Lesson 4: Understanding the Context
The Bible: To Us or For Us?
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son...
Hebrews 1:1
God revealed his word in history. The Bible not only recounts history but was also written in history within specific cultural settings. Remember from Lesson 1 that the Bible was written by the Holy Spirit through human authors. Thus each biblical text has been set within a specific historical-cultural context, comprised of various social, political, religious, economic, and geographical settings.
Interpretation and Historical Context
Interpretation involves asking and answering all kinds of questions. Because the Bible was written by God through human authors, some of our interpretative questions must press into a passage’s historical-cultural context. Consider a few examples:
Hair and Head Coverings in 1 Corinthians
For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head. For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man. For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. —1 Corinthians 11:6-10
What did hair and head covernings signify in the city of Corinth during the first century? Are these issues specific to Greco-Roman culture and/or first century Jewish culture? How should they affect how we interpret this text?
Drinking Wine in 1 Timothy
No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments. —1 Timothy 5:23
Was wine considered medicinal in Paul’s time? Why did Paul need to give this instruction to Timothy? Was first-century wine the same as wine from the 21st century?
Lukewarm in Revelation 3
I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. —Revelation 3:15-16
What is the historical-cultural context assumed by this text? The command seems to imply that both hot and cold are good while lukewarm is bad.
The Importance of Such Questions
These questions demonstrate that the Bible expects us to interpret it within its historical-cultural context. This “demand” develops from the Bible’s nature as a book written in history by God through men.
Ask three interpretative questions about the historical-cultural context of your assigned passage.
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“For Us” but Not “To Us”
When we consider the passages above, a question arises that demands an answer: Should we interpret and apply the Bible to our own lives when it is set within such specific historical and cultural settings?
Yes! Because, although it was not written directly to us, the Bible was written for us.
Not “To Us”
The Bible itself makes clear that it was not written directly to us. Deuteronomy contains five sermons Moses preached to Israel's wilderness generation as they prepared to enter the Promised Land. The LORD sent Ezekiel “to the Israelites” (Ezek 2:3 NIV) while he lived “among the exiles by the Kebar River” (Ezek 1:1 NIV). Luke wrote his “orderly accounts” to Theophilus. Paul’s epistles begin by specifying his intended recipients.
The Bible was not written directly to us. God spoke in history through human authors to specific people. Indeed, the languages he spoke through no longer exist in our modern world as “living” languages. Therefore, we must interpret the Bible within its transparent context as a book written to others.
But “For Us”
Even as we affirm that the Bible was not written to us, we boldly proclaim what the Bible itself declares: God wrote his Book for us, and he still speaks to us today through this book.
Did our hearts not burn within us
as he spoke with us on the way?
And our hearts still burn with fire
as his Word speaks to us today.
"Our Hearts Still Burn" by Matt Boswell and D.A. Carson
Read afresh some of what the Bible declares about itself and worship the God who still speaks for our good today through this book:
For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. —Romans 15:4 NIV
These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. —1 Corinthians 10:11 NIV
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. —2 Timothy 3:14–15 NIV
Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed. Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, “So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest!’” —Hebrews 4:1–3a NIV
Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things. —1 Peter 1:10–12 NIV
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete. —1 John 1:1–4 NIV
Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near. —Revelation 1:3 NIV
Interpreting Within Context
From what we have seen thus far, we can conclude that the Bible expects us to interpret it within its historical-cultural context. The rest of this lesson aims to provide tools to follow this interpretative principle.