Open a dictionary and you will find many common words often have different meanings. For example: The man hit the bat with a bat. The first bat is a nocturnal animal, and the second is a sports accessory. We know by its placement and usage which is which. The meanings of words, phrases, and sentences are based upon how they are used in different contexts.
(The following should sound/look familiar to our readers)
What Is Biblical Context, and Is It That Important?
For correct biblical interpretation, we must heed contextual clarification. Every Bible student understands a critical part of Bible study is consideration of context. Lay-students of the Bible often misinterpret Scripture because they miss this very important principle: Context rules. It is of vital importance when interpreting Scripture.
Biblical context encompasses four areas which have to do with a passage of Scripture:
1. Surrounding words, sentences, and paragraphs
2. The chapter
3. The book
4. The whole of the Bible
One must also compare similar passages for clarification and research the historical, cultural, and grammatical context.
Is it hard work? Yes. Eternally important? Absolutely.
Faithful Steward Ministries and FSM Women's Outreach 