CONTEXT

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Rita Cullimore on February 11, 2012 at 3:54am

Let's try Matt 16:19 vs Matt 18:18

Sorry for the confusion.

Blessings...

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Permalink Reply by Lina on February 11, 2012 at 9:33am

Are you referring to this Mathew 13:19 "The seed that fell on the hard path represent those who hear the Good News about the Kingdom and don't understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches the seed away from their hearts".  This verse is an explanation to the parable of the sower and the seed in Matt 13: 3 - 8. I don't know whether there is a deeper meaning to this or not but the explanation is clear enough. This parable helps me know where I belong.

  Mathew 18:18 "I tell you this: Whatever you prohibit on earth is prohibited in heaven, and whatever you allow on earth is allowed in heaven."  I think this verse has more to do with forgiveness.

I am not an authority in this field but I felt writing this would bring expects to our aid. I might be out of context myself.  The Holy Book is expected to be simple to understand but most of us misinterprete the words contained in it due to lack of knowledge. You are not alone in your plight.

Remain blessed!

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Permalink Reply by Leonard T on February 11, 2012 at 10:40am

Context is determined by several factors:

 

1) The passage in which the portion of Scripture is found.

2) The passage before and after often shed light on the meaning.

3) The book that the passage is found.

4) The basic definition of pertinent words.

5) The word or words being used compared to how it is used in other places of Scripture, especially within the current book.

6) Cultural relevance to the time in which the passage was written (ie the meaning of adoption in Jesus day compared to today's understanding)

7) Does the context align with or contradict the basic doctrines of Scripture.

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Permalink Reply by Rita Cullimore on February 12, 2012 at 3:40am

Lina,

I was actually thinking of Matthew 16:19 as compared to Matthew 18:18 where the words are repeated

¹⁹ I will give you ^mthe keys of the kingdom of heaven, and ⁿwhatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed⁴ in heaven."

¹⁸ Truly, I say to you, ^twhatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed⁶ in heaven.

Blessings....

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Permalink Reply by Rita Cullimore on February 12, 2012 at 4:07am

LT,

Thank you for your information as well. Your information is just as I thought it would be. I get concerned when one person uses the words *out of context* with another, especially when we are taking about something that might be written in numerous places in the Bible. The words may change slightly, but the context is there.

Several things that I believe

1. We don't all have the same level of understanding when it comes to God Word. We're not there yet.

2. We need not bring out context until we are experts in the subject matter, which none of us are.

3. We need to teach another so that their level of understanding will increase instead of causing a rift.

Strange how we all want to be right about what we understand and we all want the other man to mimic our own words regarding God's Word.

LT, do you recall the first exchange you and I had. I had said something and you disagreed with it. When I emailed you about it, you realized that you hadn't considered all that I had said. Later you came back and readdressed what I had said with the response I'd expected in the first place? I have always kept that situation in mind to help me consider what the other guy is saying.

The real point that I am trying to make is that we need to respond to others on here in Love. We are all here for nearly the same reason...to learn more about Christ. To have clearer understanding about Him. To help others, who might not have the same depth of understanding as we *might* have. We are here to learn. We are here to fellowship with others.

I don't come here to show how smart I am. I come for the things that I have written above. Arguments about context need to be kept at a minimum. After all, we don't know all there is to know. God wrote His Word to keep us teaching one another.

Blessings...

May God speak this morning through you....

Rita

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Permalink Reply by Leonard T on February 12, 2012 at 4:26am

Rita,

 

I am glad my being wrong helped you learn ... hahaha (Little humor, please, in the way I wrote that on purpose). Many times those differences arise from our various backgrounds, culture and even how we frame what we believe. A good recent example is the exchange between Joe and I in another forum. At the beginning of the exchange we seemed far apart (or at least not in agreement), but in reality we mostly just stated things differently and had not fully stated what we believed. He and I were able to discuss the issue and get to the core whittling away the misconceptions and honed our views to the point that when we reached the core we actually were pretty similar.

