Questions tagged [context]
The immediate literary setting in which a text appears.
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What are good contextual clues that a passage is meant to be read as hyperbole?
Today in conversation with an atheist we ran into trouble over this passage in Matthew:
Mathew 18:9 (ESV)
And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to ...
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Should we put God to test or not?
Moses says "don't put God to test" (Deut. 6:16), but Malachi say "put God to test" (Mal. 3:10).
You shall not put the Lord your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah." ...
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In Esther 5 why did Esther arrange a second meeting?
I recently did a meditation on the fourth chapter of Esther at my church. As I was studying, I noticed something that I knew before hand, but I had never really thought to seriously about.
Why did ...
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How should ἱλαστήριον (hilasterion) be translated in Romans 3:25?
The word ἱλαστήριον (hilasterion) is often translated in Romans 3:25 as "propitiation," "atonement," or "sacrifice [of atonement]" in Western conservative biblical translations. In Hebrews 9:5 it is ...
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“You are my Son, today I have begotten you” - what are the meaning and implications of the word "today" in the context of Hebrews 1:5?
Hebrews 1:5 (ESV):
5 For to which of the angels did God ever say,
“You are my Son, today I have begotten you”?
Or again,
“I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”?
It's clear that ...
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What is the significance of the author of Genesis using two different designations for God?
In Genesis 4:25; 6:3,6-8, 9-22; 7:1, 9, 16a/b; 8:1-19, 20-22, we see the author using two designations for God, “Yahweh”, and “Elohim”. What is the significance, if any, of the author bouncing back ...
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Does Romans 13:8 include a prohibition of taking loans?
Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. —Romans 13:8 (ESV)
The most immediately obvious exegesis of this verse would be to take it to be ...
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Is Leviticus 16:2 an explanation or instruction?
The Lord said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron that he is not to
come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain
in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will ...
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What does it mean to be "equal with God" in John 5:18?
John 5:18 (ESV):
18 This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with ...
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What does it mean to cast a shoe?
What is the cultural context of casting a shoe?
Psalm 60:8: Moab is My washpot;
Over Edom I will cast My shoe;
Philistia, shout in triumph because of Me.”
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What kind of harm is Naomi concerned about for Ruth?
Following Ruth gleaning the field and being seen favorable in Boaz's eyes, Ruth 2:22 (NIV) says:
Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It will be good for you, my daughter, to go with the women ...
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Why did Israel prepare victuals for idols and called YHWH "My Baal"? (Hosea 2:8,16,17)
I understand that YHWH revealed himself to Israel by different names, which "Baal" was never one of such identity tags. Evidently, the revelation of each name was akin to a specific ...
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Did Moses fast for 81-days straight in Deuteronomy 9:9-18?
Did Moses fast (without food or water) for 81-days straight in Deuteronomy 9:9-18 | Or did Moses eat & drink in verses 12-17?
If the descent from Mount Horeb, destruction of the Golden Calf, and ...
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According to Scripture, how should we interpret Scripture? [closed]
There have been many principles proposed for how to properly interpret Scripture. Some of those principles actually come from Scripture. Here are some examples of principles which seem to come from ...
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Does Genesis 1:14-15 indicate God making the light (stars) instantaneously shine on the Earth?
We read:
“God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them be signs to indicate seasons and days and years, and let them serve as lights in the ...
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How can we understand "another gospel" in its historical context?
I frequently hear of approaches used by "other" Christian preachers and groups referred to as competing "gospels", such as the "social gospel" or "prosperity gospel" (or sometimes "health and wealth ...
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Does Colossians 1:16 represent the creation of a sub-set of things within the universe?
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by ...
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זֶרַע or זְרֹע in 1 Samuel 2:31
The MT 1 Samuel 2:31 reads:
הִנֵּה, יָמִים בָּאִים, וְגָדַעְתִּי אֶת-זְרֹעֲךָ, וְאֶת-זְרֹעַ בֵּית
אָבִיךָ--מִהְיוֹת זָקֵן, בְּבֵיתֶךָ.
Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the ...
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"From Mount Horeb" (Exodus 33:6), how should we understand the preposition "from" in context?
Exodus 33:6,
וַיִּתְנַצְּלוּ בְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת-עֶדְיָם, מֵהַר חוֹרֵב.
So the Israelites stripped off their ornaments at Mount Horeb. (NIV)
The problem with the NIV's translation is that the wrong ...
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What was the historical and cultural context of baptism in the time of Christ?
Throughout the New Testament, beginning with John the Baptist, the concept of baptism is portrayed historically with minimal explanation for what it is or why it is happening. This is continued ...
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Are the verses in Num. 17:12-13 misplaced?
The Israelites said to Moses, “We will die! We are lost, we are all
lost! 13 Anyone who even comes near the tabernacle of the Lord will
die. Are we all going to die?”
The text doesn't give us a ...
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Does רוּחַ, rûaḥ refer to the Spirit of יהוה, YHWH in Ezekiel 37:9?
Does רוּחַ, rûaḥ refer to the Spirit of יהוה, YHWH (Jehovah in the YLT below) in Ezekiel 37:9?
BHS:
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֔י הִנָּבֵ֖א אֶל־הָר֑וּחַ הִנָּבֵ֣א בֶן־אָ֠דָם
וְאָמַרְתָּ֨ אֶל־הָר֜וּחַ כֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר ׀ ...
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Isaiah 44:6 Distinction of persons or distinction of titles? (Grammar)
We read:
“Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, And his Redeemer, the Lord of
hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God.”
Isaiah 44:6 NKJV
“Thus says Yahweh, the ...
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In this particular verse and context, what does “overcome the world” mean here in 1 John 5:4? Sin? Godless system?
