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What Bible translation do you use and why? Do you use a different translation for devotional reading than you do for Bible study? What translation will you use for this course?
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[Why does the context of the Bible as a whole keep us from only a partly accurate interpretation?] INTERPRETATION begins as a matter of seeing the meaning of the facts embodied in a specific passage in concentric circles of broadening contexts and then going beyond the mere facts. What the Bible as a whole has to say on a given matter is itself a part of a series of sources of understanding. MAXIMUM INTERPRETATION (that is never fully achieved) considers the contexts of: (1) the immediately surrounding sentences and paragraphs of a passage (2) the surrounding section within a document (3) the document itself (3) related documents [as other Gospels, other letters of Paul, other books of the Pentateuch, etc.) (4) the Old and New Testaments, considered separately and together (5) historical evidence in monumental and literary forms from archaeology and the study of relevant extra-biblical literature. (6) related academic information that may incorporate observations made in the studies of theology, philosophy, anthropology, sociology, psychology, etc.–as well as our thoughtful, personal observations of people and ourselves. Finally, modifying slightly what the author said, we must not forget that even this so-called MAXIMUM INTERPRETATION is inadequate without insight from the even broader context, which is to be found, in asking Francis Shaffer’s question, “How should we then live?”
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[Why does the context of the Bible as a whole keep us from only a partly accurate interpretation?] There is a lot of content of the Bible and it can seem overwhelming. Taking the Bible books piece by piece to interpret it will allow for easier understanding.
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[Why does the context of the Bible as a whole keep us from only a partly accurate interpretation?] Unless we engage not only our eyes but our brains as well when reading the Bible, we will never get a fully accurate interpretation of the Bible and if we don’t get that then we will be doing what God asked us to do the wrong way. It is important to not only observe, but to interpret and apply accurately as well. If you miss just one of these steps you won’t see and understand the big picture.
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[Why does the context of the Bible as a whole keep us from only a partly accurate interpretation?] we are not observing with our brains