 

As you have said, most are here to learn, but there are those few who come here to teach false doctrine, scam people or are simply wolves in sheep clothing with an agenda. As part of the leadership here we have a heavy burden to seek to help those who are seeking and at the same time identify those who come to prey on others. Our response to this latter group often makes us look cold or mean, but there is a reason for these actions and it is a burden we carry. We love the family of God and this includes our AAG family. We have been given the responsibility to protect the flock here on AAG. There will be times we may get this wrong as well, but our intentions are honorable and I simply ask God to forgive us for our errors as we seek to serve Him and this comunity.

 

Lord Bless,

LT

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Permalink Reply by Amanda on February 12, 2012 at 9:57am

I have learned that there are several rules for bible interpretation and context is an important one. I also know that sin lives in us even after we are born again and our mind, wills, emotions, and intellect and our body are all infected with it and I don't see how it will ever be possible in that case for anyone of us to ever get 100% accuracy in interpreting the bible. It is best to have humility when reading the Word and to ask for God's help and guidance and instruction. Holy Spirit helps us but I think that because people do interpret it differently many unbelievers have decided the bible is full of errors and contradictions. Paul wanted others to be sure that he faithfully handled the Word of God (2 Corinthians 4:2) and he told Timothy to be careful, too (2 Timothy 2:15).

I think it does depend on where we are in our spiritual growth as to how much light and truth God will reveal to each of us personally because God wants us to walk in the light that is given to us. Infants who are not able to walk will only crawl and those who are just beginning to walk will stumble many times...so why would God want to overwhelm them with a 10K race?

If you were planning to run a 10K (6.2 mile) race, you would need a training schedule for a runner at your level. For instance, there is a training schedule for beginner runners who want to run their first 10K, and then there is a schedule designed for beginner run/walkers who want to run/walk a 10K race, and one geared toward advanced beginner runners. Then you would progress to the intermediate level of a beginner runner and finally to being an advanced runner. The goal is always to reach the finish line and stay in the race. God wants to help us run to the finish line and I believe God deals with each of us at our level. Many begin to run when they are not ready. In God's plan it looks like God wants to use others who are more experienced runners to train beginners.

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Permalink Reply by JB on February 12, 2012 at 10:15am

Amanda, Just a little hummer, I heard a preacher say something along these lines, one time,

“There are a lot of people that try to go whole hog, when they're only half ready”

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Permalink Reply by Gary Schultz on February 12, 2012 at 4:18pm

Good points Amanda.

I have had times when I had a hard time with interpretation. I look for this site to help me out. I also talk to our pastor and will also research on line.

What I find to be really cool is when you read a passage and it means nothing much at the time. Then something happens and, whammo, you seem to get the meaning. Or, when you read a passage that does have meaning and you re-read it sometime later and you get even more meaning from it.

I sure this is part of Gods plan for our spiritual growth.

God is soooo cooool

Gary

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Permalink Reply by Rita Cullimore on February 13, 2012 at 4:43am

Thanks for the comments. I believe we relate to the verses when and how they relate to us. If we've experienced a particular happening, and a verse comes to mind through the working of the Holy Spirit, we relate that experience to the verse. We don't all go through the same things, so our thoughts on the verse won't be the same.

I know that it would be very difficult to bind the actions of another person unless it was an out and out sin. What I perceive to be a sin might not actually be one so am very hesitant to use those verses to bind it. However, I do use them to speak blessings on others in both spiritual and physical manner.

Amanda, I like the way you liken learning the Bible to a race. One might not expect to win, but one always wants to endure and endure well. The Holy Spirit has some amazing ways of teaching us. We always need to appreciate His answers even though they may be startling to us in some way.

I consider my walk with the Lord as a special gift...a gift that gives so much even when it appears a small thing to someone else.

Blessings...

Rita

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