CONTEXT is King?

ScottA · Apr 14, 2026

King of what, exactly?

Context is a literary rule--of men--not of God!

In fact, the scriptures show many exceptions where context is completely broken--by God. There are too many to list, but I have given a few examples below--the point being: Stop listening to the teachings of men and their rules--God's rules are enough.

A few biblical exceptions:

David's Psalms of his own suffering (one context) are then more importantly biblically claimed by the apostles to have been about Christ (a completely different context)--correct in not one, but two different contexts.
David's son building a house for the Lord God by Solomon (one context), but also more importantly being true of Jesus--two again, and the One ultimately greater than the other.
Paul plucked the phrase "by the mouth of two or three" out of the Law (out of context) to show his own authority among the Corinthians (a completely different context). I can just hear the Context Police saying to Paul, "Because you went preaching your new beliefs to the Corinthians two or three times--you think you are like God who gave the Law?"

Wrangler · Apr 14, 2026

One thing that helped me is that in logic, context is not necessary unless there is a play on words, e.g., Mike Tyson is the baddest boxer on the planet actually means he's good. By contrast, Morality always needs context.

I've seen many Christians invoke the maximum of context in a vain attempt to escape a losing argument. Sure, we can quote a verse or 2 but we have to take it out of the context of the 66 book anthem to be conversational. Here, it is usually helpful to simply recognize if there is a play on words or is the text to be taken literally. For instance, Jesus said to literally pluck your eye out if it causes you to sin. Does this equate to unconditional self-harm? No, of course not.

Someone asked who our neighbor is from a Biblical perspective. What's your answer?

ScottA · Apr 14, 2026

Wrangler said:
Morality always needs context.

Got a biblical example?

Wrangler said:
Someone asked who our neighbor is from a Biblical perspective. What's your answer?

Some would say the neighbor issue is a context issue. I would not.

Context in that issue, is only drawn by those who would separate the issue to be something personal--which it is, but not exclusively. So, if one wants to look at it, or discuss what it means personally (within that smaller would-be context) there is no problem doings so...unless there is. If one insists that it is limited to being a personal matter--they separate themselves from the greater body of humanity, wherein all share the same father, and are not just neighbors, but potential soulmates.

Wrangler · Apr 14, 2026

Wrangler said:
Morality always needs context.

ScottA said:
Got a biblical example?

The most obvious Biblical context of morality is from the error KJV made in the 10C prohibition of murder, not killing.

Earlier in Scripture, God, himself, commanded a man who gathered fire wood be stoned to death.

Elsewhere, the woman who is the most blessed, more blessed than the mother of Jesus, is most blessed BECAUSE she killed someone as a powerful act of justice.

Differentiating between righteous killing and evil murder requires context - in and out of the Bible.

ScottA · Apr 14, 2026

Wrangler said:
The most obvious Biblical context of morality is from the error KJV made in the 10C prohibition of murder, not killing.

Earlier in Scripture, God, himself, commanded a man who gathered fire wood be stoned to death.

Elsewhere, the woman who is the most blessed, more blessed than the mother of Jesus, is most blessed BECAUSE she killed someone as a powerful act of justice.

Differentiating between righteous killing and evil murder requires context - in and out of the Bible.

You make a good point, and I don't disagree.

However, I would say that the greater issues of context are not moral, but doctrinal. Many of which are even result in murder...showing what would appear to be subcategories. Where again, to separate the two issues, requires a separation from the root cause. Which I would consider like all the Commandments being even more correctly stated all within just two--as the heart of every matter and issue: Love God, and your neighbor as yourself, in that order, wherein God is never to be excluded by context.

Fun stuff! But there is so much abuse

Wrangler · Apr 14, 2026

ScottA said:
However, I would say that the greater issues of context are not moral, but doctrinal.

Interesting. I've been shying away from doctrinal matters all together. Not sure if you read my post from the other day about what day Eve was created on? Anyway, I find doctrine to lead to IDOLATRY.

ScottA said:
Fun stuff! But there is so much abuse

Yes. It's our nature.

Funny story. One time I rebuked my wife for something. Her immediate reply was to say "BECAUSE YOU ..." Then you could see her mind searching deep in her mental file cabinet for some reason to pin it on me. LOL It's not so easy to admit a mistake, even when the stakes aren't that big. Imagine if you made a doctrinal error seen only in context?

Lambano · Apr 19, 2026

This one needs context....

MatthewG · Apr 19, 2026

Hello to whoever may read, and ScottA.

I've read the Gospels, meaning Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John enough times to understand that Jesus never once ever talked to me personally. The accounts were I believe completed right before the time when God's wrath would be unleashed upon the nation of Israel for having killed his Son, and his Son was to come as promised to those people in that day and time.

