Today is going to be a shorter post but that’s perfectly fine. Think of it as a primer for the rest of my work but, this also is an important topic to cover. As my title, so boldly, states we’re going to be dealing with why context matters.
Specifically, I am zeroing in on why we need to know the context around verses in the Bible. The importance of context is that it allows us to understand beyond just the words being said.
For this reason, as I move forward I am going to try and provide context when I quote scriptures. Even if I happen to discover it after the initial recording and I need to add it in via editing.
We have many figures of speech in our language and it doesn’t surprise me if they did in the past. These figures of speech address things we know about in our everyday life. Since moving cross country I’ve been exposed to many local phrases and it’s taken me a bit to learn their meaning. Since where I live can be qualified as “country” I’m learning from those around me about farming and the animals. Especially sheep!
When it records in Matthew 9 that Jesus felt sorrowful for the people for they were like sheep without a shepherd I can understand it now. Sheep are dumb, and will follow each other into bad situations without knowing it. If one of them is outside of the fence they will all come to it and make noises of distress. Should enough sheep get out they will run and follow the pattern of the ones outside the fence and pasture. Once outside of the pasture and the shepherd’s watch they become perfect prey for wolves or other predatory creatures.
If we dive into the laws of the Old Testament Torah we learn it wasn’t just a set of instructions to these people it was a way of life. They had the whole history of their people from Adam to Moses memorized and knew all of the laws because they lived them. Since they had this great amount of understanding for what was written they could relate better to the teachings that drew on this foundation.
Here is one example tied to the laws given by God through Moses. These laws existed in three categories and served their specific purposes; moral living instructions, societal governance or civil law, and ceremonial laws that also provided health instructions for things not related to the temple or worship of God their creator.
The creation account was communicated to the people for two reasons. Firstly, it was to ensure the people understood that the sun, moon, stars, and all things which were worshipped as gods by the Egyptians and the Canaanites were actually created by the God of Israel whom they worship. Making it known to them that all of the other so-called “gods” are under His authority and obey Him. Secondly, it was told so that they might have a written account of where their people came from so that the people of Israel could understand why they were being brought there and where the other people groups they encountered came from.
I’ve used a lot of examples for the purpose of ensuring you understand why context is important today.
Hopefully, you’re beginning to fully understand why and will begin looking deeper at the cultural history surrounding when scriptures were written/taking place and also that you look at the context surrounding the verses themselves. In many christian circles there is a phrase I’ve used in previous posts and it’s this; “when there is a ‘therefore’ look and see what it is there for.” In grammar “therefore” is a word which can be used in place of the phrases “because of,” “and so,” or “thus,” to communicate that the writer or speaker is building on what they have previously established.
Looking deeply into scripture for the context is also our best defence against being manipulated by clever speakers. Those who use the scriptures as a way to justify their way of life, a world view, or anything else. C.S. Lewis in his collection of writings known as “The Screwtape Letters” talks about the idea of people who are “Merely Christian” where their unifying force is the fundamentals of Christianity. Rather than Christianity paired with whatever cause is popular or convenient. “Mere Christianity” is something that requires more work because of how it doesn’t let go of one thing just to prop up something else. It demands you accept the parts of it which are pleasant and not pleasant to us. There will be elements that agree with us and thus we are drawn in but it is the parts we disagree with that will test our commitment.
Those who discourage questions and say there is no need for people to look deeper or to gain more understanding through context are the people we should worry about. Not those who are willing to say “I don’t fully know or understand.” The things relating to our salvation God makes clear to use because those are His most important elements to communicate. All of the rest require and demand we search through them with diligence trusting He will guide us through the process searching for truth.
And truth becomes clearer when we allow for the context of the writing to shine forth as an extra light or a brighter bulb to replace our old one which was dim.