Literary Context Basics (3 Tips for Understanding the Bible better on your own)
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 24 июл 2024
- The Bible can be tough to sort out at times, but there are a bunch of ways to make it easier to understand. The most basic tool for reading the bible better is context, but reading the Bible in context means more than just reading the sentences before and after the parts that are hard.
This video fleshes out the issue of literary context and offers three tips to understand the text better.
Historical Context Video: • Use History to Figure ...
You can support TMBH at patreon.com/tmbh if you'd like.
Hey Matt, love the vid but there’s some weird audio cuts in it, like at 11:19 the background music starts and then abruptly cuts off.
First, thank you. Second, that's the only weird one I'm aware of. Are there others?
@@MattWhitmanTMBH It's the only one I heard. Are we supposed to count the beats, turn them into letters and decode the hidden message?
@@MattWhitmanTMBH I appreciate the response. On relisten, I don't notice any other instances. When writing the original comment I thought I had heard other weird spots but I must have been imagining it
I love the poll that was placed at that point in the video.
@@iwontliveinfear Thanks for the heads up on that poll, wasn't looking during that moment. Rolled back to give my two cents.
I like the warning against letting clever sounding control freaks use it for power.
This video is on a similar topic to the one you just made. You guys should do a podcast on the subject....oh wait.
I like the shirt ;)
What!? I've been watching these videos and loving them because of his way of structuring his thinking. I think starting with grids and filters is important to finding the right answers--so is being brave enough to follow investigating wherever the questions lead. Matt's syntax reminds me of you, then I saw him with what I suspected was a backwards bicycle t-shirt, and now this Rocket City T. I am not surprised that one of my favorite thinkers is here! Ha! Love both your channels. Destin, the homeschooling world in MI thanks you.
I have always had a bible or two in the house but never read them, I picked one up a year ago after my dad passed away. I was daddy's little girl and he was my hero, to have the greatest man in my life just go away one day knowing I would never see him or get to talk to him anymore hurt me to my core. Luckily I knew that I could turn to my Father in heaven. Your videos are very helpful for me and encouraging. God bless you and your family and thank you very much.
Your comment hurts my heart Amy.
I love my little girls as deeply as I know how to love, and I can tell your dad loved you that way too. I'm so sorry he's gone.
To hear that you find some encouragement in your relationship with your heavenly father through something that's happened here honors me in ways it's hard to express.
You bring up points that made me want to study the Bible more in depth even as a kid (Late grade-school, middle-school age). I wanted to know that the Bible ACTUALLY says, not just what some people SAY it says.
Matt, your style of teaching is Jesus-like :) you just literally take whatever is simple and well known for people (like sunglasses or cookies 🍪) and build a parable that is super easy, catchy and smart. This is the highest compliment for teaching I could imagine.
What you're doing in those Bible series is a huge job. Thank you!
Thank you Matt for these suggestions and speaking " plain English " and also for the examples during a regular conversation with a friend. I am enjoying and learning much from your style of teaching. Thank you. ☺️
I've been talking with a guy from the WMSCOG over the past couple weeks, and the situation is pushing me to learn the techniques you went over in this video. Like you described, he takes bits and pieces from the Bible and rearranges them in ways that sound clever, but I know are wrong. It's the first time I've had to deal with something like this and it's made me realize that my biblical knowledge is woefully lacking. I pray that God will give me wisdom to git gud at Bibble reading so I can effectively and lovingly refute his arguments and set him on the right path. Thanks for this video! It came at a convenient time!
Kramburger11 I had been in the same position. Mike Winger has some great videos that I think will help you.
Love this man... I struggle with writing context in my Exergesis assignments... This helps me... God bless
Thanks for taking the time to make these. Really enjoying your videos.
Thank you Matt. This was very timely for me. I just got back from a vacation where I had the opportunity to spend significant time in the Word. I concluded I wasn't very good at it! If I didn't have a companion text I didn't get much. I need to study how to study.
