Foundational Context

As Christians, many of us have been educated to various degrees in the rules for interpreting scripture - a process technically referred to as hermeneutics. What may not be so apparent to those of us seated in church pews and chairs is that the information we are generally taught can often feel superficial compared to the depth of understanding imparted to scholars and even pastors.

What I propose to those of you reading this is a radical paradigm shift. I believe that by turning our traditional interpretation practices on their heads, we can delve deeper into the "red meat" of God's work in creation and history. This approach, I suggest, can enhance our understanding and appreciation of our individual roles within this divine narrative.

Let's start with an example of a simple guide on "how to read scripture". The points outlined below are pretty basic and general. Despite their simplicity, not all of us were taught these principles. Many of us, myself included, were generally left to our own devices when it came to interpreting scripture. Nevertheless, I've listed these principles below and highlighted the ones that I was taught as a young Christian, while the others were relatively unknown or vague to me.

1. Ask for God's Help: Start by praying for understanding from the Holy Spirit.

2. Read the Whole Story: Don't just read a line or two. See what happens before and after.

3. Know the Type of Book: The Bible has many kinds of books, like stories, songs, and letters.

4. Understand the Background: Think about 'where' and 'when'. The Bible was written in different places and times with its own set of rules and ways.

5. Understand the Story: Before you think about what it all means, understand the story first.

6. Look for the Lesson: Try and figure out the big lesson or idea in what you're reading.

7. Scripture interprets scripture: If something is hard to understand, see if it's mentioned elsewhere in the Bible.

8. Apply it to Your Life: Think about how this Bible verse could help you in your life right now.

9. Be Patient: Some things can be tricky. Give yourself time and keep trying!

10. Ask Someone: If you're stuck, ask for help—a trusted brother/sister, teacher, or pastor.

Many Christians interpret scripture as if the Holy Spirit imparts "meaning" through a process somewhat similar to "magic", though it certainly isn't "magic", it undeniably carries that elusive essence. 

The process is often construed as being subjective and mysterious. Some of us are even presented with oversimplified, elementary school responses like, "God works in mysterious ways". Surprisingly, this sentiment isn't even rooted in scripture — it's purely a human cliché. This perspective corresponds with the previously mentioned point and is often communicated between one Christian to another in the form of advice: "Well, just pray about it!" — a phrase that has achieved infamy as a Mormon strategy to engage people with the Book of Mormon.

Think about the bolded items above—those that I was taught (or casually picked up along the way) as a brand new Christian, starting back in 1984:

- Pray (Holy Spirit reveal)
- Read-the-story
- See-the-big-picture
- Scripture-interprets-scripture
- Apply-it-to-myself
- Ask-pastor (in case of fire, break glass)

This was my fledgling world. And—for me—that world was hobbled by distrust of scholars and other churches as I was led to believe they were untrustworthy and to avoid them at all costs. In my mind, my church and its pastors were the Marine Corp and Special Forces, and everyone else was a common grunt and not to be listened to.

I am willing to bet that many of you can relate to the story I just shared. Perhaps you are living in that story right now as you read this. Of course, there are variations to the tale. 

Many of you are far more informed and wise. You might have a wealth of knowledge that has been instilled in you, surpassing the preceding list I provided. In fact, some of you might have an impressive depth of understanding from more advanced teachings. 

To further illustrate my point, I have included a more comprehensive list below. This is a compilation of teachings that might be provided to aspiring pastors in Bible College or even to scholars and theologians in seminaries and so on.

1. Always read a verse within its immediate context, considering the surrounding sentences and paragraphs.
 
2. Understand the original linguistic, historical, cultural, and literary context of the scripture in question.

3. Take into account the broader context of the book in which the scripture is situated, including its genre, authorship, and purpose.

