Q.
104
How do I know what to consider in context?
A good study Bible will answer some questions. You can do research on
the Internet or at a public, university, or seminary library. Over time, you’ll
discover which sources are resources are the most credible and useful.
Your questions are the road map for your investigation of the text. Some
will lead to dead ends, but others will take you to surprising places.Joshua Toulouse
Who is...
?
Joshua Toulouse
I always completely make up a lie for Fact Number Four
when asked to come up with ve facts about myself.A.
Everything in the Bible is considered as scripture, so we shouldn’t
just ignore what we don’t like, although there are plenty of people
who do just that. To decide how to interpret any part of the Bible,
it’s important to know the context of what you are reading. While you can,
and will, interpret the Bible based on your current context, understanding
what the original author intended and how the original audience understood
it will only help make modern interpretations easier.
It is also important to remember to be open to God in the reading of scrip-
ture, because, while you might not believe that the Bible is the literal word of
God handed down, you can believe that the Bible was inspired by God—that
God was active in those who wrote it and is still active in your hearing and
reading of it today.Scriptural References
Deuteronomy 21:18–21; Song of Songs; Psalm 135, 136; Luke 13:18–19; 15:11–
32; 1 Corinthians 15:1–8; Revelation 1:1–3Suggested Additional Sources for Reading
- Bible Gateway: http://www.biblegateway.com.
- Marcus J. Borg, The Heart of Christianity: Rediscovering a Life of Faith
(HarperOne, 2003), especially chap. 3, “The Bible: The Heart of the
Tradition.” - Marcus J. Borg, Reading the Bible again for the First Time: Taking the Bible
Seriously but Not Literally (Harper San Francisco, 2002).