Knowable Word

Helping ordinary people learn to study the Bible

Copyright © 2012–2025 DiscipleMakers, except guest articles (copyright author). Used by permission.

You are here: Home / Archives for Context

Use Context to Resist Satan

By

J.A. Medders reflects on the fact that the devil hates context. He’ll quote scripture but ignore what’s present right in the immediate context. We should make sure we don’t do the same. (My co-blogger Ryan once made a similar point.) In fact, by employing context in our Bible study, we’ll be better equipped to resist the wiles of Satan.

The devil took Psalm 91:11–12, applied it to Jesus, and left out the context. And here’s why: verse 13 is an allusion, reminder, and reinforcement of the promise God made in Genesis 3:15. There in the garden of Eden, as sin rippled through the universe, the devil heard his doom—someone would be born who would crush his head. And his name is Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God. He didn’t want to think about Jesus and verse 13.

Check it out!

Hospitality in Ancient Cultures

By

This post by Michael Kruger provides an excellent example of how cultural context ought to inform both interpretation and application. The New Testament repeatedly commands Christians to show hospitality. Unless we understand what that meant to the original readers, we will miss much of the purpose of the command today.

Harnack also highlights the extensive travel of later Christian leaders such as Justin, Hegesippus, Julius Africanus, and (especially) Origen.

Origen travelled to Sidon, Tyre, Bostra, Antioch, Casesarea, Nikomedia, Athens, Nicopolis, Rome, and number of other cities (some of which he visited more than once). Such travel was made possible because of the advancements made in the first-century Roman roads, though journeys were still slow and often dangerous.

But, Christians didn’t just travel for missionary work. They traveled for two additional reasons. First, travel was the way they spread Christian writings in the ancient world. It wasn’t just a generic message that these missionary-teachers were promulgating, but particularly Christian texts. Even in the first century, we see that early Christians had a remarkably well-organized network for distributing their writings. For instance, Paul frequently names the letter-carriers who would often have to travel great distances to deliver his epistles.

Second, and equally important, Christians traveled for the purposes of fellowship, networking, and encouraging one another. Despite the lack of modern travel conveniences, Christians traveled great distances just to be with one another. They were so highly networked, that one recent writer referred to early Christians as having a “Holy Internet.”

Check it out!

The Value of Historical Context from Colossians

By

One of the best ways to identify historical context is from the Bible itself. In this post, Kenneth Berding shows us how many historical details are simply bursting off the page in Colossians chapter 4.

Berding shares nine things that we simply would not know if Colossians 4 weren’t in the scriptures:

  1. Colossians and Philemon were sent by Paul at the same time (4:9)
  2. Aristarchus was a “co-prisoner” with Paul (4:10)
  3. Barnabas had a cousin (4:10)
  4. Paul had a co-worker named Jesus (4:11)
  5. Colossae’s pastor was Epaphras (4:12-13)
  6. Luke was a doctor (4:14)
  7. Demas used to be a valued co-worker of Paul (4:14)
  8. Paul also sent a letter to the Laodiceans (4:16)
  9. Archippus had a ministry in the church in Colossae (4:17)

Check it out!

No Good Tree Bears Bad Fruit

By

oranges

Birgit (2017), public domain

Jesus was a master of metaphor and illustration. Camels fitting through the eye of a needle! A woman turning her house upside down because of a lost coin!

He also spoke of trees and fruit. If you’ve been around the church, you’ve probably heard the saying, “no good tree bears bad fruit.”

So, what does this phrase mean?

Jesus the Preacher

While we hear much from Jesus in the Gospels, we must concede that Jesus preached far more sermons than the Gospel writers recorded. He likely talked with his disciples, preached to the crowds, or taught in the synagogues most every day of his adult ministry.

“Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written” (John 21:25).

The phrase “no good tree bears bad fruit” shows up twice in the Gospels, in Matthew 7:18 and Luke 6:43. (The ESV translates the phrase in Matthew as “a healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit.”) This is one of several similarities between Jesus’s sermons in Matthew 5:2–7:27 and Luke 6:20–49. Matthew’s account has been called the “Sermon on the Mount,” and many have assumed that Luke’s version is an excerpt from the same sermon.

But a closer look calls this assumption into question. Not all of Jesus’s sermon in Luke appears in Matthew. (The “woe” pronouncements in Luke 6:24–26 are a prime example.) Also, where the sermons overlap in content they differ in important specifics. (In Luke’s Beatitudes, Jesus blesses the “poor” and the “hungry,” while in Matthew Jesus blesses the “poor in spirit” and those who “hunger and thirst for righteousness.”)