4. Compare scripture with scripture, letting the clear passages interpret the unclear ones.

5. Understand the grammatical structure and word choice in the original language in which the text was written.

6. Consider the historical and chronological context of the scripture within the entire biblical narrative or timeline.

7. Interpret scripture consistently, not favoring any particular verse over another.

8. Always consider the aim of the biblical text: its teaching about God, humanity, salvation, and the world.

9. Recognize the role of biblical covenants in constructing a unifying theme or message.

10. Engage with the scholarly consensus and varied interpretations to better understand complex or disputed texts.

11. Apply the specific context to any contemporary application, being careful to distinguish between descriptive (what is) and prescriptive (what ought to be) texts.
  
12. Finally, interpret the scripture with reverence and humility, recognizing that many texts bear divine mystery.

This all sounds very complicated, yet thorough, doesn't it? As you read down the list above - several times to be sure - does it not come across as being well-thought-out and complete? It also seems like a great deal of work. And indeed it is, as anyone applying these things can attest. While we might not be able to escape the complexity, we might be wrong to accept such a list at face-value. That is without questioning and with complete trust.

This is where this article is going to ask you to think for yourself and to think outside of the box that has been constructed for us. Questions are what help to break down the rigid mental frameworks provided to us by others, even those we grow to love and trust. Remember:

By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, 'That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged.'

Paul is quoting the Old Testament:

Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.

The judgment being applied to us is that of God. In light of this, we yearn to understand what God is strategizing, His inner thoughts, and everything else about Him. Our curiosity stems from the fact that He will be the adjudicator of every individual on the Day of the Lord. Consequently, it is essential for us to evaluate ourselves in relation to Him. 

Undeniably, we are not perfect - we are frail, fallen, and prone to deceit. On the other hand, He is uncreated, flawless, wise, righteous, pure, and much more. As such, it is His judgement that holds weight, not ours. This differentiation is crucial in our endeavor to seek salvation and affirm our faith. Taking into account our fallibility and His perfection, we should humbly strive to align our actions and behaviors with His teachings and expectations. His judgement, reflecting His infinite wisdom and righteousness, will certainly be precise and unbiased.

This implies that we should approach the spoken or written words of human beings with caution. All words, including those from individuals with titles and positions who earn the trust of others because of their status, should essentially be held in a pile labeled 'SUSPICIOUS!' This pile should be kept in a pending status until we obtain clarity.

The Lord, through His Spirit within us, can provide this clarity by means of objective evidence and context, offering further insight. This combination of spiritual intuition and factual proof is how God guides us in understanding what God has to say about each matter in the suspicious pile.

Turning it on its head

At the start of this article, I suggested that there might be a way to turn all of this on its head—literally busting it up and putting it back together in a way that limits the intrusion of the errors of men (even our own) and opens us to the revealed truth of God to us and for us. So, if we're ready to make our "suspicious pile", then we can attempt to bust things up and start afresh.

NOTE: Prepare yourself for the fact that you'll likely need to repeat being reinvented several times throughout your life. This is needful to everyone's experience, including my own. This means of improvement is iterative—resulting in incremental progress with each repetition, yet perfection is elusive. Useful, satisfactory results typically require numerous attempts — the grist needing to pass through the mill several times to be more fully refined.

QUESTION: What is the one trustworthy thing or person?

ANSWER: God and His word. Period.

You can always trust scripture. While you may not be able to put your trust in what people say about it, you can indeed rely on the text itself. To your interpretation, it may sound strange and weird, but in such instances, the problem lies with you, not the text. 

Your mission, therefore, is to understand why it appears strange and weird to you. Afterwards, adapt yourself to the understanding and essence of the text, rather than inventing a belief about the text to make it "not strange" and "not weird" to your perception, thereby making it "comfortable" to you. 

Remember that your comfort is not the end goal. The paramount objective is to unveil the truth of God, not minding whether it coincides with your comfort level or not.

QUESTION: What are the sources of your discomfort? Why does it sound strange and weird to you? What's causing that?

ANSWER: In most cases there are just a few coherent answers.

First—your worldview and understanding does not match that of the text.

