3) Context Matters - Part 1: Foundations of Biblical Thought and the Hebrew Scriptures

The Bible

The Bible has at least 40 authors and was written over 1500 years in 3 languages on 3 continents. The authors range from philosophers, fishermen, kings, and poets. They discuss a wide range of topics, yet we see unity on these topics that suggest a common author or source of inspiration.

The Bible claims that it is God's word, but the Bible is also prophetic. God demonstrates that this is His book. Archeological discoveries confirm the validity of the Bible. The Bible changes life for those who read and follow its contents.

I will primarily reference the Bible for most of the studies. I tend to use the English Standard Version (ESV). However, I typically have multiple versions when doing my Bible studies at home. There is no such thing as a purely literal translation. The closest we could come to a literal translation would be to read the scriptures in their original language from the original autographs. And we do not have literal autographs of the Bible. However, thousands of Bible manuscripts are written in Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, Latin, etc. The Bible is the most preserved text in history.

I avoid Bibles paraphrasing in their interpretation, such as the Message or the Living Bible. Bibles like the NLT and the NIV are more thought for thought translations. The ESV is closer to a word-for-word translation.

Every translation is someone's interpretation. No translation is perfect. There is a saying that the translator is a traitor, meaning that you can translate literally and take the flavor of the original, which will do a disservice to the target language. Or you can translate to the target language but lose the beauty of the original.

Introduction to Context

What is the Bible, and how should we read it? Whether you are a new Christian or an old one, one mistake we can all make is picking up the Bible and reading without a baseline context and understanding. When we do this, we may be at risk of taking things out of context and misapplying the information within the Bible. Do you ever wonder why so many people read the Bible, but few can agree on its contents? Perhaps this is one of the reasons why we have so many denominations within Christianity today.

I am fully convinced that no Christian seeks the truth with the intention of going down the wrong path of understanding. Most Christian scholars, pastors, and teachers who study the Bible have good intentions. Many Christians have good intentions. But why do many good-intention people draw separate conclusions from the same text? Did the authors of the Bible not agree, either? Why does it appear that there is inconsistency within the message at times? Is there really inconsistency, or maybe the message is consistent, but our reading of the message is the problem? Many people think they have the Bible figured out, but they are unwilling to question conflicts that arise in their interpretation of the scriptures. They are reluctant to admit that their perspective may have flaws in it. They may not even know that their understanding of scripture is flawed or biased. They could be so set in their ways that they are unwilling to allow God to show them the truth because they think they already have it figured out. Maybe you can relate to what I am talking about? Perhaps you are so new to Christianity that you didn't even know this was a problem? If so, consider this reality as you move forward in your walk with Jesus. Maybe you have been a Christian for so long that your walk with Jesus has been based on some foundational doctrine, and you have never thought to challenge your beliefs or even consider alternative views. If so, try not to be closed-minded. Seek truth by asking questions and really spend time in prayer and study.

With these ideas in mind, we will begin to review a few things we should all keep in mind before reading and interpreting the Bible, whether you are a new believer or old. This is part one of a multi-part series on "Context Matters." Let's explore some topics related to developing context when reading the Bible and perhaps even challenge some ideas in our understanding.

Diversity in Biblical Literature

The first thing we need to understand to develop context within the Bible is to acknowledge that the Bible is a collection of ancient literature. Even the word "Bible" can be traced back to ancient Greek, meaning paper or scroll. Each book we have in the Bible is an individual work, and each has its own genre or style in which it was written. The style of the writing affects how that specific writing is to be read and understood. Some of these writings were originally spoken. Some were sung. Some are historical records. Others are poetry or prophecy. Poetry is read and understood very differently than prophecy or history.

The New Testament, consisting of the gospels and apostolic writings, was written between the first and second centuries.

The Bible was Different in the First Century

In the time of Jesus, the canon of the Bible had not been determined. The New Testament was non-existent. Only the Hebrew Scriptures existed. There was a clear understanding of what scriptures were authoritative and inspired by God. The first portion of the Hebrew Scriptures of Jesus’ Bible is called the Law of Moses or, in Hebrew, the Torah. The second portion is named the Prophets or, in Hebrew, the Nevi’im. The third part of the Hebrew Scriptures is the Writings or the Ketuvim. The Writings represent the Psalms, Proverbs, and other books that are not considered the Torah or the Prophets. During the first century, all would agree that the books of Moses (the first five books of the Hebrew Scriptures, commonly referred to as the Torah) were authoritative and inspired. Many also considered the teachings of the prophets to be inspired and, in many ways, as important as the Torah. The Hebrew Scriptures consist of the Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings. Unlike today, how many refer to the Hebrew Scriptures as the Old Testament, in the time of Jesus, it was common to call it the Law and the Prophets, as seen in Matthew 5:17:

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. (Matthew 5:17, ESV Bible)

In the gospel of Luke 24:44, Jesus refers to the Hebrew Scriptures in even more detail than we see here in Matthew 5:17. Jesus says:

“These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” (Luke 24:44, ESV Bible)

This description of the Hebrew Scriptures represents the threefold description of Jesus’ Bible. The Psalms is the largest book in the writings, and that may be why Jesus mentions it here in Luke 24. These three major divisions of the Hebrew Scriptures during the time of Jesus represent the same three divisions found in the Hebrew Scriptures to this day. The First letter of each Hebrew name for these three divisions forms the acronym T-N-K. In Hebrew, what we refer to as the Old Testament is known as the Tanakh (TaNaKh).