The most straightforward conclusion is that these are different sermons. Anyone who has spent time around a preacher knows that favorite phrases and illustrations show up in different settings for different purposes.

Matthew 7

In Matthew 7, Jesus uses the tree/fruit illustration to help his disciples spot false prophets.

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.” (Matthew 7:15–20)

Consider the larger passage. In Matt 7:13–14 Jesus speaks about the wide and narrow gates leading (respectively) to destruction and life. In Matt 7:21–23 Jesus warns that not everyone who calls him “Lord” and claims to have worked in his name will enter the kingdom of heaven. Some he will throw out as “workers of lawlessness.” Jesus is teaching about the way to life—who’s in and who’s out?

Jesus wants his disciples to identify those who do not bear good fruit, especially when they claim to follow him. And what fruit did Jesus have in mind? “Judge not” (Matt 7:1). “Take the log out of your own eye” (Matt 7:5). Ask the Father for good things (Matt 7:7–11). Treat others the same way you want them to treat you (Matt 7:12). In summary, build a solid house by hearing and obeying Jesus (Matt 7:24–27).

Luke 6

Let’s take a look at the tree/fruit illustration in Luke.

“For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:43–45)

The word “for” at the beginning of verse 43 points to the previous section, where Jesus commands his disciples not to be hypocrites, but to remove the log from their own eyes before taking a speck out of a brother’s eye (Luke 6:41–42). This caution flows from Jesus’s warning not to judge others (Luke 6:37–38).

Significantly, there is no mention of false prophets in this section of the sermon. Instead, Jesus speaks of fruit as the overflow of the heart.

Coming on the heels of the exhortation to “take the log out of your own eye,” the implication is clear. Jesus’s disciples must examine their own hearts. When they see bad fruit, it is the result of lingering evil in their hearts.

Context!

Back to our original question. What does the phrase “no good tree bears bad fruit” mean? I hope by now the answer is clear. It depends!

Words and phrases have little to no meaning when lifted from their context. This is true for our own words; how much more is it true of Holy Scripture!?

So, when reading Jesus’s sermons, or any part of the Bible, pay attention to the context. Observe and interpret accordingly. And as you apply the truths of the Bible, you also will bear much fruit.

This post was originally published in 2018.

Context Matters: Romans 8

By

Romans 8 is one of the most beloved chapters of the New Testament, with many staggering promises and assurances for the people of God. But could it be that some of them tend to take on meanings Paul didn’t intend, when we cite them out of context?

Joshua Greever tackles 3 such verses from the chapter, employing the context of Paul’s argument to explain some familiar verses and phrases:

  • What does it mean to be “led by the Spirit” in Rom 8:14?
  • What is the “good” that “all things work together for” in Rom 8:28?
  • In what way are those loved by God “more than conquerors” (Rom 8:37), and in what way can no-one be “against us” (Rom 8:31)?

Greever’s work on these texts is worth considering and modeling how to answer such interpretive questions from a close examination of the train of thought.

Check it out!

Context Matters: The Fruit of the Spirit

By

Arturrro (2016), public domain

Perhaps you’ve heard about the fruit of the Spirit. You may have learned about them or taught them at Vacation Bible School, and you might even know a catchy song that helps you remember what comes after love, joy, and peace.

Many people know that the famous fruit of the Spirit come from the book of Galatians. But we rarely connect these Christian qualities to the message of Paul’s letter. Why was this list written to these specific Christians?

Context matters. Every word in the Bible was written in a historical moment and for a purpose. When we learn to read the Bible and honor the way it was written in time, we’ll see that some of its most familiar, musical verses have more depth than we have thought.

The Immediate Context

Paul lists the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Gal 5:22-23)

The larger section in most Bibles is Galatians 5:16–26. Paul urges the Galatians to “walk by the Spirit” so that they “will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Gal 5:16). He describes how the desires of the flesh and the desires of the Spirit are opposed to each other. Immediately before the fruit of the Spirit, Paul lists “the works of the flesh,” which are “evident.”

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Gal 5:19-21)

We clearly must not take these sins lightly!

Then Galatians 5:22 contrasts these obvious works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit. When the Spirit is present—when a person is “led by the Spirit” (Gal 5:18), “live[s] by the Spirit,” and “keep[s] in step with the Spirit” (Gal 5:25)—these fruit sprout forth in a similarly obvious way.