Second—you are looking for answers that fit the pleasures of your will, your flesh, your lusts, and not His righteousness, will, pleasure, and purpose.

Third—it may be a combination of the two. Perhaps there are reasons beyond, but these two are generally the source of our discomfort with scripture.

It is good to understand that the principles above not only apply to you but to other people as well. We all suffer in the same common ways. Therefore, one needs to approach what other people say with caution and not assume what they say or write as "trusted" without asking ample questions. 

Moreover, this type of scrutiny can be applied to our own thinking as well. Remember, not every thought in our head holds truth or even originates from us. We are exposed to potential errors from various angles and sources. This recognition helps to navigate conversations and thoughts with more insight and caution.

Where are we so far?

Given everything so far, where are we? What does that inventory look like?

• - God alone is true! So is His realness and Word.
• - We stand in our conscience before the Lord alone—believers and unbelievers alike. You will not rescue me, nor I you.
• - We are wise to be suspicious of everyone and everything, including our own selves and thoughts, beliefs, worldviews, and so on.
• - Truth makes all of us uncomfortable—a feeling of strange and weird in us is a signal that we are wrong and God is right and we are misaligned with Him.

Before pressing on, let's take what is above and turn it around. It will be helpful to do this exercise because it will help reveal the next steps to take.

All of the matters in the inventory above have an antithetical nemesis. Let's take each in turn:

• - God is not real! If we are here, then we are in extreme danger. Ignoring Him and His word is a treacherous path.
• - Pride and arrogance of human flesh thinks that there is validation in whatever group-think we ascribe to. People like to imagine that if they do stand before God, that they'll do so with the group behind them and that they'll overwhelm God with the power of their group-think.
• - We easily submit to likeminded people in a group who share our same lusts, passions, feelings, and the prideful self-righteous thinking and reasoning that results. Our suspicions only appear when other groups with different passions, lusts, thinking, and reasoning are around.
• - Where truth makes us uncomfortable, lies and error built from and on our passions and lusts make us very comfortable. Comfort is generally found in anything that agrees with our self-righteous notions, thinking, and reasoning, which is built on fulfilling our lusts and passions.

One of the principles we can derive from the inventory, and its antithetical counterpart, is the significance of honesty and humility in the former, and their absence in the latter. 

Therefore, it is through honesty and humility that we feel compelled to pursue truthfulness, even if it means thwarting our primal desires and passions. Conversely, if such desires and passions unduly take precedence, we may resort to fabricating a version of the "truth" to safeguard our ability to satisfy such desires without discomfort. 

Our willingness to put truth before personal gratification, as uncomfortable as it may be, underscores our capacity for honesty and humility. Conversely, when the satisfaction of our desires takes precedence over the truth, it masks a lack of these virtues. It shows that, if left unchecked, our basic instincts may drive us to invent fallacious narratives that protect our luxuries and waste. 

But wait—we're not there yet!

Remember, the topic at hand is scripture in context. Another way to align this with our previous discussion involves viewing scripture through the lens of a truthful, honest, and humble truth-seeker. This truth-seeker would be willing to deny the lusts and passions of the flesh, all for the purpose of having God's truth revealed. This revelation is sought with the intent to obey and be subjugated to Him.

That's quite a mouthful, isn't it?

To simplify, we want scripture to lead us towards God, fully recognizing that this journey may cost us our carnal desires and passions.

Now that we see matters of motive, let's turn our attention to the context of scripture that best fits the motive!

The scripture did not emerge out of the blue. The worst thing we could do would be to detach it from its origins and the context in which it was created, and then try to force it into a context of our own creation. This includes its very foundation, beginning with God, followed by the ancient times leading up to the flood of Noah. 

Understanding and respecting the origins of these sacred texts are vital for getting to the heart of their messages. Misinterpreting or misplacing them can lead to a blindness or distortion of their true essence. 

Therefore, it is our responsibility to respect and maintain not only the language and words used in the scriptures but also their original context, their history, and the broader cultural and theological framework. In this way, we can more accurately understand the scripture and the wisdom it offers. 

