Investigate the Historical Context of the Passage.
Use the bible passage and larger context of the whole book to figure out:
Who?
Who wrote the passage? The author go beyond the name.
What was the mindset of the author/ relationship between author and God or audience/ the author’s circumstances?
Understanding who wrote it changes how we are going to read it.
Why did God choose that person?
Who was the passage written to? The Recipient
Jewish audience or Greek audience?
(needs/circumstances/characteristic)
What benefit would the audience get from the passage?
The main characters more than just the name pivotal to the story even God can be a main character of the passage (needs/circumstances/characteristics) brings perspective into the passage.
What?
What was being written about? ← According to the lecture, the what is not strictly about what was written/ being said.
what is the genre? and how does its literary context emphasize, bring the message.
When?
When was the section written?
cultural differences from then and now.
Where?
Where was the author when he was writing the passage?
Where was the author writing to?
What was the cultural climate into which the passage was written?
If necessary, consult commentaries, study bibles, or other historical references to gather further information.
Be sure to cite sources where necessary
Think about Personal Contexts
Preconceived Ideas
What are some possible preconceived ideas about the passage or the message that it communicates?
Theological Agendas.
What are some theological agendas that have affected interpretation in the past?
Cultural Issues.
Are there any contemporary cultural issues that would affect interpretation?
