After looking carefully and honestly at the exact definition of words, then study their grammatical relationship to surrounding sentences and the meaning of phrases.

Individual words and individual verses have meaning only within their context.  Ignoring this had led to virtually all the error and heresy that exists in the church.

Important Questions to Ask

• What is the point the author is making?
• What is his train of thought?
• What leads up to this verse, and what follows?
• How does this word or sentence relate to surrounding words and sentences?

In addition to finding the exact meaning of individual words, one must carefully examine the context in which those words appear.  The context is the writing that surrounds the word or verses one is studying.  The immediate context is what comes just before, and just after, the verse.  The remote context ranges from the remainder of the chapter, to the book, to the whole Scripture.

John 9:3 says the parents and child in this story had not sinned.  Based on that verse, we have heard this statement: "This verse is part of the inspired Bible and its literal, and plain sense means that these people were sinless.”  Is this really the meaning of Jesus words?  It surely appears to be so.  If not, how do we prove it?

First, we seek what the remote context of Scripture teaches about human sinlessness, (e.g. Romans 3:9-10, 23; 1 John 1:8-10).  Scripture emphatically declares that all men, without exception, are sinners.  So we are forced to look for an interpretation of Jesus’ words that is consistent with this remote context.

We examine the immediate context of this phrase by asking, "What question was Jesus answering”, (vs. 2)?  Were they asking if the people were sinners?  Alternatively, were they asking if sin was the cause of this man’s blindness?  Jesus’ statement relates directly to their question.  What does He mean?  He means that this affliction was not caused by these people’s sin.

Is there a contradiction between Jesus, and Paul who said, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”, (Romans 3:23)?  No.  The meaning of Jesus’ words, as per the immediate context, agrees with Paul’s teaching in the remote context.  Until one can make both contexts agree, one must continue to study.

Studying Biblical Context

• Think of all possible, legitimate meanings for the verse or words you are studying.  Which meanings present problems of interpretation?
• Read the verse in its context.  Read enough to get the progress of thoughts or events.  Decide what you think is the basic thought of the whole section.
• Examine the verse more closely.  Are there any connecting words at the beginning of the verse, (e.g. Therefore, But, etc...)?
• Try to answer the question: "What does this verse mean as determined by its context?"

Follow this method of study and you will not be guilty of assigning a false meaning to a Scripture, just to support a pet doctrine.