I believe these are the contextual matters most people overlook, missplace, or dismiss all together.

Now while I digress - man can say anything and make anything anything - when it comes down to words, even expressing "God", and what not... for example people who like to say "well God says or God told me or whatever" I would not always believe whatever they have to say...

The bible as it is has context, and a lot of the old testament is concluded within the New Testament, with Jesus having victory over all things....

Satan, Death, Hell, the World and its sins all taken care of by Jesus today...

Again this is my opinion but also founded in the Bible to be there as evidence for anyone to atleast witness what the people in that day were being told concerning the end of the world for them....

-- People with other opinions can have them, I am sharing mine as they are now and without fear of whatever anyone else my say because if you are coming in to attack someone that is not a conversation at all anyway...

All the best.

ScottA · Apr 19, 2026

Lambano said:
This one needs context....

Yeah, sure, everything has and needs context. The point though, is just like Jesus asking "which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold?", is that God says what context is King, not someone's interpretation of the scriptures by their own understanding of what seems right.

But yes, everything perhaps has its local or worldly context. But more importantly, what is "greater" is the context in which God has for including it in His eternal word regarding the things of God rather than merely the things of men and this world. So the examples that I gave were to show that there is indeed a context that men first understand to be the context, but the scriptures do show that breaking that superficial context is common, and if there is a "greater" reason, that initial context that may have come first, is not necessarily even connected, but is rather there for confirmation.

Wrangler · Apr 19, 2026

ScottA said:
So the examples that I gave were to show, that there is indeed a context that men first understand to be the context, but the scriptures do show that breaking that superficial context is common, and likely the "greater" reason for the initial context that may have come first.

As I see it, this is the inevitable confusion that flows from non-literal expression.

For instance, "the temple" is used 100's of times in Scripture to refer to Solomon's temple. Christ says he'll rebuild it in 3 days. "It" in context is undeniably Solomon's temple. Jesus never explains to his listeners that he is bucking the culture in using "it" to refer to something else entirely - even though he knows full well how it is taken to mean in context. In Scripture, it is the narrator who explains to us readers that Jesus meant something else by it.

Other examples are bread and sleep. Jesus is frustrated that his listeners take his use of words literally - AS IF his audience is some kind of group of linguistic experts, steeped in nuance. When the girl dies, Jesus is mocked for saying she is only sleeping. In that case, he ultimately concedes the girl is actually not sleeping. A is A. If the girl is dead, don't say she's sleeping. If you're not referring to Solomon's temple, don't say the temple. And if you're not referring to bread, it's confusing when you talk about bread ... (I'm getting hungry for some reason. LOL).

Words are already defined and have objective meaning, which makes them context independent. Sure, there are senses to words, which one might be discerned from context but not non-literal use of words. Anyone can refer to their favorite lexicon to learn that "God," for instance, means sense A or sense B (or sense C) only. When the temple, bread and sleep and any other word can take on any meaning the speaker wants, it is incumbent on the speaker to define his terms. And this makes for laborious exchanges.

Many times I have said the Bible is not a dictionary! Language is a vehicle for communication. It is not because of language that we are not able to communicate. I am Groot.

ScottA · Apr 19, 2026

Wrangler said:
As I see it, this is the inevitable confusion that flows from non-literal expression.

For instance, "the temple" is used 100's of times in Scripture to refer to Solomon's temple. Christ says he'll rebuild it in 3 days. "It" in context is undeniably Solomon's temple. Jesus never explains to his listeners that he is bucking the culture in using "it" to refer to something else entirely - even though he knows full well how it is taken to mean in context. In Scripture, it is the narrator who explains to us readers that Jesus meant something else by it.

Other examples are bread and sleep. Jesus is frustrated that his listeners take his use of words literally - AS IF his audience is some kind of group of linguistic experts, steeped in nuance. When the girl dies, Jesus is mocked for saying she is only sleeping. In that case, he ultimately concedes the girl is actually not sleeping. A is A. If the girl is dead, don't say she's sleeping. If you're not referring to Solomon's temple, don't say the temple. And if you're not referring to bread, it's confusing when you talk about bread ... (I'm getting hungry for some reason. LOL).

Words are already defined and have objective meaning, which makes them context independent. Sure, there are senses to words, which one might be discerned from context but not non-literal use of words. Anyone can refer to their favorite lexicon to learn that "God," for instance, means sense A or sense B (or sense C) only. When the temple, bread and sleep and any other word can take on any meaning the speaker wants, it is incumbent on the speaker to define his terms. And this makes for laborious exchanges.

Many times I have said the Bible is not a dictionary! Language is a vehicle for communication. It is not because of language that we are not able to communicate. I am Groot.