The Larger Context

This list of the fruit of the Spirit comes not only in a specific paragraph, but toward the end of a specific letter. How does this fit in with Paul’s train of thought?

Some of those in Galatia were deserting Christ, turning toward a different gospel (Gal 1:6). Paul insists that his gospel is from Jesus himself (Gal 1:11) and then writes about his own reception of the gospel and how he responded.

In Galatians 2:15–21, Paul writes the content of this gospel, nicely summarized in verse 16: “…a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ.” This faith brought with it the Holy Spirit, and since the Galatians began in faith by the Spirit, they must also continue by the Spirit (Gal 3:2-3). This is the “promised” Spirit that is received through faith (Gal 3:14).

God sent his Son “to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons” (Gal 4:5). And sons receive the “Spirit of his Son” in their hearts, inclining them to call God “Father” (Gal 4:6).

Before they knew God, the Galatians were “enslaved to those that by nature are not gods” (Gal 4:8). Paul tries to show them the foolishness of turning back “to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more” (Gal 4:9).

Christ set us free for freedom (Gal 5:1). “Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another” (Gal 5:13).

By this point we have arrived at the paragraph we examined earlier. But now we can place it in context. Those who have embraced the true gospel have received the promised Spirit by faith. This Spirit leads away from slavery to the works of the flesh and toward freedom—the freedom to serve one another through love.

How do we know we are walking by the Spirit? We show the fruit of the Spirit.

The Spirit Bears Fruit

The fruit of the Spirit are not a magical collection of good behaviors or character traits. Rather, they are what the Holy Spirit brings about in those who believe the true gospel—those who have been justified by faith, those who have the Spirit of adoption as sons, those who “belong to Christ Jesus” and “have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal 5:24).

Context matters.

(My co-blogger Peter wrote some similar ideas about the fruit of the Spirit more briefly back in June, but I wanted to give this section of Galatians a longer treatment.)

For more examples of why context matters, click here.

In Defense of Historical Context

By

David Mitchell has a thoughtful piece where he begins to make a theological and philosophical defense of the need to understand the Bible within its historical context. In other words, why do we expend so much energy to grasp the Bible’s authors, their original audiences, and the circumstances under which they wrote? Is all that really necessary to understand what the Spirit has to say to us today?

Yes. Yes, it is quite necessary.

The philosophical and theological reason for reading in context is because the Bible is a serious and intentional text. Something written simply to entertain or amuse may not require paying attention to context in quite the same way—although the upheaval of context might be part of such a text’s ability to entertain. However, something written with a serious intention, whether to convey information or change people’s behaviour, always needs to be understood according to a context. That could be the context created by the narrative and/or a context created by the historical moment being spoken into (in the case of a letter).

The Scriptures were not written simply to record stories for their own sake nor to entertain. They were written for the purpose of changing the minds of those who read them. This is abundantly clear in certain places (for e.g. Jn 20:31). But theologically, we believe that all the words of Scripture were written by God’s Spirit for his people. They are meant to both inform us—ultimately of Jesus Christ—and change our behaviour (for e.g. 2 Tim 3:16–17; 1 Pet 1:10–11; 2 Pet 1:20–21). Yet we also know that they are human documents, not transcendent of history, but records of it and within it (e.g. Luke 1:1–4; 1 John 1:1–3). Taken together, as both a divine and human document, the word of God for us should be read according to the moments that it addresses.

Mitchell then provides some examples from a variety of genres, showing how good contextual work does not hinder contemporary application but makes it all the stronger.

Check it out!

Examples of “Thinking Bigger”

By

Last week, I argued for the value of “thinking bigger” in your Bible study—of seeking to grasp how your text fits into the book’s larger argument. In this post, I’ll give some examples to show the payoff of such bigger thinking.

jigsaw puzzle on yellow background
Photo by Ann H on Pexels.com

Proverbs 2

First, a rather simple example. Upon studying Proverbs 2, you may recognize that this poem describes how to become wise. All you have to do is passively receive wisdom and actively seek it, and the Lord is just waiting to dole it out.

So much, so good. But how does this chapter fit into the book’s argument?

As a whole, Proverbs 1-9 serve as an extended introduction to the book. In the long poems there, the sage poet explains the fundamentals of how wisdom works, what it does, and why it’s worth it. Chapter 2 on how to get it fits right in with the other fundamentals.

