Context in the Gospels and Letters

Introduction

We are continuing with the importance of context but looking now at the narrower context of the specific audience. As I mentioned in the previous post this is particularly important as we read the teachings of Jesus and the letters in the New Testament.

Having this kind of context will give you a fuller picture, a clearer understanding of what you are reading. It will help you answer questions and to apply what you read.

Paul’s Letters

For example, when Paul talks about slaves and masters his instructions can sound terrible to us. Slavery is appalling. Yet back then, when Paul was writing, slavery was common and Paul’s message was counter cultural. He was teaching fair treatment and fair work. Knowing the culture was different enables us to not throw that teaching away but to see how we can apply it today. Today it fits into the employer/boss - employee relationship. In fitting in there we can learn how to be more Godly whichever role we have.

A particularly good example of this is the letter to Philemon. Onesimus, Philemons slave, had run away. In the ancient world this was punishable by death, as was sheltering a runaway. Yet Paul has seen Onesimus become a Christian. He now encourages Philemon to reconcile, which means Onesimus must return. Paul is pointing out that they are now brothers in the Messiah. We may, from our 21st century perspective, have preferred Paul to simply declare all slaves be set free, but Paul operated in a world where that would not have worked, that would have done more harm than good. What Paul does, in facilitating this act of reconciliation and calling Philemon and Onesimus to brotherhood, is to start a process of abolishing slavery, yes it took a very long time, but is the beginning that was needed. Having this context helps us to understand this letter better, and then to apply the fundamental teaching to our lives today.

In Paul’s other letters we need to remember that he was writing to a specific community. Yes, we can learn from these, we can apply what he was saying, but Paul was not writing the Bible, he didn’t know his letters would still be read 2000 years later.

So as we read Ephesians we must consider Ephesus, or as we read Philippians we must be mindful of Philippi. Each letter has an audience with a specific set of difficulties. Reading around this wider context will really help us to understand what Paul is saying. As a quick example when Paul writes First Thessalonians to the small group he had left in Thessalonica it was with thankful relief that they were standing firm, even though he had only been with them a short while.

Knowing these letters were written to a specific person/people regarding a specific situation will help us to read and understand the letter more fully.

Jesus’ Teachings

We need to consider the same things when we read the gospels. As we read Jesus’ teaching we need to remember there was a specific audience listening.

Jesus taught a lot about the Kingdom. When Jesus was teaching this was a controversial topic. Historically Kingdoms had not been that great. Jesus was using that history to say that’s not how a kingdom should be. When God is the King the Kingdom is not what you are used to, it’s not something to be feared like you think.

Jesus taught that the Kingdom of heaven was like a mustard seed (Matthew 13:31), or like a man who sowed good seed in his field (Matthew 13:24). Today Kingdoms are more of a non-entity than something we have a fear of, particularly in the western developed world. They do not play as significant a part in our shared history as they will have done for Jesus’ audience. Understanding this context brings a fresh power to the parables Jesus told.

Another example is to understand the importance of family relationships, particularly that of sonship and adoption.

Consider Matthew 3:17:

“This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased”

At the surface level this is powerful enough, but when we consider the process of adoption in the ancient world this takes on a new meaning for us. In Roman culture when a child was born the parents could, for whatever reason, disown them. There would come a point of adoption. A point where the parents, particularly the father, would declare this is my son, he is chosen and adopted. From that point on he could not be disowned. From that point on inheritance was active. (ref: https://aleteia.org/2017/09/12/how-the-roman-practice-of-adoption-sheds-light-on-what-st-paul-was-talking-about/)

When God the Father speaks “this is my Son” it is a powerful moment declaring their relationship in a public and unbreakable way.

Knowing this context brings fresh power and insight to Paul’s letter to the Romans, particularly Romans 8:15.

How to get this context

Books, study bibles, commentaries, research on the internet, the same as last time really. This takes time and it takes effort, but the sense of life this can bring to the words we read is so worth it.

I find that as I read passages in the Bible if something doesn’t seem to fit right with my understanding of the world there is a good chance I’m lacking the required context. These points are great indicators that I need to do a little research into the world I’m reading about. If my world view doesn’t line up with scripture then my world view and understanding of scripture needs to change, I need to put in some more study.

Prescriptive or Descriptive

As we read texts like these we need to establish if the text is prescriptive or descriptive.

Take for example the story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 4 and 5. Here we read of some radical living, and some drastic punishment for deception. This is descriptive. It tells us what happened, and provides detail to the story of the early Church. The key, especially of the punishment part, is that this is not a pattern we see repeated, it is not prescriptive, it is not outlining what should be normal for Christian communities.

If we continue to look at the story of the Church spreading through the book of Acts we see that studying scripture, good teaching, prayer, and the work of the Holy Spirit, out of which everything else flows, does form a repetitive pattern. This is prescriptive. We can read that and seek to apply that for our lives today. It is supposed to be part of the normal experience of followers of Jesus.

Let’s have a go

Let’s consider the passage Luke 15: 11 - 32; The Prodigal Son. In light of what we’ve discussed about sonship, but also looking for other contextual insights, are there any details that make you wonder about the society of the day? Or perhaps there are words that you need to confirm the definition of.

Take time to sit with the story, consider the words, and the context. Ask God to speak to you through this story. Make notes, that way you can always come back to this study in the future.