How to Read Your Bible 101ნიმუში

One of the keys to understanding the Bible is context. Context comes in layers. The context in the surrounding passages, the whole Bible, and the historical context. While the Bible is true and inspired by God, sometimes people use passages out of context to say what the Bible doesn’t say. By taking pieces of scripture out of context, you can completely change what is being said. I think the simplest way to understand this, is to look at the Bible as a whole. The Bible is large, it’s made up of 66 Books, 1,189 chapters, 31,102 verses, and a lot of words and letters. If I break it down into tiny pieces (letters) and rearrange them, I can literally make it say anything. The whole alphabet is used, so if I take small enough pieces anything can be written. Sure that may be extreme, but that same principle is true when we start expanding it. We can take individual words that could be arranged to say anything. When we take small pieces like a verse and don’t look at its context, its actual meaning can be lost. The Bible records a lot of conversations, and some of them even get corrected. Job has a lot to say, he elevates his own righteousness and accuses God of his problems. At the end of Job, God speaks and says, who is speaking words without knowledge? Job repents for the things that he said. But many people want to get their theology on suffering from the words of Job that God corrected. We tend to think of the Bible in verses, but the Bible wasn’t written in verses. It was written in books. There are different types of books, but the chapters and verses were added later to help people find particular passages. It is way more efficient than telling them you want to discuss the 300th line in the book of Matthew and hoping that their pages are the same size as yours. Philippians 4:13 is an example of a verse that is regularly taken out of context. Phil. 4:13 ESV, I can do all things through him who strengthens me. People use this verse to say they can win a sports game or workout, or some try to even use it to excuse sinful behavior. But if we look at it in context the meaning is there. Phil. 4:11-13 ESV - 11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Paul is standing strong, no matter what happens around him. When things are good or bad. Whether free or in prison, he knew how to trust in God. No matter the circumstances, God was his foundation so he could have peace through it all. If we look a little wider for context in verse 6, he is telling them not to worry but to bring their request, with thanksgiving, and that God will give them peace. He has written down this secret so we too can walk in God’s peace and joy, even when we don’t have control over our circumstances. This is a powerful verse that all of us can use at some point, but many times people take it without context to apply it to whatever they feel like doing.

Context in the surrounding passages is important, but it doesn’t stop there. How does it fit in the rest of the Bible? Is this part of the Old Testament system that pointed to Jesus or the New Testament system that Jesus brought? While I love the whole Bible, and there is a ton to learn from the Old Testament; there is a change in how we relate to God that came through Jesus. As we read we can look at the context of before or after Jesus. If you are new to Bible reading I encourage you to start in the New Testament (The book of Matthew). Get to know Jesus and His plans for us as you read through the New Testament.

As you read through Philippians 4 today, look at the context, and you can use the highlight options in YouVersion to mark the parts that stand out or the spots you may need to work/ meditate on for your own life.