What’s the Context? — Part 2

Synopsis:

After a quick review of context (and the associated word textile) Jim Kerwin takes us through a “what is the context?” thought-exercise:

• from considering a single embroidered thread in a blouse (like a single verse);
• next seeing that thread in the context of an embroidered flower (like a small scripture passage or pericope);
• expanding our context, we appreciate the overall effect of the embroidered blouse (a larger section, like a chapter); then
• the full blouse (perhaps equivalent to a complete book of the Bible); and on to
• the outfit (an entire Testament, perhaps even the whole of the Scriptures); before
• finally seeing the person inside the outfit, an interesting way of illustrating Jesus’ words in John 5:39.

Jim does some unavoidable, reluctant, but equal-opportunity toe-stomping. Along the way, he comments on the deceptive nature of those late-date, man-made additions to the text, additions which we call chapters and verses, then begins to give examples of context and how it affects our understanding of some typical Scripture passages, including:

• how passages like the Gospel accounts of the Last Supper and the women who washed or anointed Jesus’ feet are illuminated by knowing that the participants didn’t sit in chairs at a table;
• John 3:16;
• Philippians 4:13;
• 1 Corinthians 13:8-11, in the context of 1 Corinthians 13; then 1 Corinthians 13 in the context of chapters 12-14; and chapters 12-14 in the light of the entire First Corinthian epistle, especially the clear limitation of what Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 3:1-3.

Tomorrow:

We finished today’s broadcast with a head-first dive into “wives, submit” and “husbands, love” in Ephesians 5:22-24, and hint at where the surprising context of those controversial commands is going to lead us tomorrow! Also in the next broadcast (Lord willing): We deal with the bugbear of Romans 7, and then march right up to the Gate of Hades in Matthew 16.

Links:

• For more of Jim’s teaching (and those of his teacher/father in the Lord, Percy Gutteridge) visit http://FinestOfTheWheat.org.
• Sign up for the monthly newsletter at https://finestofthewheat.org/ccnpc for mission reports, insights, announcements on new Bible-teaching articles, and more.
• Like Finest of the Wheat Fellowship’s Facebook page — https://finestofthewheat.org/fb — for featured Bible-teaching articles each week, as well as regular Powerful Poetry links.
• Be used by the Lord to make the October/November missions-teaching trip to Perú possible by contributing at https://finestofthewheat.org/paypalmissions. Not comfortable with electronic giving? Not a problem. Donations by check can be sent to Finest of the Wheat Teaching Fellowship, P.O. Box 2754, Chesapeake, VA 23327-2754. Finest of the Wheat is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, so all gifts are tax-deductible. Canadians can make tax-deductible contributions to FOTWTF through WorldWideMissions, POB 1292, Calgary, AB T2P 2L2.

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