13. The Context Principle
CHAPTER THIRTEEN The Context Principle a. Definition.
1. That principle by which God gives light upon a subject through either near or remote passages bearing upon the same theme. Every sentence or verse in the Bible has something that precedes it and something that follows it – except Genesis 1:1 and Revelation 22:21.
2. Every verse must be studied in the light of its context. Never take a verse out of its setting and give it a foreign meaning.
Examples.
(a) Ram and He-goat – Daniel 8.
Ridiculous statements will be made unless one studies the context; in this case, the rest of the chapter.
(b) Valley of dry bones – Ezekiel 37. This is not the Church. The context says it is the whole house of Israel. There are some passages in Scripture that will be absolutely dark without the context.
(c) The Bible can be made to prove anything, but NOT when studied in the light of the context. You can pick out a verse or part of a verse, and use it to prove a theory, and make it mean something God never intended it to mean. That is not treating Scripture fairly.
(1) Php 2:12.
"Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." What about the context? God works in you, and then you work it out. Verse 14 gives the method of doing His will.
(2) Romans 8:28.
"All things work together for good." This is not what the scripture is saying. "To them that love God," and more than that, "to them that are the called according to His purpose."
(3) John 6:37.
"Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out." But notice the first of the verse – "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me, and him that cometh to me ... etc."
(d) Psalms 2:8-9. This is quoted as a missionary text perhaps more than any other verse. People talk as though the reign of Christ would begin when they ask for it. They seem to’ think that we have to work and to go on and on, and when the whole world is saved, then the kingdom will come.
(1) This is not a missionary text. It does not say that the faithful worker on the field will be given the heathen. The next verse says, "thou shalt break them with a rod of iron." This is not the way a missionary does. Verse 8 hasn’t anything to do with missions. It has to do with the Son of God and His kingdom. It does not refer to converting the world by the gospel, but to the rule of Christ.
(2) God’s wish is that the world shall be evangelized before Christ returns. It does not mean that the world is growing better and better, and will some day be perfect. The world is growing worse and worse. When the Kingdom is set up, it will be a kingdom of judgment. This world is going down even as in the days of Noah, and the day will come when God must say, "I can stand it no longer." Christ will rule the Kingdom with a rod of iron.
(e) Acts 16:31. This verse is often read without the context. The last part of the verse says "And thy house," which was a special commandment. From the context we find that this verse was spoken to a man who was under conviction. That jailer had seen himself in the presence of God. When the earthquake took place, this jailer thought that the prisoners had fled, which would mean death to him, under the Roman law. So he was going to save the government the trouble and was ready to take his own life. Since it was dark, he could not see that the prisoners were there. When Paul cried to him, "We are all here," he did this because he knew what was in the mind of the jailer. Then the jailer called for a light, and coming to Paul and Silas, he said, trembling, "What must I do to be saved?" He was not referring to a physical death, but he was under conviction of sin. To this Paul and Silas said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." This then, is a word to be spoken to the man who is under conviction. A man who is not under conviction needs something else. This is not a command to those who are not under conviction of sin. If a man is not under conviction he must be shown that he needs a Saviour. He must be brought under conviction. "Believe" is not all he must do; he must have something to believe on. You must tell him about Christ before he can believe. They spoke unto him the Word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house, with the result that the jailer rejoiced, believing in God with all his house. Of course, each person had to believe for himself.
(f) Titus 1:2 – A sermon was preached over the radio recently in which the preacher said that there was more than one God, taking from that verse Titus 1:2 the words, "which God." This is an extreme case, but shows what is going on today.
3. Statements of Bible teachers.
(a) Torrey – "Too much importance cannot be laid upon a close study of the context."
(b) Todd – "Consideration of the context in examining any verse or passage is of the utmost importance. Failure to do this is one of the causes of misinterpretation of scripture."
(c) Moyer – "Too many preachers prepare a message and then hunt a text to fit it. That is not a text, it is a pretext."
(d) Lockhart – "The context is the key to the meaning."
4. Near contexts. The near context will throw light on scripture and explain passages that are dark and difficult to understand.
(a) Genesis 35:2.
(1) The passage.
Jacob says, "Put away the strange gods from among you." At first reading it looks as though Jacob and his family had become idolators, and that they must put away these idols before going back to Bethel. These idols, however, were not for the purpose of worship, but rather were old family heirlooms, probably valued because they were silver and gold. Rachel brought some of them from her father’s house, but we never read of any of the family worshipping them.
