Simple Study on the Power of God's Word
A Primer on the Lost Art of Biblical Meditation

Memorizing God's Word - Why? How? Resource links...
Navigator's Topical Memory System (TMS)
How to Perform A Greek Word Study on the Web
Greek Tense, Voice, Mood Reference Guide
Greek Word Studies - in depth

THE THREE COMPONENTS
OF INDUCTIVE BIBLE STUDY

Introduction to Inductive Bible Study - Why do it?

Observation - What does it say?

Interpretation - What does it mean?:

Application - How do I respond?

PRINCIPLE: Read the Scriptures prayerfully, open to communication either direction (to Him or from Him) at any and all times during your inductive study.

"But we've already prayed." That's great, but remain in a prayerful attitude throughout your study, ever alert to your Teacher's voice. Don't fall into the trap of performing inductive Bible study as an intellectual exercise, but be open and alert to the heart transformation that is the ultimate goal of your study.

Be like the psalmist who prayed...

Give me understanding, that I may observe Thy law, and keep it with all my heart. (Psalm 119:34 - see Spurgeon's note)

The Westminster Catechism (prefix) adds that the...

understanding is the pilot and guide of the whole man; that faculty which sits at the stern of the soul: but as the most expert guide may mistake in the dark, so may the understanding, when it wants the light of knowledge.

The prince of preachers, C H Spurgeon once said that when he encountered Biblical passages he could not understand, it seemed to him as though God had set a chair there for him to kneel down and worship. He added that...

PRINCIPLE: Context always rules in interpretation, whether you are studying a single word, one verse or a larger section of Scripture. Always check to see who the "neighbors" are!

Context is the setting in which something "dwells". If you take a fish out of water, it doesn't function well! This principle holds for any passage of Scripture which is taken out of context. 

In simple terms, context is that which goes with the text, the "neighbors" so to speak -- that which comes before and after.

Webster says that "context" is

"the parts of a discourse that surround a word or passage and can throw light on its meaning".

The English word context is derived from com = with and texere = to weave or braid, and thus means to weave together! This interesting word picture is depicted below...

Any time we break into the middle of a book, a chapter or a paragraph, we need to look at the surrounding context. When you interpret Scripture, whether it is a single word, a verse or a paragraph, you must always consider the Scripture in light of the surrounding verses, chapters and book in which it is found and finally in the context of the entire Bible. Your interpretation should never contradict the context of the book, chapter or paragraph you are studying.  If you ignore context, the accuracy of your interpretation will suffer. Remember that a text taken out of context potentially can become a pretext (a fictitious reason given in order to conceal the real one - Example = "He gave plausible reasons for his conduct, but these were only a pretext to conceal his real motives.") which is how many of the cults have originated (click example).

One of the early reformed theologians Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531) emphasized the importance of context, declaring that pulling a passage from its context "is like breaking off a flower from its roots."

Warren Wiersbe adds that

We must never divorce one part of Scripture from another, but we must always “compare spiritual things with spiritual” (1Cor 2:13). We can prove almost anything by the Bible if we isolate texts from the contexts and turn them into pretexts...

You can prove anything by the Bible, provided you twist the Scriptures out of context and reject the witness of your own conscience.  The Bible is a book of literature and it must be interpreted according to the fundamental rules of interpretation. If people treated other books the way they treat the Bible, they would never learn anything....

Most heresies are the perversion of some fundamental doctrine of the Bible. False teachers take verses out of context, twist the Scriptures, and manufacture doctrines that are contrary to the Word of God...

Beware of taking promises out of their context...Few passages in the Bible are more misunderstood and misapplied than the Sermon on the Mount (see notes). Often people will take single verses or phrases from Matthew 5-7 and disregard the context. It’s important that we have a total view of this important sermon (Ed: cp context) before we attempt to study the various divisions of this passage." (Wiersbe, W: Bible Exposition Commentary. 1989. Victor or Logos)

Kay Arthur emphasizes that when...

you seek to know what something means, ask yourself,

"Is my interpretation of a particular section of Scripture consistent with the theme, purpose, and structure of the book in which it is found?".

