ANDERSON CHURCH OF CHRIST
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ANDERSON CHURCH OF CHRIST HOME | BIBLE CLASS | BULLETINS | MINISTER | OUR MEETINGS | PROGRAM | SERMONS |
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CONTEXT OR PRETEXT By Carl McMurray We often stress the need for Bible study, but more rarely to discuss the tools of Bible study. When we do discuss the “how to” of Bible study we often refer to lexicons and commentaries. I’d like to suggest that one of the most useful tools for understanding the Scriptures is understanding context, i.e., the what, where, who, and why of the writing. It’s been rightly said that, “A text taken out of context becomes a pretext.” Let me explain. One very clear example is found in John’s gospel, chapters 14-17. The context of this passage is the quiet evening where Jesus ate the last supper with His disciples. There was no public proclaiming here, but an intimate conversation wherein Jesus tried to warn and comfort His disciples concerning what was going to happen over the next fifty days or so. He made some very special promises in this conversation, to His apostles. Yet, how often have we heard our Pentecostal friends dip into this passage and lay claim to the Comforter, the Helper, the Holy Spirit who would guide them and disclose the truth to them. 2 Peter 3:16 is where that apostle spoke of the unlearned and unstable who distort the Scriptures to their own destruction. When we separate text from context we distort it. If we are going to lay hold of promises for direct guidance from the Holy Spirit that were made specifically to the apostles, we might as well claim a kingship for our son. That was the promise made to David. We may as well go up on a hill and claim all the land we can see. That promise was made to Abraham. I repeat, when we separate a text from its context then we distort it. Let’s not be too hard on our Pentecostal friends, however. This style of Bible study that is more dependant upon what we’ve traditionally been taught than upon the context of the passage can be found in other areas, even among Christians. Have you ever heard anyone justify eating the Lord’s Supper anywhere they happened to be, or define what a church is by Matthew 18:20? Because where two or three are gathered, Jesus is in their midst? Better re-check that context! Most folks my age and older heard women in the church, when we were growing up, being taught to be “silent” in worship assemblies while 1 Corinthians 14:34 was quoted. It took me fifteen years before the “context” of that passage jumped out at me. There was no way that passage was applicable to all women in all assemblies in all times, as I had heard it preached. It was hard to beat down traditional teaching and replace it with truth, but that’s what honest Bible study demands. Without investing in a single Bible commentary or lexicon we already have the best Bible tool already in our hands for understanding what God desires of men. Understanding that while the Scriptures are ALL for us, they are NOT ALL to us is one place to start. By examining the context of a text we can prevent it from becoming a pretext that leads us to distort God’s message of truth. |