(2) The context. The explanation may be found in the context. Where did they get these idols? In Genesis 34:26-29, the sons of Jacob despoiled Shechem, the Hivite, and took everything of value out of that house.
These idols were valuable, and so were taken. That is where they secured the idols of strangers.
(b) 1 John 4:17 – Perfect love. Verse 16 explains that that is God’s love for us.
5. Remote contexts.
Sometimes the context is very near the verse, as in the case of the ram and the he-goat. Everything, however, should be studied in the light of the whole Bible.
(a) Genesis 18:20-21.
God told Abraham that he was going to destroy the cities of the plains, which included Sodom, Gomorrah, Gaza, and two others. Abraham prayed, but he prayed for only one city. No reason is given here as to why Abraham was influenced by feelings of humanity, but if that were true, why should he pray for only one? Why not for all? The context gives the explanation – Genesis 14:12. We read of Lot, Abraham’s nephew, who dwelt in Sodom, which is the reason why Abraham was so concerned for this city. Someone was there who was bound to him by ties of blood.
Another lesson: God has more than one way of answering man’s prayers. The reason Abraham prayed was for Lot’s deliverance. God did answer Abraham’s prayer – and He didn’t answer it. He spared the nephew, but did not spare the city.
(b) Genesis 24:15.
Here we read that Rebekah was the daughter of Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother. This doesn’t look right – the granddaughter of Abraham’s brother married to Abraham’s son. How could the daughter of the third generation be old enough to marry a son of the second generation?
Context – Genesis 18:11-12. Isaac practically was born in the same generation as his wife. A similar case – the parents of Moses.
(c) Genesis 37:25; Genesis 37:28; Genesis 37:36; Genesis 39:1.
Some of the "higher critics" charge that this is an outstanding example of discrepancies in the Bible. The Midianites and the Ishmaelites are all mixed up – Judges 8:24. Here again we have the Ishmaelites among the Midianites.
Context – Genesis 16:11-12; Genesis 25:2. Ishmael and Midian were half-brothers, and they settled in the same country and led the same kind of life. The Ishmaelites and Midianites refer to the same people. From Judges 8:24, it seems that all the Ishmaelites were Midianites, but not all the Midianites were Ishmaelites. A modern example is this: All Canadians are British, but all British are not Canadians.
(d) Judges 5:8
There was not a shield or a spear seen among the army of Israel. It was an unarmed army. Judges 3:16 – Ehud had to make his own dagger.
Shamgar slew the Philistines with an ox-goad, because he had no other weapon. Judges 14:5-6 – Samson, the mighty man was unarmed. Why were these men unarmed?
Context – 1 Samuel 13:19-22. There was no smith found through all the land, for the Philistines had taken them all away so that the Israelites could not arm themselves against their enemies. In the days of Israel’s liberty, men drew the sword, but in the days of the oppression, Israel used other weapons.
Athaliah, the wicked queen, mother of the king, slew, as she thought all the seed royal. There was in the palace a princess who had married a priest, Jehoiada. God was preparing for what was to come. When the queen started out on her murders, the princess Jehosheba took the baby prince, Joash, and his nurse and hid them in the temple for six years. Now, how could you hide a baby? You could hide the body, but how would you hide his cry?
Context – 2 Chronicles 24:27. In the previous reign, the house of God had fallen, had been broken up, and needed repairing. The reason was, because king Ahab’s wife, Jezebel, introduced the worship of Baal into the land of Israel and the rest of the people followed their king, so in the course of time they took all the vessels of the House of God and carried them to the temple of Baal, where they worshipped. The temple of God was deserted and no one ever went there. They worshipped Baal instead of Jehovah to such an extent that Elijah thought that he was the only man left who did worship God. It is easy to see, therefore, why the temple of God was the best place in which to hide the baby king, because no one ever worshipped there.
(f) Hezekiah’s prosperity – 2 Kings 18:13-36.
Hezekiah was forced to pay a large tribute to the Assyrians, and was without wealth. In Isaiah 39:2 we find a direct contradiction. What are we going to do?
Context – 2 Chronicles 32:22-23, gives the explanation. The Lord saved Hezekiah from Sennacherib and the people brought presents.
(g) John 21:15.
These are words of the Lord Jesus, "Lovest thou me more than these?" One preacher, when explaining this verse, said that by "these," Jesus meant the fish they had just caught, and that we should not love temporal things more than the Lord. It is true that we should love the Lord lint, but that is not the correct interpretation of this verse.