By considering these factors, we remain connected with the roots, allowing the scripture to speak for itself, rather than attempting to mold it to our present understandings or perspectives. Consequently, this leads to a more profound and true comprehension of these ancient words.

With that said, perhaps we are now ready to pose the question: What is scripture in its proper context? Once we define it, are we then capable of understanding how to correctly apply the hermeneutical rules with which we began? The answer, undoubtedly, is yes! But, before we delve into that, let's lay down the foundations and understand the wider context.

Foundations

Can we agree on the following foundations before we even bring in scripture? Let's find out.

There are three core foundations that live as the overarching context of scripture:

- God, Himself—His existence, His pre-existence, which includes everything about Him: Will, Purpose, Holiness, Love, and so many other aspects of Himself.

- Creation of the Heavenly realms—before our realm was created, the unseen heavenly realms were created. They have a direct bearing on the story of God in scripture.

- Creation of the earthly realm—the next foundational part is our realm of creation and us within its context and the context of the heavenly realms and of God beyond.

It is a simplistic notion to surmise that the breadth of the three elements - the uncreated God, creation of the heavenlies and heavenly hosts, and the creation of the earthly realm and earthly hosts (universe, planet Earth, humans, and animals), are all contained within Genesis, chapters 1 and 2. Indeed, some crucial aspects of these exist within these chapters, but there's an abundance of layered intricacies which extend beyond them. 

Scripture can be envisioned more accurately as a complex mosaic - countless disconnected puzzle parts that need careful and insightful assembling to construct a cohesive and comprehensible image. Consequently, we can unearth vital fractions of the aforementioned elements, sprinkled throughout the breadth of scripture. 

It is the meticulous assembling of these varied parts that breathes life into the backdrop, forming an environment that enriches and lends depth to our understanding of scripture. The task may seem overwhelming initially, but with patience and contemplation, the segments align, revealing a fascinating picture of creation and the divine.

At this point, we will introduce some of the subsequent contextual materials that form the broader context for scripture. These include Second Temple Era writings like 1 Enoch, Jubilees (also known as "Little Genesis"), and others. The understanding of these writings has been remarkably broadened due to the discovery in 1947 of the Dead Sea Scrolls of Qumran and the subsequent revelation of their contents.

These writings hold more detailed insights that supplement the mosaic parts found in canonical scripture. The diverse elements present in these texts enrich our understanding and interpretation of scriptural texts. They provide additional layers of context, helping us to grasp the multifaceted nature of biblical literature. Each text, be it from the Second Temple Era or from the Dead Sea Scrolls, offers a unique perspective, enhancing our comprehension of the whole.

In addition to these Jewish writings, there are the writings of the ancient Mesopotamian world that have been discovered and translated over the last 200 years. These texts, while not possessing the trustworthiness of canonical scripture, offer valuable insights into the shaping of ancient Jewish views. This provokes an intriguing question: against what were these Jews forming polemic arguments? 

Understanding this can help shed light on not only canonical scripture, but also Jewish writings found in close proximity, such as 1 Enoch and Jubilees.

The essential point to highlight from the texts mentioned above is the confirmation of an actual historical existence. This refers to the existence of a real God who created a real heavenly realm with hosts of free-willed heavenly beings. It equally refers to an actual earthly realm with real entities such as Adam and Eve, gardens, trees, animals, and so on. 

The diverse texts before us - whether they are canonical scriptures, Jewish polemical or descriptive literature, or ancient Near Eastern writings - they all derive from a real, historical context. Appreciating that these are not merely fictional tales or metaphorical constructs is vital. This awareness provides an essential lens through which to understand and interpret all further content. 

Our cognitive focus should, therefore, be placed centrally on this real historical context. This understanding is fundamental and acts as a baseline for further explorations.