And all those fundamentals are to be assumed when we read chapters 10 and beyond. Therefore, to read particular verses of proverbs as points of secular business, finance, or relationship advice is to miss the entire point. Proverbs 2 plays a crucial role by explaining that God is the only source of wisdom and that he is generous in giving it to those who seek him. Recognizing this role enables us to perceive the weightiness of chapter 2 and the importance of constantly returning to it to help interpret the wisdom found in the rest of the book.

The Fruit of the Spirit

We love to give Sunday school children their coloring pages to help them learn about the cornucopia described in Galatians 5:22-23. But what role do those verses play in light of the letter as a whole?

Gal 2:16 could perhaps summarize the main point of the whole letter: “We know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ.”

Paul makes his case first through his autobiography (Gal 1-2) and then by drawing out the tension between law and promise (Gal 3-4).

Now, in chapters 5-6, he explains the freedom that comes with the righteousness that is by faith. This freedom leads us to serve one another in love (Gal 5:13), which is the sum of the whole law (Gal 5:14). In other words, getting right with God (by faith) will produce rightness of relationship (in love).

Gal 5:16 then contrasts the desires of the flesh with the desires of the Spirit. At this point and throughout the letter, “flesh” has stood for justification by works (which leads to all kinds of strife and relational tension), and “Spirit” has stood for justification by faith (which leads to loving communities).

So by following the argument of the entire letter, we will recognize that the fruit of the Spirit is not about how to be a good Christian person, but about what sprouts forth when people put their faith in Christ.

The Good Samaritan

Luke’s gospel is especially challenging on account of its length. But repeated reading and re-reading pay great dividends as you pick up the overall contours of the book’s structure. I won’t restate the full structure here, but can only refer you to my post on the topic.

We find the parable of the Good Samaritan within the lengthy middle section of Luke, which can be difficult to navigate until we discover that it’s organized around four key questions. The Good Samaritan is the final scene in the discussion of the first question: “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” (Luke 9:54). In other words, Luke is addressing the issue of how Jesus’ followers must go about proclaiming his kingdom.

So in the section of Luke’s gospel where Jesus’ disciples want to call down fire on Samaritans for not receiving Jesus, Jesus ends up telling a story about a Samaritan to illustrate who is one’s neighbor. The parable demonstrates that Jesus wants his people proclaiming the kingdom to all their neighbors (with neighbor being defined by the story as anyone in need, even across the cursed Jew-Samaritan divide).

So yes, those who hear the parable today ought to do good to people they wouldn’t otherwise like. But they ought to do so from a belief that the message of Christ’s kingdom is for all nations. We proclaim grace, and we act out that grace, so they might believe.

Conclusion

These three examples, from three different text types, exemplify the value of following the argument of the entire book you are studying. This takes a lot of work, and it’s not easy. In fact, I don’t think I ever get it “right” on my first pass through a book. But I do the best I can and then refine my work when I come back to a book later in my study.

Don’t settle for quick answers on a text. Think bigger and take stock of how your text fits into the author’s larger argument. In this way, you may find your Bible study more enriching, encouraging, and enlightening than you expected.

Keep Thinking Bigger

By

One Bible study skill that’s worth developing is the skill of always thinking bigger. By “thinking bigger,” I mean broadening your grasp of the text’s argument.

The books of the Bible were written as books, and not as loose collections of smaller texts. These books are narratives, poems, and letters sent from one person to another person or group of people.

woman draw a light bulb in white board
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Sometimes, however, we read the Bible like we would read Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations. This turns the Bible into a collection of pithy sayings instead of a work of literature. And the problem with this approach is that we can then make the Bible say anything we want it to say. For example, you can find brochures from the Jehovah’s Witnesses that use Bible verses to “prove” that Jesus is not God, the Holy Spirit is not a person, and blood transfusions are immoral.

So to study the Bible competently, you must have a clear grasp of how to read Scripture in context.

  • a verse in the context of the paragraph or stanza
  • the paragraph or stanza in context of the episode or poem
  • the episode or poem in context of the book
  • the book in the context of its historical era
  • and the era in the context of God’s entire plan of history

So there are really two skills that involve “thinking bigger.”

  1. Grasping how your passage fits within the argument of an entire book,
    • which requires you to grasp the argument of your entire book.
  2. Grasping how your passage fits within the Bible’s larger theology,
    • which requires you to grasp the Bible’s larger theology.

For examples of the first skill, see our collection of posts showing how context matters. And for examples of the second skill, see the brief series on how biblical theology impacts application.