Context – Matthew 26:31-33; Matthew 14:27-29. Peter had said that though the others were offended in Jesus, he would not be, and that he would love the Lord a little better than the others. Yet, he got up and cursed, stating that he did not know the Lord. In the picture given in John 21, Peter comes to the shore with the others, and they gather round the fire. That fire must have reminded Peter of that other fire where he had warmed himself on the day of the denial. Now the Lord says to him. "Lovest thou me more than these?" – other disciples. Peter is proud no more. He says to the Lord. "Thou knowest."
(h) Jeremiah 32:4; Jeremiah 34:3. Cf. Ezekiel 12:13.
How is a man going to go into Babylon and see and talk with the king and die in the land, and yet not see it?
Context – 2 Kings 25:6-7. He was taken to the king outside of Babylon at Riblah where he talked with the king and saw him. Then, after his eyes had been put out, he was taken into Babylon where he stayed until he died. He saw the king, but never saw the land.
(i) When you come against modernistic teaching you can disprove it by the context principle. Example: God is the Father of all men. This is one of the favorite teachings, and they say that the sinner is a prodigal son, and needs to come back to the Father. But the sinner is not the prodigal son; he is of his father, the devil, the wicked one. A sinner is a creature of God, not a son of God; but the modernist says, "God is the Father of all men."
They use Ephesians 4:6 – One God and Father of all. They make a universal application of this Scripture. "You can prove anything by the Scripture." This application is an error that is Satanic, and its refutation comes through the Scripture.
Context – The book of Ephesians is not addressed to all people, but to all saints. Weymouth says, ’This book is addressed to God’s people in Ephesus; to those who believe Oil the Lord Jesus Christ." This passage teaches that God is the Father of all believers. There are many passages in the remote context which will refute this "ism" – John 1:12-13. Galatians 3:26 : etc. To shed Bible light on Bible problems, let the context speak. If a man covets a sane, logical, balanced, sound knowledge of Scripture, he must study the passages in the light of the context.
6. How chapter divisions may cause error in the truth.
(a) Matthew 16:27-28; Matthew 17:1. The post-millennialist will say, "You say the kingdom is not here. How about this verse? Those men have been dead a long time, and this verse says they should not taste of death till they see the kingdom."
Context – Chapter 17. It does not say they shall not taste of death till He comes, but until they see. Then chapter 17 goes on, and after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James and John who had been standing with Him (vs. 28 in the sixteenth chapter). They saw the glory of Christ’s coming and kingdom, and they saw the promise fulfilled, which Christ had made concerning His coming. II. Pet. 1:16-18 – Peter himself says, "WE saw." Peter was there. They saw His majesty, which pertains always to a king. They were eye-witnesses of the power of the Lord Jesus Christ.
(b) 1 Corinthians 12:31; 1 Corinthians 13:1 – Chapter division sometimes breaks unto the middle of a sentence. The proper punctuation at the end of 12:31 should be a colon, rather than a period.
(c) 1 Corinthians 10:33; 1 Corinthians 11:1 – Chapter 10 tells of Paul’s own self-renunciation. The thought is not just that alone, but is continued in 11:1, "Be ye followers of me." Chapter division cuts off the application.
(d) Mark 2:23-28 – This passage should be linked up with verses 1-5 in chapter 3. Jesus said that the Son of Man is the Lord of the Sabbath, and in the next verses goes on to prove that He is the Lord of the Sabbath.
(e) II Cor. 6:18 and 7:1. 7:1 sums up the previous argument.
(f) Matthew 19:30; Matthew 20:1. These two should go together.
(g) Isaiah 53. This should begin back in chapter 52, with verse 13.
7. Use of context principle in comparing spiritual things with spiritual. This shows the value of the context principle as declared by God Himself in 1 Corinthians 2:12-13. We find spiritual things only in the Book of God and it would be useless to compare the books of man. This is a command to compare scripture with scripture.
(a) Other translations of these verses.
"Unfolding spiritual things spiritually."
"Unfolding Biblical things in Biblical words."
"By spiritual words are spiritual things explained."
"Explaining spiritual things in spiritual words."
"The correct way to explain inspired things is in inspired words."
"Comparing, unfolding, explaining."
