Following is a method for identifying and understanding the context of written text, including the scriptures. Bokim Ministries did not invent this method of study, but we have adapted is as a means for students to begin considering context when reading and studying the Bible. This method is not all-inclusive, and it is not the only way to study context, but we hope it will provide structure and guidance for study of God’s word.
The method consists of:
Speaker: Who is speaking?
Occasion: What are the circumstances?
Audience: Who is the intended to receive the message?
Purpose: What is the speaker’s message intended to accomplish?
Speaker
Identifying and understanding the speaker in a text is an essential component of correctly interpreting the text. Who is the speaker? What is the speaker’s background? What is the speaker’s training or experience? What is the speaker’s culture and language? What is the speaker’s character?
Consider the following portion of scripture:
Dominion and fear are with God;
he makes peace in his high heaven.Is there any number to his armies?
Upon whom does his light not arise?How then can man be in the right before God?
How can he who is born of woman be pure?Behold, even the moon is not bright,
and the stars are not pure in his eyes;how much less man, who is a maggot,
and the son of man, who is a worm!(Job 25:2-6, ESV)
This text speaks of God’s infinite dominion and sovereignty in heaven. Then, the text contrasts that all else in existence pales in comparison to God; all else is impure and imperfect before Him. Finally, the text declares man is at the bottom of creation; mankind is shown as lower than the moon and stars, both of which are higher than man but still dull and dirty in God’s sight. Man is metaphorically called a worm: filthy and detestable before God, and incapable of purity and righteousness. These verses sound believable and correct…until we understand who spoke them.
The verses of Job 25 were spoken by Bildad, one of Job’s three friends who counselled him during his suffering. Job’s friends insisted his suffering was punishment for some sin he committed. Job defended himself by maintaining he didn’t sin and deserve his punishment. Bildad’s speech in chapter 25 was a rebuke against Job, telling Job no man can possibly be righteous and, therefore, Job’s insistency of his own righteousness is wrong. The problem is, we know Bildad was wrong if we read Job in its full context. YHWH Himself declared Job to be blameless and upright in chapter 1. Then, in chapter 42, YHWH directly states that Job’s three friends all spoke falsely of Him while Job spoke correctly.
Based on YHWH’s statements, nothing Job’s friends said in the entire book of Job was true or accurate. But, if we read the words of Job’s friends in isolation of this fact, they do seem to have wisdom and knowledge of God. Job’s friends all spoke with conviction, they were persuasive in their arguments, and they seemed to know what they were talking about. But, when we understand Job’s friends, their position, and their false premises we can understand their arguments are untrue regardless of how good they sound. And when we understand the different speakers in the book of Job, it will affect our interpretation of the portions of the book where they speak.
The same principle applies in all portions of scripture. When we read an epistle, knowing who wrote it will affect how we read and interpret it. Understanding any given prophet will affect how we interpret his or her message. And, of course, understanding the nature and character of YHWH will affect how we read and interpret His spoken words in scripture.
Occasion
Occasion is the time, location, and events, surrounding the text. When was the text written? What was going on at the time? What is the cultural background of the text? Understanding the full circumstances of a text will help us correctly interpret its meaning.
The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw. (Habakkuk 1:1, ESV)
The opening introduction of Habakkuk provides us with the initial background of the book: The occasion of the book is a prophetic message Habakkuk received and recorded. An overview of the book of Habakkuk reveals it is a series of questions and answers between Habakkuk and YHWH (thus, we identify the speakers in the text). When we read what Habakkuk asked, we get the complete detail of the occasion: Habakkuk saw all the evil and injustice happening around him, it seemed like YHWH was unresponsive, and Habakkuk sought an answer to the reason for it.
So, the occasion for the book of Habakkuk can be summarized as:
1. The prophet saw consistent evil and injustice in the world around him.
2. It seemed like evil people were constantly overcoming righteous people.
3. It seemed like YHWH was indifferent to the evil and injustice of the world.
4. Habakkuk was disturbed by the suffering and apparent indifference of YHWH.
5. So, Habakkuk went to YHWH in prayer to seek an answer and ask for justice.
Understanding the speakers and occasion for the book, we are ready to read it in its context and interpret the meaning of the questions, the answers, and Habakkuk’s ultimate response to YHWH.
The same principle applies in all portions of scripture. When we read an epistle, we want to know who wrote it (the speaker) and what the occasion of the epistle is. For example: The letter of Jude was written by Jude, who was a brother of the apostle James. The occasion for Jude’s letter was that false teachers entered the church and were leading people into sin and false doctrine. The infiltration of the church and the misleading of the people created the contextual background of what was going on at the time; it is the occasion in which Jude addressed the people, and his entire letter focused on this one point.
Audience
The audience is who the text was written to or for. Understanding who is the speaker’s intended audience can give us insight to the speaker’s meaning and method of communicating. Who is the audience? What is the audience’s background? What is the audience’s training or experience? What is the audience’s culture and language? What is the audience’s character? What is the audience’s circumstance or need?
Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes,
To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:1-3, ESV)
The letter of 1 Corinthians was written to the believers in Corinth. So, everything in the letter was intended for the Corinthian believers; the letter addressed their needs and circumstances at the time the letter was written. The letter was not written to us, so many of the particulars (such as the rebuke for sexual immorality in chapter 5) do not directly apply to us.
But what about that one verse that says “all scripture is breathed by God and good for teaching, etc.” Yes, all scripture comes from YHWH and contains information for our benefit. But, not everything in scripture is addressed toward us and our personal circumstances. When we study scripture, we must be careful not to apply portions of scripture to ourselves that were not intended for us. We must also be careful not to take portions of scripture directed to believers and apply them towards unbelievers.
We must be mindful of who various portions of scripture directly address, why they were addressed, and what the speaker intended.
Purpose
Purpose is the reason why the text was written. What message is the speaker trying to convey? What action is the speaker calling the audience to take? Why is the speaker speaking? What is the speaker’s position? What is the speaker’s cause?
Consider the following portion of scripture:
I the Preacher have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.
What is crooked cannot be made straight,
and what is lacking cannot be counted.I said in my heart, “I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me, and my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.” And I applied my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a striving after wind. (Ecclesiastes 1:12-17, ESV)
Solomon’s purpose in Ecclesiastes was to apply the great wisdom he received from YHWH towards testing and understanding everything in life. Ultimately, Solomon sought to answer questions such as “What is the meaning and purpose of life?” and “What is good and profitable in life?” The entire book of Ecclesiastes is aimed at this single purpose of applying wisdom and knowledge to observe, test, and evaluate all aspects of life to find meaning to it. Understanding Solomon’s purpose for the book helps us to read and interpret it; we understand Solomon’s goal, his method, and his ultimate conclusion.
Other portions of scripture also have identifiable purposes. Each epistle was written by a specific author, to a specific audience, during a specific time and circumstance, and for a purpose. All the prophets carried messages from YHWH intended for specific audiences, with specific purposes, to address specific circumstances. The elements of context are always present in written text, and identifying them will lead the reader to greater comprehension of the text.