Because of all that, the better way to consider communication from God is as parable language, which in simple terms is an effective teaching tool. The problems of interpretation then, come when we don't follow the parable logic of what is actually quite elementary, so much so that it is often overlooked, especially by the wise and learned who expect that communication from God is surely at a higher or literal level.

ShineTheLight · Apr 21, 2026

MatthewG said:
Satan, Death, Hell, the World and its sins all taken care of by Jesus today...

Again this is my opinion but also founded in the Bible to be there as evidence for anyone to atleast witness what the people in that day were being told concerning the end of the world for them....

Hello MatthewG. Your opinion on those things are not the truth or aligned with God's words. The parts of God's words in the bible that you overlook and dismiss.

The gospel and all the things in the bible are controversial and bring controversy everywhere. It's better to offend someone into heaven than comfort them into hell. I would rather offend you into righteousness than comfort you in your wickedness.

MatthewG · Apr 21, 2026

Thankfully I am implored to say...

While I disagree with people. I still have to work with them, when it comes to going to work.

God already knows what I do or don't do. Also I am not looking to set forth righteousness either... Jesus does those things when he is right.

Not me. (Unless it some other problem - to set correction at home by someone who needs to be arrested or something - but those are right choices on Jesus part as well in my opinion.)

People have all different beliefs and things like that. I just wanted to share some great mentions concerning what many people dismiss some contents of the bible.

I dont mind people if they believe the world is going to end, or Satan is going around today or whatever.

That doesn't mean I have to follow suit with everyone else. God knows what is done in the open and secret so...

God already knows and see what people believe and he is always looking at the heart.

In the long haul, while many will disagree with me - I will continue to share what I have come to find and at least notice.

ScottA · Apr 21, 2026

MatthewG said:
Thankfully I am implored to say...

While I disagree with people. I still have to work with them, when it comes to going to work.

God already knows what I do or don't do. Also I am not looking to set forth righteousness either... Jesus does those things when he is right.

Not me. (Unless it some other problem - to set correction at home by someone who needs to be arrested or something - but those are right choices on Jesus part as well in my opinion.)

People have all different beliefs and things like that. I just wanted to share some great mentions concerning what many people dismiss some contents of the bible.

I dont mind people if they believe the world is going to end, or Satan is going around today or whatever.

That doesn't mean I have to follow suit with everyone else. God knows what is done in the open and secret so...

God already knows and see what people believe and he is always looking at the heart.

In the long haul, while many will disagree with me - I will continue to share what I have come to find and at least notice.

The problem comes when we misrepresent Jesus/God and His truth. How would it be is someone misrepresented you? Would it just be okay...if you were a King?

Behold · Apr 21, 2026

ScottA said:
Context is a literary rule-

The way the Bible explains itself as " the right context" is like this..

A.) "rightly dividing".

As when we know how to "rightly divide" the word of God, then we are "showing ourselves approved unto God"... Paul teaches.

Dont look for much of that on "christian" Forums., tho you will find a incredible amount of "wrongly dividing" on Forums.

ScottA · Apr 21, 2026

Behold said:
The way the Bible explains itself as " the right context" is like this..

A.) "rightly dividing".

As when we know how to "rightly divide" the word of God, then we are "showing ourselves approved unto God"... Paul teaches.

Dont look for much of that on "christian" Forums., tho you will find a incredible amount of "wrongly dividing" on Forums.

Indeed, "rightly dividing" is the correct term or what to understand the principle. Some translation refer to it as "rightly handling", which does not quiet live up to what is presented in the scriptures and why.

"Rightly dividing" is a reference to God "dividing the light from the darkness", which is the divide between heaven and this fallen earth. The scriptures include information on both--both the good of heavenly matters, and the evil of worldly matters--ironically, by "context"--and yet they are often mixed in the scriptures because we are face with both, making this "the valley of decision." God has set before us all, quite literally, "life and death, blessing and cursing" as the opportunity to choose what is good and live (forever). And the scriptures are no different--they too offer that same mix that we are meant to navigate by choosing and understanding what is of this world and what is of the kingdom of God.

"Rightly dividing the word of truth" then is that point of approval mentioned by Paul, and here by you also, for those who take it on. Others, some only hearing and even some never hearing, or some unable, who never take it on in the form of scripture--they have their own choices to make as God has provided. None are orphans, but all must choose.

Behold · Apr 21, 2026

ScottA said:
"Rightly dividing" is a reference to God "dividing the light from the darkness",

"rightly dividing" is a phrase take from from a verse given by Paul The Apostle.

2 Timothy 2:15

King James Version

15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."""

So, this has nothing to do with "dividing the light from the darkness"......but it is the explanation for why there are over 40,000 "christian denominations" in the world.......its all because of WRONGLY Dividing the word, instead of "rightly dividing" it that created so many.

