Is context necessary when reading the Bible?

1. 78

   calynbanaposted 11 years ago

   Is context necessary when reading the Bible?
   
   When you read scripture, or any text for that matter should you make sure you understand the context?

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2. 72

   Darrell Robertsposted 11 years ago

   I think it would be best to understand the context around any text that you are reading to gain better insight into the message that is supposed to get communicated. 
   
   For example, I have been studying religions for years, and the more I find out about the time, place and circumstance surrounding the scripture the more I understand an the better I am able to communicate with the people who are are practicing the tradition. 
   
   The more you know about the context, the better off you will be in knowing how o make the information relevant to you life.
   
   I hope this has helped you on your path, best wishes.
   
   Dhira Krishna das

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3. 61

   CynthiAnnposted 11 years ago

   I believe it is necessary to understand the context of what you read.  However, Biblical context can sometimes be hard to "understand".  With the Bible, I say it's more on what is God teaching us through Scripture.  That's why it is always good to pray before studying the Bible that God will reveal His lesson to you and that He opens your eyes to understanding.  Google "Westboro Baptist Church" and check out their website.  This is a perfect example of the issue of context in verses as opposed to context of the Bible in it's entirety.

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4. 60

   TerryK81posted 11 years ago

   Most definitely. There are words like "hell", "pit", and "sheol" that are translated into the english word "grave" therefore millions have taken it literally to mean we go to hell when we die. Just one word in a verse can change it's context. Bible research gives year, season, culture and custom of whomever or whatever you are reading about. People back then used words and phrases differently than we obviously do today. Example: gay. Years and years ago, and still further, "gay" meant "happy". Today, it means homosexual. It was the roman catholic church who took it upon themselves change laws and times in God's Word, when God gave no such authority to anyone at anytime, nor has He since. Daniel 7:25 clearly predicts the Papacy, as the Papacy were the first and only to "edit" God's Word. Most religions today branched from them because the catholic religion taught heretical teachings not found anywhere in the bible: virgin our mediator, purgatory, eternal hell, worship of idols. Pope Gregory changed God's seventh day to sunday, when it was and is and always will be Saturday. (Google Pope Gregory XIII changes calendar). Millions would be shocked if they'd seek the TRUTH for themselves....

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5. 80

   Mitch Alanposted 11 years ago

   Always take a word in the context of the verse, the verse in the chapter, the chapter in the book and the book in the context of overarching biblical truths. Read them with an exhaustive concordance for proper understanding of the words in then original language and meaning. We translate both agape and phileo as "love", but they are defend types of love. Context is vital. We must understand the history, customs and rituals of the times. Context is vital. We most understand the geography, politics and society of the times. Context is Vital.
   You can "make" the Bible say anything you want it to if you take it out of context.
   A text out of context is a pretext.

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      TerryK81posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Awesome! You are so right about that. Scripture gets taken out of context all the time, hence masses of mislead hearts. God bless!

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6. 76

   JimTxMillerposted 11 years ago

   Context is key when reading any text regardless of what it is.

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7. 78

   calynbanaposted 11 years ago

   SOM I just deleted your comment accidentally when I was trying to edit my own comment.
   
   You said
   
   "I believe that there are parts of the bible that are anolagies and sadly taken into context. And there are people who think the get the right interpretation of scripture even though they misinterpret the context. Me personnally, I like to look at scripture in its spiritual asspect as it was meant to be understood."
   
   I was able to rescue it from the homepage but I don't know how to undo a delete.

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   1. 78

      calynbanaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      My response is this.
      "O, that this too too sullied flesh would melt...But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue."
      Can you understand this analogy in full without context?

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   2. 69

      SwordofManticorEposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Ok, what is your understanding of the parable of the richman and lazerus in its context?
      
      As for your anology, it sounds as if someone is weak, suicidal, fearful?

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   3. 78

      calynbanaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Do you know who the speaker is? To whom they are speaking? What they are fearful of? Why they are suicidal?

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      SwordofManticorEposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      It sounds like one of shakespears tales. So back to my question about Luke 16?

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   5. 78

      calynbanaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I will start a forum about your question. Can you understand this analogy fully from the analogy alone? Or do you need the context?
      
      It is Shakespeare's Hamlet

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   6. 69

      SwordofManticorEposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      No forum, right here, and I could careless about what you think your anology is because it sounds as if hamlet and Claudius have issues with each other. You cannot compair shakespear with scripture like you do.

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   7. 78

      calynbanaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I am not comparing them. I am telling you that verses need context, without question, regardless of what the text is. If you do not understand the context you cannot even tell the difference between the literal and the analogous.

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   8. 69

      SwordofManticorEposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Then what is the parable of the rich man and lazerus about?

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   Little Grandmommyposted 11 years ago

   Context is very important.  You can take a sentence out of any reading and change the context completely.

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   1. 78

      calynbanaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I completely agree with you.

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   Deepes Mindposted 11 years ago

   Context is super important when reading a text of any kind. Words have several different definitions and as such without context, the words are left up to the understanding of the reader. The result of this is that the writer's message can get lost in translation

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    celafoeposted 11 years ago

    context is EVERYTHING When studying scripture

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