Divine Authorship

Every book of the Bible is considered God's word. Every author of the Bible is considered inspired by God to record the events in the Bible and the instructions within the Bible. This is the concept of Divine Authorship.

The purposeful canon of the Bible was chosen by man but considered inspired by God. There has been much debate on extra-biblical sources, their inspiration, and their validity. Further, even New Testament letters, such as letters written by Paul, are written as pastoral letters from Paul to specific believers living in a particular place at a specific time. Nonetheless, these letters are read with the assumption that Paul was led by God and the Holy Spirit to understand the topics he discussed and do it for the reader's benefit.

The Old Testament was Jesus’ and the Apostles Bible

In the first century, the Tanakh was their Scripture, consisting of the law, the prophets, and the writings. Through these scriptures, they understood God, their past, present, and future. It was the lens through which they understood the need for redemption, the covenants God had made with their ancestors, and how God would fulfill the promises spoken within the law and the prophets despite the ups and downs in their history. Their interpretation of these scriptures framed their worldview.

In Romans, Paul explains that the scriptures are to encourage and give hope to the reader:

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. (Romans 15:4, ESV Bible)

What is the hope that Paul describes? For the Jew, it is the hope and fulfillment of God's promises. Things like restoration and redemption of creation and man. Restoring the earth back to the days of Eden. The hope included setting the world's wrongs right through the judgment of the wicked and the reward of the righteous. Their hope most certainly contained the promises given to David of an eternal kingdom and a Messiah who would rule over the nation from Jerusalem.

Paul's view of the Hebrew Scriptures and their application to Jews of old and for his present day and future is further evidenced when he says:

But the words "it was counted to him" were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. (Romans 4:23, ESV Bible)

One of the more interesting passages written by Paul is found in 2 Timothy 3:16:

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17, ESV Bible)

Modern-day readers will read this passage and immediately conclude Paul is speaking about the entire Bible. However, the Bible canon had not yet been completed. More likely, Paul is talking specifically about the Hebrew Scriptures or the Old Testament.

The books of the Old Testament, consisting of the law, the prophets, and the writings, were the scriptures of the first-century Jew. It was the scriptures read by Jesus and the apostles. The scriptures were held in high regard and represented the source through which the first coming of Jesus was understood. If Jesus and the apostles held the Old Testament scriptures in high regard, then as disciples of Jesus, we, too, should find the same instruction, encouragement, and hope within the Hebrew Scriptures. As Paul says in 2 Timothy 3:16, it is God-breathed and profitable. It will teach us, correct us, and train us in righteousness. It will equip us to do good work here in this age.

Another great example that illustrates the importance of the Old Testament is seen in Acts 15. This is the Council at Jerusalem, where early Christian leaders gathered to address whether Gentile believers needed circumcision and follow Jewish customs to find salvation. In other words, did the Gentile believers need to become Jewish and observe the Law of Moses? The chapter emphasizes the importance of faith in Jesus and the role of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers, emphasizing that salvation comes through grace. If the Gentiles had received the Holy Spirit and God's grace without being Jewish, then what does becoming Jewish stand to offer them? The council's decision was not to burden Gentile believers with unnecessary requirements but to encourage them to abstain from certain practices for the sake of unity among believers. Of great interest to our conversation here is found in Acts 15:21:

For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues." (Acts 15:21, ESV Bible)

This verse suggests that while Gentile believers were not required to observe all aspects of the Mosaic law, they would undoubtedly hear and be exposed to it. You see, at that time, many gentile believers would attend Jewish synagogues as Christianity as we know it grew out of a sect of Judaism, explicitly identifying Jesus as the Jewish Messiah. Jewish believers still attended synagogues and worshiped at the Temple. Therefore, many Gentile believers followed suit. This reference to Moses in Acts 15 indicates that Gentile believers were expected to have some basic understanding and respect for Jewish customs. It also highlights the ongoing significance of the Hebrew Scriptures for first-century believers. While we may see the Old Testament as dated and often irrelevant, this was not true for the first-century believers.

Summary for Part 1

In this section of the study we have laid a few foundations to consider in regards to Biblical context. Context is essential, and we must establish context when reading the Bible. The Bible is a collection of literature written in different styles, influencing how it is read and understood. In the first century, during the time of Jesus, the Bible was the Hebrew Scriptures, or Tanakh, consisting of the Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings. Every author of the Bible is considered to be inspired by God. Jesus and the apostles held the Old Testament, or Tanakh, in high regard, and we should also. In the next lesson, we will continue the conversation about context, exploring more about the Old Testament and its significance for Jesus followers.

Study Questions for Reflection

Why is it important to read the Bible within its historical and cultural context?
What is the significance of the Hebrew Scriptures (Tanakh) for Jesus and the apostles?
How does the concept of Divine Authorship impact our understanding of the Bible?
How can studying different Bible translations enhance our understanding of Scripture?
What role does prayer and reflection play in studying the Bible?