Its also explaining that God is pleased when we learn some bible, get some revelation, and in doing this, we are able to come to the place where there is no more GUESSING...... No more......"i wonder what that verse means.....well, let me see what the Internet says"......

Now if you want to talk about darkness being divided by Light, then that is something different.
Thats a GREAT topic.
That is Jesus who is the "Light of the World" who is a "LIGHT shining out of the spiritual Darkness" , explains Paul.
This same Jesus who is The Light, will "shine into your heart" and reveal Himself to you........and that is what leads us to trust in Christ and become a "new Creation" born again., which means that our Heart is become "enlightened" by the Holy Spirit.

amigo de christo · Apr 21, 2026

ScottA said:
King of what, exactly?

Context is a literary rule--of men--not of God!

In fact, the scriptures show many exceptions where context is completely broken--by God. There are too many to list, but I have given a few examples below--the point being: Stop listening to the teachings of men and their rules--God's rules are enough.

A few biblical exceptions:

David's Psalms of his own suffering (one context) are then more importantly biblically claimed by the apostles to have been about Christ (a completely different context)--correct in not one, but two different contexts.

David's son building a house for the Lord God by Solomon (one context), but also more importantly being true of Jesus--two again, and the One ultimately greater than the other.

Paul plucked the phrase "by the mouth of two or three" out of the Law (out of context) to show his own authority among the Corinthians (a completely different context). I can just hear the Context Police saying to Paul, "Because you went preaching your new beliefs to the Corinthians two or three times--you think you are like God who gave the Law?"

have you ever noticed that many who use that phrase you have to take it in context ........
Are really saying shut up and heed what our men SAYS it means . cause i sure do .
THEY aint talking context , they talking denoiminational twisting to fit what it believes or teaches and claims it meant .

amigo de christo · Apr 21, 2026

Behold said:
"rightly dividing" is a phrase take from from a verse given by Paul The Apostle.

2 Timothy 2:15
King James Version

15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."""

So, this has nothing to do with "dividing the light from the darkness"......but it is the explanation for why there are over 40,000 "christian denominations" in the world.......its all because of WRONGLY Dividing the word, instead of "rightly dividing" it that created so many.

Its also explaining that God is pleased when we learn some bible, get some revelation, and in doing this, we are able to come to the place where there is no more GUESSING...... No more......"i wonder what that verse means.....well, let me see what the Internet says"......

Now if you want to talk about darkness being divided by Light, then that is something different.
Thats a GREAT topic.
That is Jesus who is the "Light of the World" who is a "LIGHT shining out of the spiritual Darkness" , explains Paul.
This same Jesus who is The Light, will "shine into your heart" and reveal Himself to you........and that is what leads us to trust in Christ and become a "new Creation" born again., which means that our Heart is become "enlightened" by the Holy Spirit.

rightly dividing is a necessity .
But i have noticed that often men use this phrase rightly dividing to actually OMIT what it clearly says .
DO NOT follow such . I say we need get noses into bibles for ourselves and stop trusting in wise sounding men
their greeks and their contexts and etcs . cause christendom has and is being FLEECED .

ScottA · Apr 21, 2026

Behold said:
"rightly dividing" is a phrase take from from a verse given by Paul The Apostle.

2 Timothy 2:15
King James Version

15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."""

So, this has nothing to do with "dividing the light from the darkness"......but it is the explanation for why there are over 40,000 "christian denominations" in the world.......its all because of WRONGLY Dividing the word, instead of "rightly dividing" it that created so many.

Its also explaining that God is pleased when we learn some bible, get some revelation, and in doing this, we are able to come to the place where there is no more GUESSING...... No more......"i wonder what that verse means.....well, let me see what the Internet says"......

Now if you want to talk about darkness being divided by Light, then that is something different.
Thats a GREAT topic.
That is Jesus who is the "Light of the World" who is a "LIGHT shining out of the spiritual Darkness" , explains Paul.
This same Jesus who is The Light, will "shine into your heart" and reveal Himself to you........and that is what leads us to trust in Christ and become a "new Creation" born again., which means that our Heart is become "enlightened" by the Holy Spirit.

Aaah, but now you are claiming context by your own definition, even as if there is no divide between light and darkness from the beginning that carries into everything in scripture thereafter that is in need of rightly dividing also.

CONTEXT is King?

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2 Timothy 2:15​

King James Version​

​

15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."""​

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

2 Timothy 2:15​

King James Version​

​

15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."""​

Well-Known Member

2 Timothy 2:15​

King James Version​

​

15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."""​

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2 Timothy 2:15

King James Version

15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."""

2 Timothy 2:15

King James Version

15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."""

2 Timothy 2:15

King James Version

15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."""