“Hey, friend, what’s the matter?”
“Everyone’s just awful nowadays!”
“How so?”
“Well, for starters, everywhere I go, people are just rude to me. I’m so sick of it!”
“Sounds like you’ve been having a bad day.”
“More like a bad year!”
“Well, I’m here for you, remember?”
“I know, I know. I don’t mean you. You know what I mean.”
“I do. Let’s go get some ice cream and turn that frown upside down. My treat, so you don’t even have to talk to the cashier – LOL!”
“Sound great. Thanks, maybe you better drive, too, as people on the road are driving me bonkers, too!”
“I understand.”
When the frustrated friend used the term “everyone”, is it fair to assume that they meant everyone, without exception (meaning every last person in the whole world is “just awful nowadays”)? Or is there a definite context to the conversation that demands we interpret “everyone” as meaning everyone, without distinction (meaning all sorts of people they’ve been encountering lately)?
If we were to assume that the friend really meant everyone, without exception, then maybe the concerned friend ought to stop assuming they are friends, huh? If that were the true meaning of what the frustrated person intended to convey, then even present company included would be “just awful”.
However, if the concerned party rightly discerns that their friend is just venting, expressing that everyone, without distinction, has been irritating them lately, their friendship remains intact.
What’s the difference between the two alternatives?
Context.
Context is key. Always.
I wrote another blog titled, Context Demanded on 10/1/20 that I encourage you to read after this one. Same topic, just a slightly different angle (although it does involve ice cream, as well – LOL – I must have a fixation with ice cream). In that blog, I wrote:
Context changes the meaning of everything.
If a person tells you they love their dog, you might say, “Awww, how adorable.” However, if they tell you they love their wife, also, are you to suppose they love their wife the same way they love their dog? I hope not!
Let’s put this into perspective…
We preserve our most important personal relationships by being present, meaning, we pay especially close attention to those whose love we cherish the most. A perfect example of this is within the family structure. Yet, I see parents ignoring their children everywhere I go nowadays (pssst…there’s another contextual statement…hint: I don’t mean everywhere, without exception, do I?), whether it’s in restaurants, at the park, or just out and about. I very often notice parents preoccupied with their so-called “smart” phones rather than being present with their kids, you know, the little “blessings” they prayed to God about wanting to have so badly (yes, I’m being cynical). And then they wonder why they never noticed that their kids are a train wreck. Or, how about the married couple that spends inordinate amounts of time about five feet apart while glued to a television screen? Might this be the reason why so many arguments begin with, “Ugh, I told you about this the other day, you even said, ‘uh-huh, sure, honey’…”?
If we neglect to pay attention to the words of others, we can easily misinterpret their meaning.
Discerning context requires much more than merely superficial hearing.
Is it fair to say we tend to pay more attention to those whom we fear? Why? Well, primitively because we fear the repercussions of misunderstanding their intentions. It’s why a conscientious worker pays close attention to their boss. If they wish to keep their job, they seek to do the right thing, as per their boss’ instructions. Speaking of “masters”:
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!
– Psalm 111:10
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
– Proverbs 1:7
I don’t know about you, but the last Person I wish to misunderstand is the Lord! The Bible says those who “practice” the “fear of the Lord…have good understanding.” This means that if we, motivated by a healthy fear of the Lord, pay close attention to His words (more specifically, His Word, the Bible) we are assured good discernment. However, if we treat His word flippantly, we run the very real risk of misunderstanding what He wishes to convey to His children. This error has disastrous results. Thankfully, the Lord has provided us with all the faculties and the means necessary to “come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). It was, “for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness” (Titus 1:1) that Paul wrote to edify Titus in his epistle.
Let’s get a little more specific now, sticking to the theme of people. The Bible expects us to exercise good discernment when reading any word or phrase that may have at least one universal connotation to it regarding people (e.g. “everyone”, “all”, “whole”, “world”, etc.).
But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.
– Romans 3:21-25
The “all” in v23 means all, without exception, meaning all of mankind (save Jesus, of course) fall into this bucket of falling short of the glory of God. Agree? But are there places in Holy Scripture where “all” doesn’t mean all, without exception? Indeed, for example:
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
– 1 Corinthians 12:4-7
The “everyone” in v6 means everyone, without distinction. The alternative is that it means everyone, without exception; however, this interpretation cannot be true, given the fact that spiritual gifts are only imparted to believers in Christ. The context demands we interpret “everyone” as only believers, however, from all walks of life (e.g. Jews or Gentiles) – aka everyone, without distinction.
This blog just scrapes the surface, but I hope you see the importance of reading your Bible for context, because anything, including Holy Scripture, can be taken out of context (consider Satan’s testing of Jesus in Matthew 4:1-11), resulting in catastrophic doctrines forming in one’s soul. While Satan loves this, we don’t want any part of it. We seek the truth.
We cannot be lazy interpreters of Holy Scripture, for it demands our utmost attention. We cannot read individual verses out of context, superficially, and expect to land safely on the true meaning of the passage.
A simplified understanding of Holy Scripture doesn’t mean a superficial one.
Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks: “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge? If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you.
Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded, because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you, when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD, would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof, therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices.
For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them; but whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.”
– Proverbs 1:20-33
Context is key. If you wish to understand your Bible, you must read for context, motivated by your fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom. Fools despise wisdom and are, therefore, left to their own devices, having set “an ambush for their own lives” (Proverbs 1:18b).
Love in Christ,
Ed Collins