It's great that you were able to spend it in such a manner though. As Matt points out in a previous video Bible reading is a lifetime process, so firstly keep on reading it. Secondly if you have a study bible or one with marginal references then following up on those can clue you into when a passage is referencing something else. I would suggest first praying for understanding, reading an entire passage, thinking about it (maybe jot things down), read through it again and follow those references and seeing if they fill in any blanks. Thirdly some reference books like Smith's Bible Dictionary and a concordance can really help with finding out context.
Keep reading Daniel.
I would say that the odd audio cut at 11:13 was weird, but I had definitely gotten distracted and it brought my attention back to listening, so thanks for that Matt
Perfect! Let's pretend it was on purpose then.
Matt messed up.
Matt messed up.
Matt messed up.
@@ctrlaltshift No no, it's like Haydn's "Surprise Symphony" (Symphony No. 94) which has one big loud part after a quieter part, to wake up and surprise the audience. It was intentional, I'm sure of it
@@Wise_King_Solomon XD I'm just referencing the poll in the video.
I love how encouraging you are to be in the Bible and truly understand it for what it is and not what we want it to be 👍😁
Your videos and podcast have been extremely encouraging to me lately. I just read through the gospel of Matthew. And then I found your podcast. So it’s been nice to go back and get some commentary on what I just read. Thanks for all you do.
Great clip!!! Thanks for being such a great encouragement to people. You've got a much needed and blessed ministry going here. :)
Absolutely love your videos. I’d watch one every day if you put one out every day. Your videos alone got me back on my journey through the Bible and I want to say thank you for that. God bless.
This means a lot. Thank you!
Good job Matt!! I need to get back to making videos. These are very helpful. Bless you bro!!
I am *watching.* I am *listening intently.* I am *taking notes.* I am *LEARNING!* With much of it, it is becoming reacquainted with things I've known for most of my life, but you manage to take all of these loose, disjointed bits of information and *package it all together as a logical and coherent font of wisdom!!!!* Thank you!
~Ellyn~
Just found you videos and subscribed! You make a lot of things make sense!!!❤
And easy on the eyes❤
Thank you for the teaching!!
I really appreciate not only learning about the bible, but how to interpret it. Thanks for the video.
Another great video matt
I like it, thank you Matt.
“Religious genital modification!” 😂😂😂
Awesome stuff man! You describe what I’ve been trying to tell a lot of Mormons (I’m from Utah), Christians and non-Christians.
Thanks Matt I love the clear line drawn between the natural human ability to understand conversations with friends and reading scripture in context. Great stuff man.
Also just because you wear a shirt from Rocket City doesn't mean the NSA will forgive what you say on the phone. Nice try though...nice try
Great video, thank you!
I love this!!
Very passionate about point #2! Well done, you handled it very goodly. 😀
I used to be the guy that broke the bible into little parts because I just blindly followed other people. I thank God that he came after me to have a personal relationship with Him.
Thanks again for the reminder to be in the bible for myself.
Thank you for this, sir.
Love your video
I was already a fan of your content but... As someone who lives less than an hour from Huntsville, your shirt makes me a superfan.
10:25 ish. Didn’t leave anything on the table, more like left everything on the table! See what I did there? I made a joke about Paul’s letter and about... oh wait... Maybe that’s inappropriate. Dang it, I always do this.
Thanks for the video Matt. This great presentation of a different way to interpret the Bible is filling my hat holder with new stuff and I like it. Now, I need to pick up my snakes and get on my way.
I like your defense over grace... GOD BLESS YOU...
I love your videos, may God continue using you to equip His people with the truth.
Hi Matt! I finished the playlist "Reading the Bible Better." It was very helpful! I am meeting some challenging parts in Exodus like the Plagues.
Some of my friends have commented I need to be careful I don't get into anything controlling like you said.
I’m using this for our youth group
Thank you!
I hope you come back to Huntsville, because at the time you went to Rocket City I wasn't aware of your channel. Great stuff!
Excellent.
Well done.
"Bible Song"... also known as a "Hymn" 😂
Or what my work colleagues would call it Jesus anthem.
