Becoming Better Bible Students – Context

It is intellectually dishonest or intellectually lazy to lift a verse out of its context to prove a point. Context is everything.

However, attention must not only be paid to the immediate surrounding verses but also to the chapter and the whole book. A meaning must not be given to a verse that is contrary to the message of the whole book it is surrounded by.

In addition, the next level of context is other books written by the same author and then the context of the New or Old Testament the verse is found in and finally the context of the whole Bible.

This of course means the Bible student must have a comprehensive understanding of the whole Bible before he starts in the business of interpreting a single verse to make a point. As good Bible students let’s be honest and diligent in our studies.