Lastly, there is one final component we've yet to introduce; the crucial role played by Biblical archeology and elements of the humanistic sciences (namely honest evidence gathering). These fields can assist in constructing the actual history from non-textual sources and ultimately aligning them with textual sources. Such efforts can boost our confidence in, or create a sense of scepticism regarding, these literary sources.

A major risk to bear in mind, however, is the tendency to deem archeology or science as more reliable than scripture. Why is this a potential issue? To recap what we've previously established: God is the embodiment of truth, whereas every man is capable of fallacy. Scientific investigators can be prone to manipulating "evidence" to fit their lies; these distortions can originate from personal desires, lusts, or even demonic influence. It is thus essential to heed such precautions.

Upon foundations

Once we have proper foundations of God, realms, reality, history, evidences, and so on in place, then we have something trustworthy upon which to build. 

Remember, we are truth-seekers who desire honest answers from God. We humbly submit ourselves to the discomforts of denying the lusts and passions of our flesh. This is all in order to gain the truth of God and understand our place in His plan, purpose, will, and good pleasure.

"One truth-loving eyewitness in the moment is worth a thousand speculators in the years, decades, centuries, and millennia that follow. 

Take, for example, a Christian interpreting the events of the Exodus from a 21st-century perspective. Who would have a better understanding of what truly happened - you, or Moses, who was in fact, there living the events as they unfolded.

The answer should be self-evident but just in case it isn't, the answer is undoubtedly, Moses."

We arrive now at a point where more thoughtfulness needs to be applied. Let's recall the "hermeneutical rule" discussed earlier: Apply to Your Life. This principle is one that numerous Christians adopt as a default approach. This becomes evident when observing common congregations of Christians, both in small groups and Sunday schools across the country. 

Dialogues often carry remarks such as, "Well, I believe this has relevance to our lives in the following manner: [provides explanation]." It is clear from such discourse that the fundamental process of interpreting and applying religious texts to daily life is at the forefront of these interactions.

The primary application of scripture to everyday life through a purely 21st century worldview is widespread amongst Christians, as demonstrated in their group discussions. Therefore, adopting a thoughtful approach towards the aforementioned "hermeneutical rules" will help us discern a better approach.

Nevertheless, what the above generally belies are people who make a couple of critical mistakes:

- They apply their understanding and 21st century worldview to the scripture and interpret it for themselves in that context, utterly ignoring the greater contexts (see foundations above and beyond).

- They try to apply their understanding of how people thought in the time of scripture to how people think now. This is sort of a back-door approach to believing that people in bible times think like we do.

Certainly, core human drivers related to lusts, passions, and other matters have not changed appreciably over time. We all eat, walk, and experience the same basic desires and passions that have plagued mankind since the era of Adam and Eve. However, to assume that biblical writers perceived and reacted to these emotions in the same way we do is a significant misjudgment. Yet, we often make this mistake without much thought.

May I speak candidly? This perspective is immature, yet it is shared by most Christians. I myself held this viewpoint for many years, even decades.

The subsequent query that arises would naturally be: given our foundations thus far, what should be our next progression? What forms the next segment of our foundational context? The answer is rather straightforward. 

Three stories from Genesis (including others) lay the base for everything that transpires afterward: these are Genesis 3, 6, and 11. These chapters relay the story of three rebellions that occurred— involving both supernatural divine beings who rebelled and humans whom they enticed into rebellion alongside themselves. 

Understanding the account of these rebellions requires not only the canonical scripture for its truthful framework, but also the surrounding Jewish materials to expound on the details of the story. The fusion of the two resources provides a robust and in-depth understanding that further strengthens our foundational context.

Loyal and disloyal: The story of rebels

When all is said and done, the underlying premise of history and scripture is that they constitute a monumental test of loyalty. Everything revolves around this single, unambiguous fact: God created beings with free will. However, He neither did nor does trust us without first determining if we are worthy of that trust. That is the crux of the entire matter! It is foundational to understanding Christ at the Cross as well as the delivery to us of the Spirit of Christ in us.

