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Context: How to Understand the Bible
How do we understand a book as complex as the Bible? History, laws, poetry, prophecy, apocalypse, letters... and all of it written thousands of years ago! The answer is context . In this uncomplicated, clarifying book, Pastor Jim Nicodem explains how to accurately interpret a Bible passage by unpacking its various contexts. Sound difficult? Not once you employ the simple study tools the book includes. Perfect for everyone, from first-time Bible readers to Bible study leaders, Context is a wonderful tool to help with basic Bible reading or more in-depth study.
160 pages, Paperback
First published March 15, 2013
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27 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 8, 2013
Book notes: This is by far my favorite of the Bible Savvy series so far (I haven't finished Walk yet). In this volume Nicodem helps Bible readers pay attention to the context of scripture. This means the historical setting, the literary setting (what genre it is), the theological setting (how it makes sense with the wider Canon) and the immediate setting (how it makes sense within the context of the passage or book).
There is some sound advice here for laypersons to apprehend the message of the Bible. The limits of this look at 'context' is that it focuses solely on the context of the Bible without much to say about the context of the reader.
I think I would nuance what Nicodem says here by saying our personal context reveals are biases and our ecclesial context means we read in community (i.e. church, sermons, small groups, commentaries, are ways that our understanding of the Bible is supplemented, challenged, and disciplined).
There is some sound advice here for laypersons to apprehend the message of the Bible. The limits of this look at 'context' is that it focuses solely on the context of the Bible without much to say about the context of the reader.
I think I would nuance what Nicodem says here by saying our personal context reveals are biases and our ecclesial context means we read in community (i.e. church, sermons, small groups, commentaries, are ways that our understanding of the Bible is supplemented, challenged, and disciplined).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2022
Jim Nicodem does a great job giving a fly by of how to discover the bible in daily life. This book in his four book series focuses on the important of understanding the CONTEXT of passages as people read the Bible, and runs through four things to keep in mind (as well as subcategories within each of the four) as you approach the contextual factors of biblical literature. For those who have been reading/studying the bible for years, it could be easy to forget some of what seems like common knowledge when it comes to reading. And it may be the impulse of somebody well versed in theology, ministry, biblical studies/exposition, or church leadership to criticize this for not going "deep" enough or including every detail on how to interpret and read scripture. But I would argue that's an illegitimate criticism. Jim's goal is not to unpack every aspect of biblical literacy and interpretation. Instead, his goal is to make sure anyone who wants to study the bible has practical knowledge of how to begin reading it with integrity. And I believe this meets that goal incredibly well. It's easily approachable - would probably take about 2.5 hours total to read straight through- and immediately applicable - you can sit down and start applying it's principles the moment you start reading biblical scripture. It's a fantastic tool to beginning a deeper discovery of the Bible.
This is all my opinion. Read the book and form your own.
This is all my opinion. Read the book and form your own.
December 27, 2017
I read and discussed this book with my Bible study group. It should be noted that I go to Christ Community Church, the church where the author is the Senior Pastor. My review might be a little biased because of that :)
This is the third in a series that my Bible study group has gone through this year. It's started to get a little repetitive, but I still learned a few things. It's very easy to read and understand. I think it is aimed at the beginner Bible reader. Some of the points seemed oversimplified for me, but as a lifelong Christian, I probably have more background understanding than some.
Sometimes the writing is a little too informal for my taste, but it probably suits more people that way. You feel like you are having a conversation rather than reading a book.
The end of each chapter has a few pages of study questions, Bible reading prompts, and discussion questions. This definitely helped me work through ideas and remember facts and my Bible study group really liked the questions. They prompted great discussions.
I definitely recommend this to anyone looking to get more understanding out of the Bible.
This is the third in a series that my Bible study group has gone through this year. It's started to get a little repetitive, but I still learned a few things. It's very easy to read and understand. I think it is aimed at the beginner Bible reader. Some of the points seemed oversimplified for me, but as a lifelong Christian, I probably have more background understanding than some.
Sometimes the writing is a little too informal for my taste, but it probably suits more people that way. You feel like you are having a conversation rather than reading a book.
The end of each chapter has a few pages of study questions, Bible reading prompts, and discussion questions. This definitely helped me work through ideas and remember facts and my Bible study group really liked the questions. They prompted great discussions.
I definitely recommend this to anyone looking to get more understanding out of the Bible.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews