1. Three Levels of Context
Contextualization – Incorporating the text into your personal setting

2. Three Levels of Context
Contextualization – Incorporating the text into your personal setting
Historical Context – Author, Recipient, Date, Situation.

3. Three Levels of Context
Contextualization – Incorporating the text into your personal setting
Historical Context – Author, Recipient, Date, Situation.
Text Surrounding a Passage
Purpose of the book
Structure:Genre & Plan
Immediate Context

4. Circles of Context
Text

5. Circles of Context
Paragraph
Text
Pericope

6. Circles of Context
Section
Paragraph
Text
Pericope
chapter

7. Circles of Context
Book
Section
Paragraph
Text
Pericope
chapter

8. Circles of Context
Author
Book
Section
Paragraph
Text
Pericope
chapter

9. Circles of Context Author Book Section Paragraph Text Pericope chapter
Covenant

10. Covenant
Definition: a legal agreement between two unequal parties where the greater establishes the terms.
Terms: Blessings for fidelity and curses for infidelity.
Context: The terms of one covenant do not necessarily apply to others.
Covenants: Adam, Abraham, Moses, David, Jesus (Blood).

11. Dangers to Context

12. Dangers to Context
Memorizing individual verses

13. Dangers to Context Memorizing individual verses
Attitude of quasi magical formula of verses (power verses worn as amulets)

14. Dangers to Context Memorizing individual verses
Attitude of quasi magical formula of verses (power verses worn as amulets)
Concordance Work

15. Dangers to Context Memorizing individual verses
Attitude of quasi magical formula of verses (power verses worn as amulets)
Concordance Work
Claiming promises or commands not made to you.
Axiom #2: Context is King (of interpretation)

16. Dangers to Context Memorizing individual verses
Attitude of quasi magical formula of verses (power verses worn as amulets)
Concordance Work
Claiming promises or commands not made to you.
Axiom #2: Context is King (of interpretation)

17. Dangers to Context Memorizing individual verses
Attitude of quasi magical formula of verses (power verses worn as amulets)
Concordance Work
Claiming promises or commands not made to you.
Axiom #2: Context is King (of interpretation)

18. Identifying the Purpose of a Book

19. Identifying the Purpose of a Book
Sometimes it’s clearly stated (Jn 20:31; Lk 1:1-4; 1 Jn 5:13; Prov 1:1-6; Eccl 12:13)

20. Identifying the Purpose of a Book
Sometimes it’s clearly stated (Jn 20:31; Lk 1:1-4; 1 Jn 5:13; Prov 1:1-6; Eccl 12:13)
Flow of thought

21. Identifying the Purpose of a Book
Sometimes it’s clearly stated (Jn 20:31; Lk 1:1-4; 1 Jn 5:13; Prov 1:1-6; Eccl 12:13)
Flow of thought
Sometimes it is implied:
Selection or placement of details
Hortatory or parenthetical comments

22. Identifying the Purpose of a Book
Sometimes it’s clearly stated (Jn 20:31; Lk 1:1-4; 1 Jn 5:13; Prov 1:1-6; Eccl 12:13)
Flow of thought
Sometimes it is implied:
Selection or placement of details
Hortatory or parenthetical comments
Occasion for writing: Jeremiah; Amos; Philemon, etc.

23. Special Consideration
A book may have multiple purposes

24. Special Consideration
A book may have multiple purposes
It’s purpose may be disputed

25. Special Consideration
A book may have multiple purposes
It’s purpose may be disputed
Specialists, such as teachers, commentaries or even personal memorization, can help.

26. Structuralism: The Plan of the Book
Authors structure their books differently:

27. Structuralism: The Plan of the Book
Authors structure their books differently:
Some are meticulous (Mt, Lk/Acts, Heb, Rev)

28. Structuralism: The Plan of the Book
Authors structure their books differently:
Others have little order (James, Prov., Psa).
Some are meticulous (Mt, Lk/Acts, Heb, Rev)

29. Structuralism: The Plan of the Book
Authors structure their books differently:
Others have little order (James, Prov., Psa).
Some are meticulous (Mt, Lk/Acts, Heb, Rev)
Outlining is the best way to see the order:

30. Structuralism: The Plan of the Book
Authors structure their books differently:
Others have little order (James, Prov., Psa).
Some are meticulous (Mt, Lk/Acts, Heb, Rev)
Outlining is the best way to see the order:
Don’t strictly follow verse divisions. They come from the 13th century and don’t always work well.

31. Structuralism: The Plan of the Book
Authors structure their books differently:
Others have little order (James, Prov., Psa).
Some are meticulous (Mt, Lk/Acts, Heb, Rev)
Outlining is the best way to see the order:
Don’t strictly follow verse divisions. They come from the 13th century and don’t always work well.
Poor examples: Acts 8:1; Eph 5:21; Isa 53:1; 2 Cor 2:1

32. Various Structural Arrangements
Chronological: Gen., Exod., Josh., 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chron., Ezra, Esther; or Geographical : Neh. , Jonah, Acts

33. Various Structural Arrangements
Chronological: Gen., Exod., Josh., 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chron., Ezra, Esther; or Geographical : Neh. , Jonah, Acts
Biographical: Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John

34. Various Structural Arrangements
Chronological: Gen., Exod., Josh., 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chron., Ezra, Esther; or Geographical : Neh. , Jonah, Acts
Biographical: Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
Legal: Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy.