Strong evidence supporting the belief that God was justified in choosing not to trust his created beings, thereby subjecting us all to a test of our trustworthiness and loyalty, can be found in the stories of rebellion and subsequent evil detailed in Genesis 3, 6, and 11. These three narratives of rebels and rebellions establish the underlying framework for everything that follows. 

What comes after is built on the stories above, starting with Abraham, then leading to Jesus, which in turn advances to the Church of Christ, before culminating in the second coming of Christ. This is followed by a thousand-year reign and the final judgment. This marks the conclusion of the testing phase - our ultimate examination, both for heavenly creatures and earthly humans.

The first 2,000 years of history, spanning from Adam to Abraham, narrate a succinct account of creation, swiftly followed by an all-encompassing indictment of a multifaceted rebellion unfolding both in the heavenly and earthly realms. Prominently, this rebellion did not remain contained within the confines of heaven. The rebels, having left and ultimately being kicked out of their celestial abode, relocate this rebellion to earth. Here, it not only persists but proliferates, establishing its dominion and operation as principalities, powers, rulers, authorities, and other forms of territorial divisions in the underworld unseen realm.

Incapable of executing their will within the celestial sphere, they make Earth their new operation base for the rebellion. Furthermore, humanity becomes an unwilling pawn in their scheme. Their stratagem initiates with humanity's downfall, then capitalizes on our blindness and naivety. They manipulate us into pledging our loyalty to them, exploiting our earthly desires and the passions of our flesh as a means of coercion.

This is, in essence, the summation of the first 2,000 years of history, referred to as the Age of Creation in Jewish biblical literature. Following this Age of Creation is the Age of Torah, or the Age of Law. Subsequently, we approach the Age of Grace, signified by the advent of Jesus and the establishment of the Church. This progression towards spirituality culminates in the Age of the King/Kingdom, represented by the Millennial Reign of Christ.

This ultimate reign of Christ culminates with the Final Judgments. There are two distinct destinies predetermined for two categories of individuals — His faithful and loyal followers, and the wicked disloyal. The Final Judgments of Christ also extend to include the punishment meted out to fallen angelic beings and demons.

Second Inventory

We are now ready to add to the inventory of our overarching context for scripture:

- God, Himself—His existence, His pre-existence, which includes everything about Him: Will, Purpose, Holiness, Love, and so many other aspects of Himself.

- Creation of the Heavenly realms—before our realm was created, the unseen heavenly realms were created. They have a direct bearing on the story of God in scripture.

- Creation of the earthly realm—the next foundational part is our realm of creation and us within its context and the context of the heavenly realms and of God beyond.

- Rebellions and Results—we have three rebellions recorded in canonical scripture: Genesis 3 - Rebel Deceiver deceives Eve, then Adam; Genesis 6 - Rebel sons of God invade earth, taking (having sex with) human women, creating giants (Nephilim), wreaking havoc on earth, animals, and people, which ends with God destroying everything but Noah (pure DNA); Genesis 9/10/11 - Rebellious humans at the Tower of Babel, where God disperses, given human nations formed in the aftermath to more of His divine council, who immediately fall as gods over humanity and start a reign of terror lasting to this very day!

As you can see, there is a lot of red meat context in this story that frames everything from Abraham to Jesus (Age of Torah) to us as His church (Age of Grace) in this very day. It also frames what it coming in terms of both the Last Days and the Millennial Reign of Christ (Age of Kingdom), which wraps up neatly at the final twin Judgments: Loyal Christians vs Disloyal everyone else (Day of the Lord).

Context complete!

We now have a proper foundational context upon which to build further. The inventory outlined above provides us with the overarching narrative, environment, and context within which scripture was constructed. This inventory also encompasses the surrounding Jewish texts from the Second Temple Era as well as first, second, and third-century Jews alongside Christians.

In addition, we understand how to incorporate ancient Mesopotamian writings, narratives from the ancient near East, and other paganism-related materials and evidence. These elements collectively form a cohesive package that depicts not only God's purpose in testing loyalty, but also the unfolding narrative of loyal beings versus disloyal ones. Furthermore, it highlights the respective consequences of each faction—eternal life or eternal death.

