How to Read the Bible: Week One

How to Interpret Any Passage in the Bible


1. Introduction

2. Basics of Context

  • Reading the Bible is like husbands communicating with their wives
  • All communication = Communicator —> Sign —> Interpreter
  • Example Letter: “Dear friend, [recipient] Friends have been urging me to write to you for the sake of humanity. But I have resisted their request, because of the feeling that any letter from me would be an impertinence. Something tells me that I must not calculate and that I must make my appeal for whatever it may be worth. It is quite clear that you are today the one person in the world who can prevent a war which may reduce humanity to the savage state. Must you pay that price for an object however worthy it may appear to you to be? Will you listen to the appeal of one who has deliberately shunned the method of war not without considerable success? Anyway I anticipate your forgiveness, if I have erred in writing to you. I remain, Your sincere friend, [signed his full name]”
  • The Bible is God’s communication to us about who he is.
  • The Bible is both human and divine.
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a96rmffqn9E

3. Q+A and a 5 Minute Break

4. Four-step Process for Interpreting any Passage in the Bible

  1. Understand the context of the communicator.
  2. Figure out what the text would have meant to the original audience.
  3. Draw principles from the text and apply this passage to your own life.
  4. Obey the Holy Spirit when he speaks in step 3.

5. Let's Read Philemon! Here's some Context:

  • Author: Paul 
    • Read Acts/other letters to help you understand where he’s coming from
    • Advanced Jewish Pharisee—>Prophet and Apostle to the Gentiles by an encounter with Jesus
  • Recipient: Philemon and the Colossians
    • Not much is known about Philemon, but he must have been a wealthy slave owner who converted to Christianity and is central to the church in Colossae
    • Colossae
      • Colossae was founded by Epaphras most likely (see Col. 4), and he is likely one of the people informing Paul of the state of the Church
      • They were likely recent converts vulnerable to relapse; this was exacerbated by a heresy that Christ is not enough, but harsh discipline to rules and regulations is also required (likely a Jewish/mystical heresy)
  • Setting: Ancient Roman Empire
    • Paul was in prison when he led Onesimus to the Lord
    • Philemon lived in Colossae
    • Slavery is an important cultural point
      • Slavery in the ancient world is not at all comparable to American slavery or Arabic slavery
      • It’s not ethnically based, it was economically based; slaves cost around 2000 denarii average (1 denarius=1 days’ wage; at $302.72/day, this would be around $605,440)
      • Slaves were recognized as people by nature and property by economics; in Christianity, some slaves became bishops, and some Christians slaves had their freedom bought by the Christian community
      • Slaves could be tortured and/or executed by the head of the household, and they would be executed if the head of the household were murdered; women (and sometimes boys) were vulnerable to sexual exploitation
      • They could work to achieve freedom, and it was customary that slaves who became free would be supported by their former masters as a patron to help advance them in society
      • Slaves were often economically, socially, and practically better off than average free persons (sometimes even aristocrats envied freed slaves; sometimes slaves of Caesar held more power/wealth than senators)
      • Onesimus was Philemon’s slave. He was either 1. Estranged or 2. Sent by Philemon to support Paul in prison and converted while helping Paul.
  • Literary Context:
    • Outline:
      • Greeting vv.1-3
      • Opening vv.4-7
      • Main Argument (with support) vv.8-16
      • Summary vv.17-22
      • Final greetings vv.23-25
    • Major words/themes:
      • Love
      • Family of God (brother, sister, etc)
      • The gospel and/or the mission (sharing the gospel)
      • Usefulness/effectiveness 
    • Purpose for writing: vv.17-18 (and v.22)

6. Interpretation "in the wild"

  • Ask Questions
  • Use other scripture to help guide your conversation (Be very careful using other scripture to interpret, as it’s extremely easy to take things out of context, but it can be helpful in a conversation you’re in when you don’t know what’s true)
  • Read the room

7. Conclusion

  • Always be studying!!
  • Use quality sources
(next week: “How to use discernment”)