35. Various Structural Arrangements
Chronological: Gen., Exod., Josh., 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chron., Ezra, Esther; or Geographical : Neh. , Jonah, Acts
Biographical: Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
Legal: Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy.
Cyclical: Judges, Job, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs

36. Various Structural Arrangements
Chronological: Gen., Exod., Josh., 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chron., Ezra, Esther; or Geographical : Neh. , Jonah, Acts
Biographical: Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
Legal: Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy.
Cyclical: Judges, Job, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs
Letters: Rom., 1 & 2 Cor, Gal., Eph., Phil., Col., 1 & 2 Thess.,
1 & 2 Tim., Titus, Philemon, Heb., 1 & 2 Peter, 1—3 John, Jude

37. Various Structural Arrangements
Chronological: Gen., Exod., Josh., 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chron., Ezra, Esther; or Geographical : Neh. , Jonah, Acts
Biographical: Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
Legal: Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy.
Cyclical: Judges, Job, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs
Letters: Rom., 1 & 2 Cor, Gal., Eph., Phil., Col., 1 & 2 Thess.,
1 & 2 Tim., Titus, Philemon, Heb., 1 & 2 Peter, 1—3 John, Jude
Wisdom/Poetry: Psa., Prov., Ecclesiastes, Lamentations

38. Various Structural Arrangements
Chronological: Gen., Exod., Josh., 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chron., Ezra, Esther; or Geographical : Neh. , Jonah, Acts
Biographical: Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
Legal: Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy.
Cyclical: Judges, Job, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs
Letters: Rom., 1 & 2 Cor, Gal., Eph., Phil., Col., 1 & 2 Thess.,
1 & 2 Tim., Titus, Philemon, Heb., 1 & 2 Peter, 1—3 John, Jude
Wisdom/Poetry: Psa., Prov., Ecclesiastes, Lamentations
Visionary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, Revelation

39. Literary Devices
Parallels: Genesis 1-2; Psalms; Lk 15

40. Literary Devices Parallels: Genesis 1-2; Psalms; Lk 15
Inclusio: Genesis 37-39; Mk 11:12-25

41. Literary Devices Parallels: Genesis 1-2; Psalms; Lk 15
Inclusio: Genesis 37-39; Mk 11:12-25
Chiasm: Mt 13

42. Literary Devices Parallels: Genesis 1-2; Psalms; Lk 15
Inclusio: Genesis 37-39; Mk 11:12-25
Chiasm: Mt 13
Acrostic: Prov 31:10-31; Psa 119; 145; Lam 2

43. Literary Devices Parallels: Genesis 1-2; Psalms; Lk 15
Inclusio: Genesis 37-39; Mk 11:12-25
Chiasm: Mt 13
Acrostic: Prov 31:10-31; Psa 119; 145; Lam 2
Parallelism: Lk/Acts

44. Literary Devices Parallels: Genesis 1-2; Psalms; Lk 15
Inclusio: Genesis 37-39; Mk 11:12-25
Chiasm: Mt 13
Acrostic: Prov 31:10-31; Psa 119; 145; Lam 2
Parallelism: Lk/Acts
Ascending/Descending: Judges

45. Identifying Contextual Parameters: Look for change and repetition
Grammatical Clues

46. Identifying Contextual Parameters: Look for change and repetition
Grammatical Clues
Transitional conjunctions

47. Identifying Contextual Parameters: Look for change and repetition
Grammatical Clues
Transitional conjunctions
Change in verb tense

48. Identifying Contextual Parameters: Look for change and repetition
Grammatical Clues
Transitional conjunctions
Change in verb tense
Narrative Clues:

49. Identifying Contextual Parameters: Look for change and repetition
Grammatical Clues
Transitional conjunctions
Change in verb tense
Narrative Clues:
Change in time, persons, or place

50. Identifying Contextual Parameters: Look for change and repetition
Grammatical Clues
Transitional conjunctions
Change in verb tense
Narrative Clues:
Change in time, persons, or place
Repeated term, phrase or proposition

51. Identifying Contextual Parameters: Look for change and repetition
Grammatical Clues
Transitional conjunctions
Change in verb tense
Narrative Clues:
Change in time, persons, or place
Repeated term, phrase or proposition
Repeated thought

52. Identifying Contextual Parameters: Look for change and repetition
Grammatical Clues
Transitional conjunctions
Change in verb tense
Narrative Clues:
Change in time, persons, or place
Repeated term, phrase or proposition
Repeated thought
Rhetorical Questions

53. Identifying Contextual Parameters: Look for change and repetition
Grammatical Clues
Transitional conjunctions
Change in verb tense
Narrative Clues:
Change in time, persons, or place
Repeated term, phrase or proposition
Repeated thought
Rhetorical Questions
Vocative, imperative, or hortatory