A detective finds a piece of brown wool thread at a crime scene and immediately concludes that the perpetrator wore solid brown woolen clothing. An accurate conclusion? Maybe. But the investigator can't know that for sure without determining what other colors and thread types might have been woven together with the brown thread. In other words, he needs to know the context of the clothing that contained that piece of thread.
A Bible student finds a verse, or hears one quoted, that seems to support a particular conclusion or validate a certain practice or belief. However, the student needs to make a careful examination of the context---the passages before and after the verses---to determine if the conclusions drawn are accurate ones.
The word context means "weaving together of words, from Latin contextus connection of words, coherence, from contexere to weave together, from com- + texere to weave" (Merriam-Webster). Words in written or oral discourse are woven together in the same way as threads in a garment. Just as we are not free, upon finding a piece of thread, to draw a conclusion about it without looking at the entire garment, we are not at liberty to isolate Biblical verses and attach meanings to them without considering the words among which they are woven, i.e., the context.
Ignoring context can lead to harmless, though erroneous, conclusions. For example, no one will lose his soul if he concludes that 1 Corinthians 2:9 (" but just as it is written, 'Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.'") is speaking of heaven, even though the context clearly indicates that Paul is writing about God's plan for saving mankind.
However, the conclusions drawn can often lead one into error and cause him to lose his soul. One might conclude from reading, "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law," (Galatians 3:13) that we are free from any spiritual law at all. Such a conclusion would be a fatal mistake. The context (vss. 10-12) makes it clear that Paul was speaking of a system wherein perfect obedience is required for justification.
Few mistakes are as significant as failing to read the context of a verse and allow the verses woven together with a passage to determine its meaning; yet, determining context in Biblical passages is no more difficult than determining context in any other piece of literature. The following suggestions, by no means exhaustive, might help.
Frequently repeated words and phrases. The often-repeated terms in the two sections of Ephesians illustrate this principle. A careful reading of chapters 1-3 makes it obvious that the dominant theme is God's grace (1:26-27; 2:5, 7, 8; 3:2, 7, 8) and glory (1:6, 12, 14, 17, 18; 3:13, 16, 21) and what this glorious grace has done for us. But in chapters 4-6, the emphasis shifts, and words of duty and responsibility dominate.
"Walk" occurs five times in Ephesians 4:1-5:21. Then, in 5:22-6:9, terms denoting subjection and obedience express the key thoughts. Finally, in 6:10-20, Paul uses strong, strength, and resist to emphasize the need to "take up the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand." (6:13)
Therefore, wherefore, and for this cause introduce conclusions based on things just discussed and give reasons for what has just been said. They demand that we understand those things if we are to properly interpret what is about to be stated. Again, we turn to Ephesians. Paul began 4:1 with, "I therefore,.. beseech you." The beseeching that follows is based on what he had previously said. Remembering that Paul had just discussed the blessings we have due to God's glorious grace, we conclude that we have the responsibilities to walk (4:1-5:21), be in obedient subjection (5:22-6:9), and be strong (6:10-20) because our lives are to be "to the praise of the glory of His grace" (1:6, 12, 14).
Context determines word meanings. Romans 4:2 declares, "For if Abraham was justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not toward God." However, James says in 2:21, "Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar?" A contradiction? Hardly. The works in Romans 4 are those which earn us salvation--perfect works. But in the context of James 2, works are a demonstration of our faith, i.e., obedience. And before we conclude, based on Romans 4:2, that no works of obedience--such as in baptism--are required of one who follows the Lord, we should look carefully at how the word works is used in the context.
All things. When Paul said, "I can do all things through him who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13), he was not espousing the positive thinking, "you can do and be anything you want" philosophy of Robert Schuller, et al. Verse 12 explains the "all things" Paul was able to do. And in Romans 8:28 ("all things work together for good"), Paul wasn't saying that everything that happens to us in life--even the tragedies--will somehow work out for our good. That might be true, but it is the things within the context of which Paul speaks--the spiritual provisions available in Christ. Whatever is included in "all things" is always limited by context. If one reads "all these things" it might remind him to include in "all things" only those things about which the writer has been speaking.
If the three most important words in real estate are location ... location ... location, then the three most significant terms in Bible study are context... context... context. The responsibility for "handling accurately the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15) demands, among other things, careful consideration of a passage's context before teaching others, lest we reach sloppy conclusions that embarrass us or, in the worst-case scenario, determine something to be truth that is, in fact, soul-damning.
Brother Smitherman has pointed out the GRAVE importance of examining CONTEXT. (KMG)