"Is my interpretation consistent with other Scriptures about the same subject or is there a glaring difference?"

"Am I considering the historical and cultural context of what is being said?"

(Kay Arthur: How to Study Your Bible: this reference is highly recommended especially if you are new to inductive Bible study)

TWO LEVELS
OF
CONTEXT

Skip Heitzig notes that...

There are two levels of context to keep in mind—immediate and remote. Immediate context refers to the sentence in which a word is found or the paragraph in which a sentence is found. Remote context refers to the entire progression of thought leading up to the verse. Let's take a look at a familiar passage to get a feel for this

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.. (Hebrews 12:1-note , He 12:2-note)

The immediate context is found here in the first two verses of Hebrews 12, which refer to a race of faith that is to be run with endurance. The author speaks of how to run that race and who to keep our eyes on while we run. The remote context, on the other hand, is suggested by the first word of chapter 12, "therefore," which draws our attention back to Hebrews 11. There we find several examples of faith as portrayed by various saints down through the ages. The word therefore informs us that what is said in Hebrews 12 is "as a result of" what has been revealed in chapter 11. In that context, then, we know that the "cloud of witnesses" refers to the list of faithful people in chapter 11. The passage is couched in terms of an athletic event, which was a common point of reference in ancient Greece and Rome. The faithful saints of old are presented as "witnesses" to our present "race." Warm-up weights are representative of sin, which is to be laid aside in the serious competition of life. In its context, the verse is saying that the life of faith is like a race in which we are required to "run with endurance," just as others have successfully run before us. (How to Study the Bible and Enjoy It) (Bolding added)

HISTORICAL & CULTURAL
CONTEXT

We are prone to interpret everything we read in terms of our modern Western culture, since the "here and now" is where we live. The Historical and Cultural Context answers questions like

•  What did the specific passage mean to the people to whom it was spoken or written?
•  What were the times like?
•  What was the attitude toward Christianity?
•  When is this taking place?
•  What else was taking place in the world at this time?
•  What were some of the social and political influences on the writer and on those to whom he was writing?

You have to understand the historical setting to best understand the writer’s original intent. In other words, try to put yourself into the historical and cultural context of the author and the audience he was addressing (see offsite article on importance of historical/cultural setting in interpretation). The epistles for example were written to a particular group (e.g., churches at Philippi, Colossae, etc) at a particular time in history (first century in case of the churches), both factors which will contribute to the accuracy of one's interpretation. Although you can discern various aspects of the historical and cultural context from careful observation of the book, you will probably have to use secondary resources to discover other aspects of historical or cultural context that might help your interpretation. Although William Barclay's commentaries are not thoroughly conservative and evangelical, Barclay frequently gives excellent historical/cultural descriptions that are not readily available elsewhere.  (click here or here for more thoughts on Barclay).

Not only is the immediate context (paragraph, chapter and book) surrounding a verse important, but the context of the entire Bible is also crucial in understanding the meaning of a particular passage. Why so? Because Scripture never contradicts itself, so if we arrive at an interpretation in one passage that contradicts truth in another passage, we have an inaccurate interpretation.

Bob Smith reminds us that...

we must always view a passage or verse (1) in its immediate setting; (2) in the larger context of the chapter or book in which it stands; and (3) in the light of the total context of biblical revelation. Remember that though we see it in its parts and divisions, God wrote ONE Book, not sixty-six.  (Basics of Bible Interpretation)

J. I. Packer wrote that...

The Bible appears like a symphony orchestra, with the Holy Ghost as its Toscanini, each instrument has been brought willingly, spontaneously, creatively, to play his notes just as the great conductor desired, though none of them could ever hear the music as a whole.… The point of each part only becomes fully clear when seen in relation to all the rest (from God Has Spoken)