It is the revelation of a God-given method of understanding scripture. There is only one way to explain the Bible, and that is with the Bible, Since the Bible is divine, it is folly to try to explain it by the things of man. The Bible will throw light on any problem it brings up. It is self-explanatory. Never depend upon man for any explanation of any Bible problem; go to God and you will find the solution in His Book. Bible illumination comes through the Bible itself. That is the value of the context principle.
(b) Romans 3:10-19 – How Paul used the context principle. Shows what the Spirit thinks of the principle.
(1) In chapter 1 Paul deals with the Gentile and his sin. In chapter 2 he deals with the Jew and his sin, showing that the Jew has missed the righteousness of the law.
(2) In chapter 3, then, Paul is rounding out his argument. After declaring that all men are sinners, he proves it by the use of scriptures. Using the context principle, Paul goes back into the Old Testament to prove the universality of sin.
[a] This is making use of the "proof-text method" called grasshopper exegesis. This does not mean bolstering up your ideas with scripture, but getting your ideas from scripture. Starts, "As it is written." This is the method of teaching used fifty and seventy-five years ago, and many modern teachers ridicule this method, saying that it is out of date. There is no reason why preaching should be changed. The Bible has not changed, the message is not changed, nor is the need of man changed. We would be better off if men preached the way their fathers did.
[1] Compare a book of sermons written fifty years ago with a book of sermons written in this day. Fifty years ago, you will find they preached doctrine, but today they are preaching froth and foam. The world is full of men who are called preachers, but they are merely peddlers of stories. When we call them wonderful preachers it is a sad commentary on our intellect. God calls on us to preach the Word. You can get plenty of people to respond to stories, but will the results be lasting? Use the proof-text method and declare the truth. You may use illustrations. They are legitimate, because the Lord Jesus Christ used them, but He did not tell stories.
(3) Contexts used by Paul.
[a] Romans 3:10-12. Paul, in proving that all men are guilty sinners goes back to Psalms 14:1-3 as the context.
[b] Romans 3:13 – Context Psalms 5:9; Psalms 140:3.
[c] Romans 3:14 – Context Psalms 10:7.
[d] Romans 3:15-17 – Context Isaiah 59:7-8.
[e] Romans 3:18 – Context Psalms 36:1.
(c) Romans 15:9-12. Another sample of Paul’s use of the context.
(1) He is seeking to prove that the Gentiles are really included in God’s mercy. It was very difficult for the Jew to believe this, because he thought God was the God of the Jew only.
(2) Paul proves his point by referring to Isaiah 11:1; Isaiah 11:10; Psalms 18:49; Isaiah 42:6-7; Deuteronomy 32:43.
8. How to use this principle. Dr. Pierson calls it the principle of comparative mention. Passages of scripture may be compared or contrasted.
(a) Law and Grace. When you declare the truth concerning law and grace, it will:
(1) Do you good.
(2) Help your people.
(b) The new man and the old man – Colossians 3:5-14 and Ephesians 4:22-24. Line up the new and old man before the people and contrast them as to walk, members, standing, state, attire, etc.
(c) The Adversary and the Advocate. Contrast Christ and Satan – Genesis 3:15. There is a wonderful contrast all through scripture.
(1) The adversary is continually accusing the believer, while the Advocate is defending him.
(2) The adversary tries to entangle the believer, while the Advocate is always at the right hand of God, standing righteous before God when the believer proves to be unrighteous.
(3) The adversary sends evil spirits to possess, while the Advocate sends the Holy Spirit.
(d) The Paracletes.
John 14:16 – translated Comforter.
Means "One called alongside to help." Both the Holy Spirit and Christ are cal1~d by this name, Paraclete, and they are the only Ones in Scripture who have this name.
(1) Christ is the paraclete (advocate) in heaven, and the Holy Spirit is the paraclete (comforter) on earth.
(2) The Holy Spirit comes from God to represent God to the believer, and the Lord goes before God to represent the believer to God.
(3) The Holy Spirit becomes our representative of Christ on earth. Christ becomes our representative in heaven.
(4) The Holy Spirit makes intercession with the believer, and Christ makes intercession for the believer.
(e) Contrast between the Son of God and the son of perdition. There is a marvelous parallel between the two.
Christ Anti-Christ The Truth. …………………………..The lie. The Way. ……………………………The deceiver.
Public ministry 3½ years …………… Public ministry 3½ years.
Coming One. ……………………….. Coming One.
Morning Star . ……………………… Star of the morning.
Prince of Princes ................................ A prince. Will have many diadems .................... Will have ten crowns.
All power from heaven . ……………. All power from Satan.