Trying to mock me (nothing nasty) but gives me a chance to talk about my beliefs
James Hamilton It’s actually nice sometimes when you get mocked or someone criticizes Christianity, because it can create a nice opening to talk about God (lovingly, don’t be easily angered like me, don’t got to be TOO bold lol) starting with the point they criticized. And it was them starting the conversation, not you in such a case, whether they intended to or not.
At least I think that’s a good thing to add to one’s tool belt.
I often use you for Bible study when I can't be with my group. Thanks for leading my group Matt :)
Good point what you said about a thinker movie. A lot of people read a few verses in the Bible and say they don't get it and stop reading. But the same people watch a 3-hour-movie and say 'I may have to watch this again (me about Interstellar :v) to fully understand this.
Questo video mi ha ricordato di quanto il mio cervello sia dannatamente lento a riconoscere il sarcasmo... ma sorvoliamo.
Mi è piaciuto tantissimo il paragone contesto letterario/contesto delle conversazioni con amici, comunque. E mi sa che non ti ho mai detto quanto mi piace la grafica dei tuoi video, e le transitions e la musica che scegli... anche quella che parte mentre parli haha. Ottimo lavoro come sempre!
Grazie per l'incoraggiamento! E sono felice che ti piaccia l'musica anche quando faccio malo.
Scusa per il mio italiano orribile!
@@MattWhitmanTMBH figurati, e tranquillo! Sei bravo 👏🏻
thanks matt, great example of this is Hebrew 10:26, really got thrown by this verse, until i understood context of the chapter.
Hey Matt, do you think books that have a historical focus like Genesis or Exodus also have lots of meaning to them that you can poke at for analysis or just simply stating what happened? I recently finished Genesis and it felt like it mostly just gave context for later things in the Bible. Love the video, excited for your next.
Hey matt! Loved the video, definitely gives me a better understanding on reading longer books like romans and the Corinthian epistles. Question for you though, as far as your opposition between religious burdens and freedom in christ, what exactly are you referring to? Are you talking about like the ascetic Catholic-ish life of repetition and ceremony or the more general live holy pleasing lives to the Lord?
Love the HSV shirt!
Lol! I love the poll
Okay, I've watched a lot of your videos now. What is that thing on your desk. Is that Flipper with deer antlers at it's back fin?
Nice shirt!
One thing that has always annoyed me is when a "Christian's" response is; "Just read your bible more, you will get it." I know we can pray for understanding, but I will admit that many of the OT stories and even some of the NT parables leave me wondering; "What in the world did I just read?" Are we supposed to learn through absorption by holding the bible in our hands as we read? Does the learning absorption happen the same way if the bible is on a phone, tablet or computer? Thank you for helping to explain some ways to change our mindset when reading from the Bible we cherish so much.
This was a great video. We have been watching different Christians who are discussing whether or not Christians should follow the Jewish Laws because Jesus and the Apostles did. We would really like to know more about this. For example: should Christians eat Kosher? Please do another video on this subject. Thanks.
Where might one of your viewers that lives in the Rocket City get that dope shirt?
What Paul actually said was to literally leave everything on the table. Lol
When I used to say things on ICQ or MSN I'd always add *waves to the g-man* in my conversations
One thing that should be avoided is when you come across certain verses that people tend to point to when getting other under a certain control is to say "Ah! Haha! He said it!" Believe me, I've had that problem multiple times, like when I come across the verse that tells John the Baptiste to not drink (I don't remember the specific verse). All that does is break the flow and make you forget the context of what you are reading.
13:42 - "God bless you!"... I'm wondering if that was your way of saying "Anathema!" (Gal 1:8-9) :)
I'm not sure, but I think what Matt what getting at is that the point of Galatians is not that those people decided to do unnecessary stuff, it's that they tried to make others do it.
So if people today want to to unnecessary stuff, good for them, but try shouldn't take verses out of context to try and make other people do it.
Great opening. The historical context is Always a challenge to interpret because it was written to people living in the iron age. The life of Jesus Christ is a reference that applies to challenges we face. Although, the 21st century poses some abstract intellectual concern for disinformation. They were not sane.