Here are some additional resources I often recommend to help build these skills. None of these are flawless, but all have something to offer:

Hop Aboard the Train of Thought

By

When I write an article, I want to make a point. To make that point stick, I follow a series of steps. First, I try to capture your attention with the first sentence or two. Second, I introduce my thesis early. Third, I explain the thesis and apply it. Finally, I land the article with a strong sense of arrival (or liftoff, if I want to inspire you with a certain Bible study practice). Along the way, I pepper my writing with salty metaphors, everyday illustrations—like the time I explained how Bible study was like teeball—and clear conclusions. Therefore, I have something to say, and I want to set you up to hear it.

Nonfiction works this way: An author has something to say, but that author must bring the readers along for the ride. From the beginning of the work to the end, a journey of discovery unfolds. We call this journey the author’s train of thought.

The Bible works similarly, and our Bible study hits pay dirt when we hop aboard the author’s train of thought.

Why it Matters

Leon Rice-Whetton (2009), Creative Commons

Leon Rice-Whetton (2009), Creative Commons

The author’s train of thought outlines his main ideas. And his main ideas are, well, his main ideas. If you’d like to grow at fighting for the main point and reading passages in context, you’ll want to grow your ability to follow a train of thought. The tracks have been laid. Will you walk along them?

Example #1: Romans 4

Look at how Paul’s argument unfolds, and hop aboard for the ride:

  • Rom 4:1: What did Abraham gain in this matter [How did he get the righteousness of God (Rom 3:21)?]?
  • Rom 4:2-8: He didn’t get it by works.
  • Rom 4:9-12: He didn’t get it through circumcision.
  • Rom 4:13-15: He didn’t get it by law.
  • Rom 4:16-17: Therefore, he got it by faith!
  • Rom 4:18-22: Abraham’s faith = despite outward circumstances, being fully convinced God is able to do what he promises.
  • Rom 4:23-25: Our faith works the same way (believing God’s promise despite our circumstances) and achieves the same result (the righteousness of God).

What’s at stake for Paul in this chapter? How Jews can be made right with God. How it’s always been this way for them. How it’s no different now for non-Jews.

Looking at the immediate context, we see that Paul addresses key questions asked by the Jewish members of his Roman audience.

  • What about good works? (Rom 3:27-28)
  • What about circumcision? (Rom 3:29-30)
  • What about the law? (Rom 3:31)

And for Jew and Gentile alike, God’s righteousness remains available—not through good deeds, religious rituals, or law-keeping, but by believing him who raised Jesus from the dead (Rom 4:24).

Example #2: Hebrews 1-5

Hebrews hits us between the eyes with its train of thought. I can think of no other book that announces each point this clearly before explaining it. The announcements come as transitions from one major section to the next.

  1. Big idea: God has spoken by his Son who sat down (Heb 1:1-4).
  2. First point: Jesus became “as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs” (Heb 1:4).
    • Jesus’ more excellent name (Heb 1:5-14)
    • Jesus’ superiority to angels (Heb 2:5-18)
  3. Second point: Jesus had to “become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God” (Heb 2:17-18).
    • Jesus the faithful high priest (Heb 3:1-4:14).
    • Jesus the merciful high priest (Heb 4:15-5:10).

The rest of the book continues in the same way, announcing the points before explaining them. The author scatters sections of application between major points. The main idea comes alive with each point: Jesus accomplished the work of salvation God sent for him to do. Therefore, he is “more” and “better” than the things God used to communicate salvation in the Old Testament. Hop aboard the train of thought when you study Hebrews, and you’ll find buckets of gold at the end of each rainbow.

Example #3: Job 4-5

It works for poetry as well. Look at the first speech given by one of Job’s friends, and track the thinking stanza by stanza.

  1. Can I remind you of where your confidence should be (Job 4:1-6)?
  2. You are guilty (Job 4:7-11).
  3. You are mortal (Job 4:12-21).
  4. You’re a fool (Job 5:1-7).
  5. Seek your confidence not in yourself, but in God (Job 5:8-16).
  6. Accept the Almighty’s discipline (Job 5:17-27).

Think about how Eliphaz moves from one thought to the next, and we can discover his underlying point: “Hardship is always a sign of God’s corrective discipline; therefore, Job, you’re despising God’s redemptive work in your life.” Of course, the larger context of Job makes it clear that Eliphaz is wrong (Job 42:7-8). But that doesn’t stop Paul from turning Eliphaz upside down to see if he can shake some treasure out of his pockets (1 Cor 3:18-19).

Conclusion

Of course, some passages won’t have much train of thought (think Proverbs 10-29). And narratives look a little different. But don’t miss this train, or your Bible study might not get where you’d like it to go.