Content...Context...Culture

The other day I was talking to someone...of course in the coffee shop...and they noticed that I was studying the bible. Apparently this intrigued them, and they asked me if I believed I could know what the biblical author meant. When I asked them why they would ask that question, their response was interesting...and frankly understandable. They said that they will listen to several people explain the same passage and yet come up with different meanings to the passage. The end result, for this person, is that you can neve know for sure what a passage from the bible actually means.

How unfortunate this is...and how understandable. However, rather than giving up on the idea that we can understand the actual meaning of the biblical author, might I suggest some other ways to approach the issue. First, this is one reason to study the bible for ourselves. Rather than relying on others to explain what the bible is stating, take the time to study it out for yourselves. In this way, you experience the "aha" of the Lord revealing new truth directly to you. Second, make sure you know how to study the bible. Not all approaches to study are equally beneficial. And while I realize that the idea of studying the bible may seem too complex for the average person, I do not believe that is true. Let me give you three things to look for as you study the bible for yourselves...

• Content - Read what the author wrote carefully and take notes about what they actually stated. Do they use similes or metaphors? What is the flow of their thoughts or argumentation? Are there repeated or significant words used by the author? What do those words mean? Are there comparisons, contrasts, etc...? What kind of writing is it: poetic, historic, story, prophecy? As you pay attention to these things, take notes and then write out what you think the author is trying to communicate. Once this is done, go to the next step...

• Context - Every passage in the Bible has an immediate and larger context. For example, if you are studying Romans, chapter 4, make sure you note what chapter 3 and chapter 5 are about and how they may impact the meaning of chapter 4. Also, make sure you are familiar with the larger themes of the entire book to see how this chapter fits within the entire letter. Also, don't forget the larger context of the whole bible. Is the present author using quotes from other parts of the bible? If so, look up those quotes to make sure you understand why the present author decided to use that quote. In this way, you can not only better understand the present author's meaning, you can make sure your understanding of the present passage is consistent with the rest of the book and the bible. Finally, make sure you check out the...

• Culture - This can be a bit tricky. It's hard for us to know exactly what the culture of the bible was like. However, a good commentary can provide you with some background information. Commentaries tell you what the town or village was like; the customs of the people; if certain words were political or offensive; if what is being said is consistent with general thoughts of that time or quite different. Understanding this background can provide a fuller and richer understanding of a passage.

If you do these three things, you can be fairly certain that your understanding of a passage matches what the original author was seeking to communicate. So, as you study a passage of scripture, get out a pencil and pad of paper. Take careful notes about the content of what the author has recorded. Next, check how this fits within the context of the book and the bible. Third, look at the culture within which the words were originally communicated to round out your understanding of the passage. Finally, write down what the author is saying and how it informs your thoughts and actions. There you have it...not that hard. Just pay attention to content, context and culture...and enjoy the process of discovery!