Given all of the above, we must consider what items we subsequently introduce into this foundational context we have crafted. Moreover, when we revisit the hermeneutical rules, we must also contemplate how these rules are reshaped and retooled. This adjustment occurs in light of both the foundational context and the supplementary components that reside within it. Canonical scripture is one such example of these additional elements.

• - Canonical scripture is the key—within our foundational system lives the heart of it: God's Word! Everything revolves here and lives in service to it and the God who gave it to us: His will, His purpose, etc.
• - Nearby Jewish materials—these materials are going to live in service to the scripture. They are not canon, but they are critical, perhaps even super-critical to fleshing out the overall story. Without them, we don't get the full and powerful picture of what God is doing in this loyalty test, leading to ultimately judgment! Materials like 1 Enoch and Jubilees ("Little Genesis") give us what we need.
• - Nearby Mesopotamian materials—these materials are both confirmational, validating, and bearers of lies and mistruths that reveal the heart of fallen angels and demons. This is their greatest contribution to the overall context. They allow us to see deeper into the mind of our enemy.
• - Supporting archeology and science—beyond the texts above is the support of both biblical archeology and science. Honest, truthful, and humble observation, testing of theories, and such things are helpful in the right frame-of-mind. It is when such things are divorced from the higher contexts above that trouble begins.

Reshaping Hermeneutics

We can proceed with our task of checking our hermeneutical rules, examining how they apply given the context we have constructed. Let's undertake this now!

Observe how some elements have a green checkmark indicating they are correct. These can remain literally unchanged, albeit considered in the broader foundational context that we have established above.

✓ 1. Always read a verse within its immediate context, considering the surrounding sentences and paragraphs.

✓ 2. Understand the original linguistic, historical, cultural, and literary context of the scripture in question.

✓ 3. Take into account the broader context of the book in which the scripture is situated, including its genre, authorship, and purpose.

✗ 4. Compare scripture with scripture, letting the clear passages interpret the unclear ones.

Our reach can now extend beyond canonical scripture. Although canonical scripture provides our trustworthy foundation, it doesn't exclusively inform us about context, meaning, and application. Our understanding incorporates a wider context, including history, texts, and evidences.

✗ 5. Understand the grammatical structure and word choice in the original language in which the text was written.

Our use and understanding of grammar is broader than merely adhering to language rules, be it in the past or present. It's interesting to note how even Jews don't always accurately grasp the overall context. 

The unveiling of Jesus introduced a new level of crucial context which helps shape even linguistic rules. In essence, where there are choices available, we opt for the choice that aligns best with the comprehensive understanding and foundational context in Christ. This shows that our interpretation of language rules isn't limited to mere syntax, but is influenced by the worldviews and contexts unique to each original writer and his audience.

✗ 6. Consider the historical and chronological context of the scripture within the entire biblical narrative or timeline.

Indeed, our historical context is further broadened in our foundational context. Canonical scripture is not our sole source of historical or chronological context. Supporting materials, as well as archeology and science, can be of assistance. However, we must exercise caution to ensure we do not contradict what the scripture clearly and emphatically states.

✗ 7. Interpret scripture consistently, not favoring any particular verse over another.

Once again, possessing a broader foundational context helps us avoid favoring one verse over another. This is due to an overarching context that it must adhere to and answer.

✓ 8. Always consider the aim of the biblical text: its teaching about God, humanity, salvation, and the world.

Our larger foundational context is of God and His purpose. This purpose includes loyalty testing, viewed from the perspective of rebellious behavior in both heaven and earth. Now, this shapes our view of the aim.

That is to say, we do not have the liberty to impose our interpretation of what we think is the aim or goal of God on the text. Rather, we should already know what it is from the text itself. All content of the text then answers to this single goal.