Have you ever been misquoted because your quote was yanked "out of context"? Then you understand how significant context is to accurate communication. Read the simple illustration below to understand the crucial role context plays in accurate interpretation:

If I said "I saw the trunk" how would you interpret the meaning of the word "trunk"? It could refer to a tree, a car, an elephant, a piece of luggage, athletic wear, etc. How can one determine the correct meaning? Clearly, the context determines how one interprets the meaning of "trunk". So if we were at the zoo, you would most naturally understand that this is a reference to the trunk of an elephant, etc, etc. You get the point - a Scripture taken out of context can easily lose God's (and inspired human author's) intended meaning. Don't misquote God by taking Him out of context!

It is surprising that although we use "context" in everyday communication, we often tend to disregard this crucial role of interpreting in context when studying the Scriptures. We need to discipline ourselves and make a habit of always consulting the verses before and after that favorite verse, so that we can be sure we don't take the passage out of context.  See an illustration of context from Our Daily Bread. See also "Quote Misquote" 

We cannot find a safer guide to follow
Than precepts from the pages of God's Word;
But if we twist and misapply the Scripture,
We make its sacred teachings seem absurd. --Hess

Even experienced Bible students are often surprised to see what a familiar Bible quotation means when understood in light of its immediate setting. Difficult problems of understanding often evaporate simply by determining how a text is framed by the main idea running through that section of Scripture. As alluded to earlier, reading one passage in the Bible by itself can be like looking at a piece of a jigsaw puzzle. As you analyze it, you see elements of form and color, but you realize that it is only one essential part of the "big picture". Because the 39 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament are all "chapters" of one Book, those who live by the whole counsel of God will increasingly be enabled by the Holy Spirit to see each individual part in light of the whole.

Nelson's New Illustrated Dictionary emphasizes that...

The primary rule of biblical interpretation is “context.” This cannot be emphasized too strongly. If the Bible student would merely let a passage speak for itself within the context of the paragraph, chapter, or book, the majority of all errors in interpretation would be avoided. The problem is our bias, or our subjectivity. Many times we approach a passage thinking we already understand it. In the process we read our own meaning into the passage. This is called eisegesis. (Eis is a Greek preposition meaning “into.”) But interpreting the Bible correctly demands that we listen to what the text itself is saying, and then draw the meaning out of the passage. This is called exegesis. (Ex is a Greek preposition meaning “out of.”) If we let a passage be defined by what it and the surrounding verses say, then we have taken a large step toward interpreting the Bible properly. Only by watching the context carefully and by letting the passage speak for itself do we give Scripture the respect it deserves. Of course, it is impossible to dismiss totally our own bias and subjectivity. Our interpretation will always be colored by our culture and our opinions about the passage, or perhaps by our theological beliefs, which are partially based on the passage. But this should not discourage our attempt to let the passage speak for itself as freely as possible, without being weighed down with our personal opinions and views. (Youngblood, R. F., Bruce, F. F., Harrison, R. K., & Thomas Nelson Publishers. Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary)

Respected expositor John MacArthur emphasizes that...

In Bible study, get the right message from the right passage. Don’t “proof text” your bias or opinions by making the Bible say what you already know you want it to say. (MacArthur, J., F. How to get the most from God's word. Dallas, TX: Word Pub. 1997).

Howard Hendricks adds that

Telescopic reading is based on this principle (of examining the text in the broader context). It never settles for close-ups alone; it always demands the wide-angle lens of perspective. It always asks, What is the big picture?"

Hendricks goes on to comment that evaluation of

the passage in light of the book as a whole... is the ultimate extension of checking the context. It’s like flying a plane over some land in order to evaluate distances and relationships. (Hendricks, H. G. Living by the book. Chicago: Moody Press)

Remember context is king in interpretation and a text out of context is at best a "pretext" (definition) and even worse may be a "proof text" or a text of Scripture quoted to prove, defend or support a specific doctrine or belief.  Every major cult is founded on a violation of this principle of failing to handle in context as illustrated in the following exercise.