Matt is there a bookshelf false door behind you in this video?
Sadly, no.
I spent a couple of decades as a know it all always arguing atheist and pulled stunts like this all the time. One of my favorites was Luke 21:32 - I was well aware that all someone has to do is back it up to Luke 21:20 but people everywhere were left dumbfounded. Needless to say I came to the truth and have repented since then. Now I won't shut up about the Gospel. I will say that having such a background is a great help with apologetics. A lot of people making all sorts of arguments don't know they are speaking lies. It is nice to be able to turn things around. That goes for secular science as well.
so how do you explain Luke 21:20-32? just curious
@@hello-jy9hf Otherwise it sounds like it is meant for the generation it was written in.
@@wjckc79 I can see a part of your explanation in my notifications, but I can't see it on the video.
I'm sorry - I can't see the reply (It might be on my end)
@@hello-jy9hf Not sure how to respond if you are not getting this. I hope you take a look at it on another device or a regular computer.
@@wjckc79 edit: I can only see it in my email so I'll paste it here:
hello So this covers three short chapters that are the same train of thought. 21:20-24 is The Destruction of Jerusalem. Note that it begins with "When you see" and also contains "Then those" and "They will". These are all future tense. Then we have The Coming of The Son of Man spanning 21:25-28 These statements are also future tense. So when we get to "This generation shall not pass..." It is speaking of a future generation who will see all of the signs listed in 21:20-28
this makes sense to me! I was always confused when I came to that part of the NT, and whenever I asked my Christian friends, they never had an answer (and I am not the best at reading/comprehending English)
I'm glad you explained this; now I know this is not a "false verse" so to speak
I thought at 11:15 you were just getting so into it you were gonna start rapping.
So regarding weird people doing weird things with the Bible, what is your opinion with Christian meditation? Like practice of re-reading bible passage until you feel this thought jumps into your head, with some keywords from the passage highlighted, and you need to figure out what are you going to do with it (including giving thanks, or other prayer response). Just curious.
Funny this showed up on my recommended when I've been annoyed since yesterday that another youtuber used 1 Peter 3:7 to say women are more prone to evil. How he came to that conclusion after reading the same verse, and the whole chapter is beyond me. I left a respectful, but long comment...and I pray the Lord will send His Holy Spirit to guide him.
Hey Matt, would you be willing to tackle the issue of women and the church? I have long believed that women were excluded from leadership and women were to be quiet and respectful. Many women from our church are pushing back, my wife included and there is much evidence to suggest that this is a societal issue and not Biblical. Right now it is very fashionable to be empowering woman and I don’t want that to be my motivation, honestly it makes me doubt that it’s a leading of the Holy Spirit when the “world” agrees. But I have seen the fruit in my wife as she is coming out from under the submission teaching and realizing she has a voice. Any input would be great.
I'm sure Matt could give quite an eloquent answer to this, but here are a few basic facts that give evidence to female church leaders being A-OK:
- Deborah was trusted to be a leader of Israel as a judge
- Esther was trusted to be a leader to save her people in the Babylonian Empire
- The news of the resurrection was trusted to women first
- Paul was instructed by women, including Priscilla
- Women like Phoebe were trusted with bringing Paul's letters to other churches
- Women in the Bible have been prophets
So, can a woman lead a congregation? It sure looks like it. And you seem to have good evidence of it with your own family too, which is great!
For some reason, I feel like you changed equipment, whether it be your camera or your lighting (or both) -- everything seems more crisp. Maybe I haven't watched your videos enough.
One of the most important things about the bible (besides the Gospel itself) is this; context matters.
"did he say blessed are the cheesemakers?"
Hol up. Is that a Dirk on your desk?
How do I know that the paper that fell out of your bible was the same one that you picked up? Maybe it was the key to the secret code hidden in Genesis 1, or a shopping list. That being said, Merry Christmas 2020. Can't wait for 2021 or 2022 or whenever the government makes life perfect ....
second video with a HSV shirt on!
I just see a blank black screen for this video...?