“For whatever is born of God overcomes the world.
And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” ...
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According to John 14:16-21, is Jesus the Comforter and Spirit of truth?
It appears that Jesus is speaking in third person because he states that he will send another comforter in v16 and then goes back to first person by saying that he will come to comfort the disciples ...
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What is the significance of Sarah denying having laughed in Genesis 18:15?
Gen. 18:12-16
So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and
my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?” 13 Then the LORD said
to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say,...
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Were some other animals cursed in an implied way according to the phrasing used in Gen 3:14?
There were no unclean animals in the garden of Eden.
This is why the phrase
"You are cursed more than all cattle" strikes me.
Genesis 3:14 (NKJV)
So the LORD God said to the serpent: "Because ...
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Does the literary content of Genesis 1 compel the conclusion that it is a fictive construct for corrective polemics?
It typically is held among professional Christian scholars that Genesis 1 originated as a corrective polemic against pagan creation myths.
Additionally, I presume that this theory as to origin of ...
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How to interpret "All who live by the sword, die by the sword..."
So of course this phrase, that is found nowhere in the Bible, is in reference to Matthew 26:52 which actually says
52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all [πάντες] who ...
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How can a sparrow nest on the altars of God according to Psalm 84:3
The sparrow finds home a while the swallow finds a nest.
Both birds find homes and nests on the LORD'S Altars (plural), not altar.
Psalm:84.3
Even the sparrow has found a home, And the swallow a nest
...
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How come God didn't bless the land animals with reproduction?
That being said, among all the living creatures (humanity included), isn't it quite funny that the Lord didn't bless the land beasts with reproduction and multiplication? In Genesis 1:24-25 He just ...
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How to differentiate between message of verse?
I was watching Creflo Dollar's televised sermon and he used this verse to state that it is a message for audiences today, but in context it looks like a greeting:
3 John 1:2 "Beloved, I wish above ...
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My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist
In 1 Kings 12:10 (NASB)
And the young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, “This is what you should say to this people who spoke to you, saying: ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, now ...
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Why do some think that Ezekiel had his first vision on his 30th birthday?
Why do some think that Ezekiel had his first vision on his 30th birthday in [Ezekiel 1]?
The Bible Project mentions the vision happening on Ezekiel's birthday in this video
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Does the "fear of death" in Hebrews 2:15 refer to the dread of physically dying, or to something else?
In the Christian New Testament, we find the following:
Hebrews 2:14-15 (NASB)
14Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through ...
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What is meant by "reward" in the context of "And your Father who sees in secret will reward you" (Matthew 6)?
Matthew 6:2-4 (ESV):
2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to ...
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Ephesians 2:2 symbolism of "air"
KJV:
Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world,
according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now
worketh in the children of disobedience
Quoting part ...
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What is meant by "these are a shadow of the things to come" in Colossians 2:16-17?
Colossians 2:16-17 (ESV):
16 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of the things to ...
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Why does Ezekiel refer to Jerusalem as "south"?
Ezekiel 21:2 (in other versions 20:46)
"Son of man, set your face toward the south; preach against the south
and prophesy against the forest of the southland."
As is evident from v. 6 (in ...
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What does fire mean in the context of "divided tongues, as it were of fire" (Acts 2:3)?
Acts 2:3 (YLT):
3 and there appeared to them divided tongues, as it were of fire; it sat also upon each one of them,
What does fire mean in this context? And how is the fire related to the divided ...
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The purpose of resting on the Sabbath
There are two main reasons given in the Old Testament as to why the Israelites are to observe the Sabbath. The first one is mentioned in Exodus 31:16-17 [KJV]:
16 Wherefore the children of Israel ...
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2 Corinthians 6:11-7:2 > How does the separation of God's people apply to Paul's argument?
2 Corinthians 6:14 and its subsequent verses seem like something of an abrupt interlude in the middle of Paul's appeal to the Corinthians to open their hearts to him and his associates. What's the ...
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How is Deuteronomy 22:6-7 relevant to the context surrounding it?
Deuteronomy records a lengthy exhortation by Moses to the second-generation post-exodus Israelites, in which he repeatedly urges them to love and obey God, love others, and not fall into idolatry.
...
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Dealing with the swine as property in Mt 8
In the account in Mathew of Jesus casting out the demons into swine (included below), is there evidence for commentary on property? It would seem the main point of using swine would be for an unclean ...
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What is the context of Proverbs 7:17?
I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. (Proverbs 7:17 NRSVCE)
Forgive my over-literalness, but this seems like it's describing something really stupid: the impudent woman is pouring ...
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How should we contextualize Paul's "Jesus is accursed" in I Co 12:3?
In Paul's chapter concerning spiritual gifts (1 Co 12), with the "bookends" being the subject of the Corinthians' appalling behavior at their love feasts (chapter 11) and the nature and importance of ...
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How do the books in the Bible get their names? [closed]
It seems like the first few chapters are named after the people who wrote them, but I was wondering how the other titles were decided upon.
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Why is Jeremiah so opposed to a Jewish settlement in Egypt?
Jeremiah 42:7-19
Ten days later the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah. 8So he called
together Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers who were with
him and all the people from the least to ...
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What is the nature of the "voice" John 10:27 is talking about?
John 10:26-30 (NIV):
26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto
you. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
28 And I give unto them eternal life; ...
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Does Romans 16:11 reveal the apostle Paul (Saulus) was related to Herod Agrippa?
Based on Paul's request in [Romans 16:11] from the NKJV :
"Greet Herodion, my countryman" (ἀσπάσασθε Ἡροδίωνα τὸν συγγενῆ)
and "Antiquities of the Jews" by Josephus, Book XX (CH 9.4) :
"...
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