Milton S. Terry explains the importance of taking into account historical context, including the setting, and circumstances in which the words of Scripture were written noting that...

The interpreter should, therefore, endeavour to take himself from the present, and to transport himself into the historical position of his author, look through his eyes, note his surroundings, feel with his heart, and catch his emotion. Herein we note the import of the term grammatico-historical interpretation. (Milton S. Terry, Biblical Hermeneutics. NY: Philips and Hunt, 1883; Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1976, 231)

IMPORTANCE OF CONTEXT
FOR WORD STUDIES

Remember that when you are doing Greek Word studies (see onsite Greek Word Studies) (similar warning applies to Hebrew), many Greek words have more than one meaning as determined by the context. A word can only mean one thing at a time so we must  make every effort to determine the writer's single intended meaning. The diligent student needs to to be cautious when looking up definitions of a specific word in Greek lexicons and using the definition to amplify or interpret the meaning of that word in a specific verse. If the definition you choose makes the verse more difficult to understand, then you have probably chosen a definition that is not "compatible with" the context of the verse you are studying. Let me give you an example of how context affects the meaning of the Greek word. In Mark God the Father speaks out of a cloud at the transfiguration of His Son and declares to Peter, James and John

This is My beloved Son. Listen (akouo in the present imperative = not a suggestion but a command to made this one's continual practice to listen) to Him (Mk 9:7, cp Mary Lk 10:39 and Martha Lk 10:40, 41, 42)

The Greek Verb (akouo) normally means simply "to hear" but in this context conveys the sense of "Hear Him and obey Him" and in fact is so translated by the Amplified Version ("Be constantly listening to and obeying Him!" - Amplified)

DON'T FORGET THE
ENGLISH
DICTIONARY

As an aside when doing "Word Studies" don't forget to occasionally look up words in the English dictionary (and the same caution applies - be certain that it "fits" the context of the verse under study). Let's look at an example in Php 4:6 Paul commands believers to "Be anxious for nothing...". A study of the Greek word for anxious (merimnao - see word study) uncovers an interesting origin from the Greek verb merizo which means to divide and gives us a vivid word picture of the effect of anxiety on most of us! When we look up the word anxious in Webster's dictionary we read "Anxious: Characterized by extreme uneasiness of mind or brooding fear about some contingency: worried." Does that help amplify what Paul is saying? And don't forget to note the origin of the English word, in this case anxious being derived from Latin angere = to strangle, to distress, to torment, to choke! What a picture of the potential effect of anxiety! Some Bible Versions translate Php 4:6 with the verb "worry"... take a moment and look up "worry" in an English dictionary - you may be surprised what you discover (note especially Webster's origin and definitions #1-4!).

Related Resources:
 

Greek Word Studies
How To Do A Greek Word Study on the Internet
How To Do Word Studies - Offsite Resource
 

J. I. Packer adds these comments on the "Interpretation" out of context:

We cannot arrive at a true understanding of God’s Word by detaching texts from their contexts to find personal meaning in them and be feeding them into the world of our private preoccupations and letting that world impose new senses on old phrases. A theological student whom later I knew as a senior friend had committed himself to starting his ministry in the north of England when he received a very attractive invitation to join a teaching institution in South Wales instead. He did not feel able to withdraw from his commitments, but one day he read in Isa 43:6 (Authorized Version), “I will say to the north, Give up”, and concluded that this was God telling him that he would be providentially released from his promise and so set free to accept the second invitation. No such thing happened, however, so he went north after all wondering what had gone wrong. Then he reread Isa 43:6 and noticed that it continued, “…and to the south, Do not withhold.” At this point it dawned on him that he had been finding meaning in the text that was never really there. Instead, the concerns which he brought to his reading of the text had governed his interpretation of it. To impose meaning on the text is not the way to learn God’s Law. Yet we constantly do this, and it is one chronic obstacle to understanding.

Basic Basic Bible Interpretation: Understanding the Setting of a Bible Passage