✓ 9. Recognize the role of biblical covenants in constructing a unifying theme or message.

Again, these insights are constructed within the framework of the larger, foundational context and story. We are granted the opportunity to explore deeper and richer perspectives of covenants, both old and new, given our more extensive foundational context.

✗ 10. Engage with the scholarly consensus and varied interpretations to better understand complex or disputed texts.

This matter has now become critical. It is essential to have our foundational context, built up from God, through creation to rebellions. This is framed from the context of a loyalty test by God of free-willed beings. This perspective should now be considered superior to what other people—including scholars—have to say.

Remember, there are various kinds of Bible scholars, many of whom are atheists. What does this tell you about the scholarly consensus? If the foundational context is flawed, it casts doubt upon the scholarly conclusions drawn from it. Their understanding may be very suspect. 

In essence, setting up the correct foundational context is crucial in understanding any scholarly discourse on this subject.

✓ 11. Apply the specific context to any contemporary application, being careful to distinguish between descriptive (what is) and prescriptive (what ought to be) texts.

Bingo! Now that we have the ability to read scripture through these layers of foundational contexts, we can understand how and why each matter of scripture applies to us in the 21st century. 

Again, even in situations where we feel uncomfortable, due to the seemingly strange and weird aspects of scripture, the contexts we have help us identify our errors. This comprehension drives us towards repentance—our minds literally changed by God's story. This experience encourages us to let go of our pride and passions, leading us to embrace His truth wholeheartedly. 

To maintain coherence and improve readability, always remember to follow the proper structural sequence of ideas. It's important that you avoid unnecessary delays or confusions in delivering your message.
  
✓ 12. Finally, interpret the scripture with reverence and humility, recognizing that many texts bear divine mystery.

This last item now makes even more sense. We move beyond simply being told to "pray about it", transitioning into being equipped with tools by which the Spirit of Christ within us leads and guides us. 

This path of guidance takes us into the truth of His actions and our place within them - from the macro purposes down to the micro purposes. It extends even further to influence our very words and actions in each moment of living and choosing.

Confidence and fear

Our most significant fears stem from what we have been conditioned to fear. You will find devout Christians you trust vehemently warning against non-canonical materials for an array of reasons. Unfortunately, their justifications often stem from a lack of a well-thought-out foundational context, making them inadequate judges. You'll find them frequently employing phrases such as "In my opinion..." — a clear indication that their personal views are being placed higher than what the scripture truly conveys within its proper context.

What I am writing here is primarily rooted in my first-hand experiences. I've witnessed how the concepts and reasoning, as mentioned above, have profoundly transformed my life. I've grown from a bewildered child to a discerning and rational spiritually young Christian adult, particularly regarding understanding God's role in history and my place within it.

My deepest hope is for the Lord to use these words to bring about a wonder-filled change in your life, drawing you closer to Jesus Christ as your King - making you a loyal, royal family member. I aspire for these words to free your mind and enable you to perceive Him more clearly, despite the muck and junk of organised religion, a load that's been borne by Christians for nearly seventeen centuries. After all, in the end, you answer to Christ alone.

Your pastor, priest, and other Christian 'leaders', while possibly well-intentioned, will not be the ones standing beside you, advocating for you in front of the Lord. It will be a solitary meeting with Him. 

The 'gray area', or the unsettled uncertainty, that we must contend with is the lukewarmness of thinking we are aligning ourselves with God in Christ, when we actually might not be. This misalignment represents a grave risk, perhaps even the most severe danger for any of us. Take Paul as an example. Even he stated that he labored extensively to suppress the desires of his flesh, so as not to be rejected by God, even after preaching to others.

These issues are critical to our eternal existence and overall well-being; they are not trivial in any measure. Indeed, it is fearful to fall into the hands of a living God! Therefore, we need to remain sober and attentive. 

We should be ready and willing to being reinvented, by scrutinizing our own beliefs and the influences present around us. In this way, we can break down the hardened concrete of our own perception that prevents God from getting through to assist us.