Three months and 0 dislikes!!
Whoa whoa who... hold the phone. Did you just mention about cutting a man's... uh, the WHOLE thing off and then immediately say "not leave anything on the table..." ...ew.
Do you let your KIDS watch these videos!? Saw the one about the poop picture yesterday! Seriously this is classic stuff and you do an excellent job explaining biblical content!
Nice shirt! Go Trash Pandas! Go Chargers!
Commenting to fight the algorythm 😎👌
"How to read a book" suggests that we read with the intent of understanding the author's purpose in writing the story as a whole. That includes studying the works of other authors and (if non fiction) the lives of figures in included in the story. If we as believers took the time to do this we might not have time to study and practice evil.
I would be really interested to hear your take on Neville Goddard.
12:50 absolutely agree about people that sound smart and right because they are spewing memorized verses, albeit out of context. I guess a lot of recently converted Jews are still corrupting churches!
Matt, I'm sure you know this and are just exaggerating for effect, but for people who don't know: the NSA didn't record everyone's calls. They were able to record any particular call they feel like without a warrant, and they recorded a lot of calls but they did not tap the vast majority of calls.
7:32 I'm not sure this is true universally, while it is true of the bible. For me, the Qu'ran does read like a jumbled collection of thoughts for example. I'm not saying this to knock Muslims, I'm just saying from the small amount of the Qu'ran I've read, I've struggled to work out what the structure is meant to be.
Something about context I'm surprised you didn't mention are translation headings and Old Testament references.
As I think you have mentioned before, bible translations can chunk their headings up wrongly sometimes, and often there is additional context outside of those headings so it is worth reading wider than that, but looking at section your bible puts under a heading is often a helpful tool for locating some of the immediate context of a passage.
Also, the New Testament quotes and references the Old Testament quite a lot, and your translation often tells you the location of the passage using numbers you can follow. To me, looking up the Old Testament references often gives interesting insight in what the biblical author is talking about that I wouldn't have got otherwise. It is hard, though, and not everyone will always agree with your conclusions.
You left out the obvious answer in the poll at 11:19 - Clearly the government put it there.
I'm definitely not a socially competent person... I'm dyslexic. LOL Use the 20/20 rule.
And if you really want to get into the weeds, figure out the context of a passage in terms of ancient near-east cultural norms. That has more to do with the OT and the various wars, like wiping out all the inhabitants of a town didn't actually mean that.
Look ma! I'm famous! :)
So, none of these videos are actually 10 minutes. Are they?
ruclips.net/video/xOkAIY7ghB0/видео.html
who hasn't gotten sucked in by someone who thought we were gullible and naive?
I see people get lost on Solomon's ring. They forget or dont know it's a signature or stamp if his office to seal docs. And wilth his ring he yells power of evil demons (enemy's of the people ) evil demon murders trappist or invaders. And he magically his ring to force demons build the temple lol
The other is (wormwood) it's not nibiru or space junk lol
Its bitterness 7 or 8 times it's used
Very good as far as I'm concerned. I think there is a lot of things we do in the "church meeting" that we can do without. Such as the traditions of tithing (which is not taught in the New Testament. Except by using proof-texting) and the separation between clergy and laity (brought into the church during the time of Constantinople along with his pagan beliefs) to name just two. We should have been able to avoid such traditions of man if we had a better understanding of the Word and what the Word was and what the Word is and what the Word will be (the Word being Jesus / God become flesh). You can make the Bible say anything you want with proof-texting and many do in order to maintain a position of stature and authority not given by the scriptures. Eisegesis instead of Exegesis if you know what I mean. This is bothersome. I pray that I would never do it.
I've done that letting the NSA know it's just a joke.
9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in
Curious to know who are the so-called controlling, weird people who offer wrong interpretations and why you are distinguished from them. I was expecting you to make some distinction or justification in that regard. Is there another video offered by you wherein you take an actual theological position? Regards.
