There are five contexts that we must check our interpretation with: immediate, literary, historical, cultural and scriptural. Can you explain what each one focuses on? Can you explain the importance each context plays in doing accurate interpretation?

[Austin]

Immediate: focuses on the flow of the verses and the paragraphs around it
Historical: focuses on the writers & readers historical situation
Literary: focuses on the message of the book
Cultural: focuses on the culture or time period in which the book was written
Scriptural: focuses on whether it agrees with the rest of the Scripture
It is important to examine each of these to make sure you are interpreting the passage correctly.

[Austin]

When we check our interpretation against the immediate context, we see if it makes sense and contributes to the flow of the surrounding verses or paragraph. When we check it against the literary context, we see if it fits with the message of the whole book. When we check it against the historical context, we ask whether the writer and readers in that historical situation of the past could have really meant it that way. When we check it against the cultural context, we are asking whether it was possible in that culture. When we check it against the Scriptural context, we see whether it agrees with or contradicts what other scripture passages say. That is, we move beyond the immediate context to the other books which the writer has written, or to all other books of the Bible.

[Austin]

Immediate: On what the author was telling the original target.
Literary: How the genre affects and influences the meaning.
Historical: How the events taking place during that time affect and influence.
Cultural: How the cultures of the time affected and influenced.
Scriptural: On how the scripture as a whole affects.

[Austin]

Immediate – what the writer is trying to tell the person they are writing to
Literary – the style the writer uses to convey a message
Historical – this is how the writer is conveying their message in context of how the world was at the time of the message.
cultural – this has a major impact to the message being given,the culture at the time of writing affects how a message is conveyed to others because culture is constantly changing it is very important to understand how the writer was raised and the cultural norms at the time of the writing

[Austin]

Immediate: tells the reader what message the author intended at a particular time. (Reader knows this applies to here and now.)

Literary: the author is telling a story. (Reader is given a story that relates to scripture.)

Historical: the author is/ has recorded/ stated actual events that took place. (Reader is given a timeliness of when events associated with scripture occurred. )

Cultural: how people of a particular time lived, day to day.
(Reader is exposed to the living “norms” of the time.)
Scriptural: how lives are to be lived according to God’s eternal plan. (Reader gains insight on how scripture is intertwined with man’s existence. )