Studying the Bible in Context
Using Bible Backgrounds
Preliminary
Thoughts:
Backgrounds do not . . .
. . . Save a person or even keep them faithful.
One does NOT have to understand backgrounds in order to be saved or to be
faithful.
. . . Make one more spiritual.
Backgrounds do .
. .
. . . Help to make the text come to life.
. . . Help to keep the text in the context of the writing.
Everything in life has a context.
Context of an event or writing does not change.
Context is important to understanding the true meaning of the text.
Asking the right questions to get the
biblical background.
What?
What does the passage say?
What does the rest of Scripture teach about this subject?
What is the theme of the book or letter?
What spiritual lessons may we learn?
What are the original meanings of words?
Where?
Where did the action take place?
Where are the cities?
Where are the mountains and the valleys?
Where are the regions or countries?
Where are the bodies of water?
Who?
Who are the main characters?
Who is speaking or writing?
Who is the person writing or speaking to?
Who do the pronouns in the text refer to?
When?
When did the event take place?
When was the book or letter written?
How?
How did the text apply to the readers?
How does it apply to the modern readers?
Why?
Why is this text important?
Closing Thoughts
An author’s own explanation of his meaning takes
precedence over any other interpretation.
The interpretation of a text must respect the
writer’s purpose.
The simplest and most natural interpretation must be
preferred.
Good interpretation will, in general, move from
being very hard to tell what it means to clarity.
Any interpretation must be in harmony with grammar,
rhetoric, logic and consistency.
Good interpretation recognizes the condition of the
writing.
An event is to be regarded as miraculous only when
it may not be consistently interpreted otherwise.
Good interpretation requires the discriminating use of cross references, parallel passages and study Bible notes.