The Right Perspective

Previously, we explored the benefits of reading the Bible - for guidance, correction, stability, and delight - and discovered that above all else, we must guard our hearts and approach the Bible not as a chore or item on our to-do list, but as the primary way we grow in our relationship with God.

This week is all about understanding what we are reading.

Romans 10:17 tells us that "faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God."

Our faith and relationship with God grows through actively engaging with Him through His Word with the help of the Holy Spirit. If we don't understand the principles we'll explore today, our understanding and relationship with God will be limited, and we won't be able to live it out effectively.

Context Is Everything

The first thing we need to do to understand what we're reading is to read in context. Context is vital for any kind of communication. If you come to a stop sign while driving, you know you must stop. But what if that stop sign is in a quirky café that collects signs? You wouldn't stop then, would you? The context is important.

The Bible was written in a very different era, in very different cultures, and in different languages. We can't simply read our 21st-century understanding into a completely different time and place. Instead, by understanding some of the historical and cultural background, we can grasp a better understanding of what we read.

Words can have a range of possible meanings. If I were to say, "Give Nathan a hand!" some of you might start applauding him, while others might ask what he needs help with. Since words are so flexible, the only way we really know what someone means is through context.

When reading the Bible, if we learn to pay attention to various contexts, it will dramatically improve our understanding. Since God gave us Scripture at particular times, in particular places, and in particular ways, it's important that we pay attention to when, where, and how He has communicated to us.

Two Types of Context

Context can be divided into two broad categories that will help us when reading the Bible:

Literary Context

Literary context refers to how a passage of Scripture fits and functions in the Bible. Rather than plucking a verse out or reading a paragraph on its own, we pay close attention to what comes before and after it. We ask why the author said something in a particular way or made a particular statement at that point.

Here's a popular verse that's often misunderstood:

"I can do all things through him who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13)

Reading this verse on its own helps us understand why it's so often misused. People quote this verse to say we can do anything because of God's power, but I couldn't just pick up Helen's violin and play a tune, no matter how much I quoted this verse—because I'd be taking it completely out of context.

Let's read around it:

"I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble." (Philippians 4:10-14 ESV)

Paul's subject is actually about being content whether he has a lot or very little. The heading translators give these verses could be "God's provision" or "Thanks for their gifts." This isn't about doing anything we set our minds to—it's about finding strength in God regardless of our circumstances.

Historical/Cultural Context

Historical context refers to historical events in Bible times, while cultural context relates to attitudes, patterns of behavior, or expressions of a particular society at a particular time.

Let's look at Jesus' words on his way to be crucified:

"A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. Jesus turned and said to them, 'Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. For the time will come when you will say, "Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!"'" (Luke 23:27-29)

Historically, two important things help our understanding. First, the Roman Empire had been ruling Israel for about 90 years—that's why Jesus appeared before Pilate and was executed by crucifixion, the most shameful form of Roman execution.

Second, when Jesus says "For the time will come when..." he's foretelling what happened forty years later when Jewish people rebelled against Rome. The fighters were trapped in Jerusalem and killed in horrific ways. We can understand the basic meaning without knowing these details, but we get much more of what Jesus was saying with this additional understanding.

Culturally, children were considered one of God's greatest gifts in ancient Jewish society. They provided labor and were essential for caring for aging parents in a time without retirement plans. Jesus was saying that everything would be so upside-down in the future that what was then considered the biggest blessing for a woman would seem her greatest curse.

Understanding Different Types of Literature

Just as different sports have different rules, each genre or type of literature in the Bible has different guidelines for reading. Poetry in the Psalms needs to be read differently than stories, laws, biographies (like the Gospels), histories (like Acts), and letters.

Reading the Bible, you'll find: Narrative (story-telling), Law (instructions), Poetry, Wisdom Literature, Writings of the Prophets, Gospels (biographies), History, Letters, Sermons, and Apocalyptic Literature.

Let me give you an example with Old Testament Narrative. When reading these stories, remember three things:

1. God is the main hero. The stories weren't written as inspirational tales about people like Moses, Abraham, or David becoming successful. Instead, we should read them to understand what God is doing. With David and Goliath, it's not a "poor boy grows up to be king" story—it's about God using David to deliver His people from the Philistines.

2. The stories have strategic tension crafted in. Look for the tension or crisis and ask why it's there. In David and Goliath, the Philistines had an enormous enemy whose words caused Israel to lose courage. If they had won, God's people would have become slaves. This creates tension that makes way for focusing on David's faith in the God of Israel whom Goliath defied.

3. Read in the light of God's great story and find your place in it. We can read David and Goliath to point us toward Jesus, who brought ultimate salvation. We also have adversaries that defy God and seem overwhelming, but we have a conquering King who has defeated these enemies, and we can trust in Him as David did.

The Benefits of Understanding Context and Genre

As we understand different contexts and read the various types of literature more effectively:

• We begin to hear the Bible more clearly. As we understand what the authors were trying to achieve, the Bible will have greater impact on us.

• Our overall experience of Scripture becomes more cohesive. As we're drawn deeper into narratives, the music of the Psalms, the wisdom of Proverbs, or New Testament letters, we're affected in different ways, but each type of literature is important for our overall Scripture experience.

• We see how each type builds the overall story of Scripture. The laws of the Old Testament and the teaching of Jesus in the New Testament are both necessary for understanding the whole story.

We need to understand the various parts and functions of different types of biblical literature and the context for each part. As we get to grips with these things—zooming in to various sections for a clearer picture—we can then zoom out and have a greater understanding of the Bible as a whole: the greatest story from Genesis through Revelation, where we can find our place too!

Resources for Further Study

If you're interested in learning more about different types of literature in the Bible, I recommend "Read the Bible for Life" by George H. Guthrie as a good starting point, or "How to Read the Bible for All It's Worth" by Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart for a more detailed guide.

We'll conclude our series with "The Big Picture"—finding ourselves in the greatest story ever told.