophets, such that the words they wrote were exactly what he intended to say (inspiration). We have seen that it is true and not false (inerrancy) and has an authority that has been discerned by the people of God (canonicity).  We have seen that the Spirit illuminates our minds and the Scripture (illumination) as we work to understand the meaning of God's Word and its call upon our lives (interpretation). Exegesis is the process by which we uncover that God-intended meaning.

Biblical exegesis asks three questions.

What does it say?

●   Understand the big picture of the whole text by reading it at least a dozen times, each time in a single sitting.

●   Read the text again, looking for clues about the author, original readers, and circumstances.

●   Create an outline of the text by reading while looking for the text’s main divisions.

●   Study the text sentence by sentence within paragraphs, understanding the words and grammar.

What did it mean? (and What does it mean?)

●   Summarize the text by writing one sentence that states the subject of the paragraph and what the paragraph says about that subject.

●   Review your findings and list the main themes expressed in the text.

How should I/we respond?

●   Spend time thinking and praying about the text and your findings until the meaning of the text has sunk deeply into your soul.

●   Consider the significance of the meaning of the text for your life and the life of those in your community by comparing your culture and circumstances with the culture and circumstances of the original readers.

●   Remember, what it meant for them it means for you. The significance in your life will always align with that meaning.

We save the most important point for last: The God-intended meaning of a text is not an end in itself. Rather, understanding the meaning of Scripture is the beginning of living out our worship of him in everything we do, think, and feel.

Go Deeper

Torrey, R. A.1903. How to Study the Bible: The Methods and Fundamental Conditions of the Bible Study That Yield the Largest Results. James Nisbet & Co., Limited.

 

Hermeneutics—Principles to Study By

by Laura Springer, Th.M., Ph.D.

What are interpretation, exegesis, and hermeneutics and how are they related? Sport can serve as an analogy: interpretation is the sport, exegesis is the game, and hermeneutics is the rulebook. In July, we talked about interpretation: the sport. In September, we will talk about exegesis: the game. This month is about hermeneutics: the rulebook. Bible study has rules, and we need to understand those rules or study will not be what it is supposed to be: understanding the truth the original authors intended to communicate.

Hermeneutics is the science of interpretation and produces the set of assumptions and principles we bring to interpretation. These assumptions and principles arise at the intersection of the doctrine of Scripture and the study of language and literature. Some basic principles are as follows.

●   The Bible is the first and best source for interpreting itself. Read and understand the text before consulting Bible helps like introductions, commentaries, and handbooks.

●   Study the specific passage and its immediate context and arrive at some initial conclusions before consulting other passages.

●   The meaning of a passage is communicated through the text in context. Stick with the text itself in its grammatical, historical, and cultural context. Don't import ideas from outside

●   The grammar and structure of sentences and paragraphs matter. So, yes, it's a bit like English class.

●   The meaning of each portion of Scripture always aligns with its immediate context, the book in which it is found, and the teaching of Scripture as a whole.

●   Consult clear passages to help interpret difficult passages. Understand what the authors of each passage intended to communicate to the original readers, then align each interpretation with the teaching of the whole of Scripture. This will eliminate the alleged conflict.

Understanding the intended meaning of Scripture requires effort. This is not surprising, for the Bible is an ancient book written in languages that are not our own by authors from cultures unlike our own. There is a good deal of difference to traverse. But there is good news. The Bible is also authored by God, and his Spirit illuminates the text and our minds as we trust him. God wants us to understand his Word, but we must do our part. Following good hermeneutical principles is part of our responsibility. So, as we approach the study of Scripture let us uncover and understand our assumptions, correcting them as needed. Let us approach the text as the very Word of God, which it is.

 

Interpretation—Understood through Careful Study

by Laura Springer, Th.M., Ph.D.

Reading is always interpretation. In any written text, ideas from the mind of one person are translated into written language. Readers then translate the written text back into ideas in their own minds, seeking to decipher the author's ideas from words on the page or screen. Like other ancient writings, the text of the Bible requires a bit more effort than newer works. The most recent biblical book was written over 1,900 years ago in a language that is no longer spoken (Koine Greek) by an author who is long since dead (John the Apostle) who lived in a time and culture very different from our own (the first century in the Middle East). But unlike other ancient texts, the Bible also had a Divine Author who is wholly other, so additional care must be taken.

To understand the biblical authors’ intended meaning, we must do the hard work of interpretation, bringing our Spirit-illumined minds and God-given capacities to the text, discerning the authors' intended meaning and the significance of that meaning for life.

Interpretation has two basic components. Hermeneutics consists of the assumptions we bring to study and the principles we follow as we study. Hermeneutical principles answer such questions as What is the measure of interpretation? Where do we find meaning? What do we do about apparent conflicts among passages? We will look at Hermeneutics more deeply in August.

Exegesis is the process of working out the meaning the biblical author intended to convey and the significance of that meaning today. Exegesis begins with the big picture, moves to the details, and circles back to the big picture. It has two essential phases. Phase One asks, What did it mean? We answer this question by studying the text, both the whole and its parts, and its context. Phase Two asks, What does it mean? We answer this question by understanding the similarities and differences between our context and the context of the original readers. We will look at Exegesis more deeply in September.

Interpretation takes time and effort. When we invest our time and effort doing the work and developing the skills, we will reap a bountiful harvest. So, we must commit ourselves to do interpretation well, living out what we discover and teaching others to do so.

Sources

2 Timothy 2:15–19

F. F. Bruce and J. J. Scott Jr.  Interpretation of the Bible. Ed. Elwell, W. A. (2001). In Evangelical dictionary of theology: Second Edition (pp. 611–615). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.