Context, Context, Context.

“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13 

This verse is often used as a “life verse” by many Christians, but can it be applied to anything we are going through? Sports figures often put this verse on their eye-black, or stitch it on their jersey, or even tattoo it on their skin to show that the strength they get to perform well comes from Christ. What happens if two quarterbacks on opposing teams both have Phil. 4:13 on their jerseys? Did Christ fail the losing quarterback? Others may use it to get inspiration for making it through a tough day at work, or any number of trials or difficulties in life. If I claim this verse as the verse that I live by, what if I lose my job? Did Christ fail to give me the strength necessary to “do all things”? The Apostle Paul wrote these words to the church at Philippi from a Roman prison cell. I’m sure that Paul would have walked out of that cell if he had the option. Was he given the strength to do that? The context of this passage may give us some insight into what exactly Paul meant by “all things”.

“I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble.” (Philippians 4:10-14)

It seems that Paul is speaking about specific trials that he is going through in Rome; being poor, hungry, and persecuted for the sake of Christ. We know that everything that we go through in life is ultimately in God’s hands, and that he alone gives us the strength to endure hardship, but we must be careful to not take verses out of their context to prove a point. 

It may seem like nitpicking to single out this particular verse, that when taken apart from it’s context would seem to be true independently, but God’s Word is so important, as the primary means by which we can know His character and nature, that we must be extremely careful to not misrepresent it. 

Probably the most misused text in the Bible is Jeremiah 29:11, which reads, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” This verse is an encouragement to many Christians, but it is curious that no one reads the verses before or after verse eleven. “For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile. (Jeremiah 29: 10-14) 

In context, it would seem that this particular prophecy is referring to a specific people. Unless you are an exile in Babylon, you might want to rejoice that God takes care of His people, and leave this promise alone. Furthermore, no one seems to want to claim the promise given to the Jews still in Jerusalem in the verses that follow the already quoted passage: “Because you have said, ‘The Lord has raised up prophets for us in Babylon,’ thus says the Lord concerning the king who sits on the throne of David, and concerning all the people who dwell in this city, your kinsmen who did not go out with you into exile: Thus says the Lord of hosts, behold, I am sending on them sword, famine, and pestilence, and I will make them like vile figs that are so rotten they cannot be eaten. I will pursue them with sword, famine, and pestilence, and will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, a terror, a hissing, and a reproach among all the nations where I have driven them, (Jeremiah 29:15-18)

A single letter is meaningless apart from other letters, that when combined, constitute a word. A single word (while having meaning in itself) cannot convey a thought when not combined with other words to constitute a sentence. This principal can be carried out all the way from letters, to words, sentences, paragraphs, and ultimately to genres. The genre in which an idea is conveyed can drastically effect the meaning of a single word. For instance, if I told you that it was raining cats and dogs outside, you would grab an umbrella, not a kennel. The phrase “cats and dogs” changes meanings depending on the genre of speech I am using, (metaphor in this instance).

It is impossible for us to know what an author intended for his original readers to understand apart from the context in which the statement is contained. If we would know what God has said in His Word, we must consider the context in which verses are contained. Many preachers, as well as lay people, yank verses out of their immediate context in order to import their own ideas into the scripture that they are using.

Some passages people use out of context seem harmless, however, when the Bible is used as a catch-phrase factory it becomes harder and harder to discern when a false teacher is mishandling the Word. The Holy Spirit will illumine the scripture to us, but when we refuse to allow the text to speak for and interpret itself, it is no longer the Word of God, but rather it is simply a neat book of cool sayings. In his second epistle, following his glorious message about the new heavens and the new earth, Peter says, “Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. (2 Peter 3:14-19)

According to Peter, the result of twisting scripture is the destruction of the one doing the twisting. God takes his Word very seriously, and so should we.