For those who refuse to continue into truth, another extremist awaits them: atheism. Most atheists miss the Bible's truth by accepting the partial truth of "Sunday School" as their whole truth, ignoring the beauty of God's whole truth. When I fail to grasp Scriptural truth, my understanding isn't at issue, but my grasp of it is.
Jesus died for our sins so that we may accept His gift and be saved. Anytime I see or hear a bible verse taken out of context, I measure it against that statement. I find it helps out a lot in determining if verse mutilation is occurring. I guess you could say, to me, that is the bible's overarching context.
what was the joke
Another good reason for people who don't follow the Bible to be good at it: the weird Christians are trying to make laws based on the verses they have ripped from context.
This is not intended as criticism. It is an honest question. Every time I hear someone use the word 'dang' I cringe. To me it sounds just like a curse word and I have been trying to understand why it is allowable. In all honesty, I realize most any expletive could be questioned based on my thought process and I do not mean to do that. Since I have watched the majority of your videos over the last few years and the occurrence of that word in your vocabulary seems to be increasing, could you possibly help me put my confused conviction to rest, please? I have agreed with your views on most everything and am truly open to what you might say about this. Thanks!
"But now you must also put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth." Colossians 3:8 HCSB
"No foul language is to come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear." Ephesians 4:29 HCSB
The Bible not only begs to misinterpreted, but is the most misinterpreted document ever printed. I am astounded at some of the bizarre interpretations I hear from people.
Easily the weakest part of the manmade Protestant doctrine of sola scripture (which is contrary to the Bible ironically 2 Thess 2:15). You want to understand the Bible “on your own” and have cut yourselves off from 2000 years of Christian history and tradition. That is simply impossible, no wonder there are over 30,000 denominations. You want to understand the Bible, then join the church that wrote, preserved, and compiled it.
I think a larger question to your point is this. If individuals can get it wrong, as you say, could not an individual gotten it wrong in the past that establish a tradition handed down for generations? I think we need to evaluate what we believe and why and not blindly follow traditions. Be like the Bereans who searched Scripture to see if it was so. Acts 17:11.
Moses King I have no right to make anything up that is contrary to the old testament scriptures. The apostles also didn't have that right. That's why the letters and words that they gave to the church are completely coherent with the whole thing and are therefore rightly in the canon of the bible. If anyone comes up with a doctrine that's against what God tells us through the scriptures (because we know that all scripture that is breathed out by God is good for us and true), like making little angle figures and images of mary and praying through any other mediator than Jesus, we can throw it in the bin. The church has done this often times through history, but God always has people remaining on his behalf that conserve the truth, wherever they are (like the 7000 that remain in Israel in the times of Elijah and the prophets of baal). That is how denominations come to be, by not taking God's word by the word. The bible leaves nothing to be desired.
We should stop arguing and getting on with living for Jesus free from any selfish motive, because Jesus wants his followers to live for him and him alone, which is also what anybody that loves him with [agape] wants.
You are either completely misunderstanding or intentionally misrepresenting Sola scriptura. Much in the same way as papal supremacy and papal infallibility is misrepresented to score points for one's own preferred team.
Simply put don't do it.
I don't think you understand sola scriptura. Or at least your interpreting different that the way I've ever heard it.
It's not "on your own" you can certainly use other resources to help understand it and I don't know anyone that holds a sola scripture view that doesn't.
But it's in "in scripture alone" Meaning yes you should learn about the context but you shouldn't add things that aren't there to it.
For example in this video he's mentions some thinking you have to be circumcised like the Jews were to be saved this would be a requirement that would be considered to be added to the bible.
And this was the issue was one of the issues that caused the Protestant catholic break. Just because something became a tradition over time doesn't make it automatically right
2 Thess 2:15 is talking about the traditions that were passed on to them from the apostles. It's talking about the teaching and traditions that became the bible so I don't think that it is contrary to sola scriptura
@@Kanshin Ironically, the theory that you put forward has no basis in scripture. Using scripture ALONE (since it is your position after all), prove to me that oral law in 2 Thes 2:15 is referring specifically to the bible. If you cannot, this proves that you are relying on your own Protestant interpretation.