We read the Bible because we believe that God can give meaning and direction to our lives through its words. However, it is no simple task to read and understand the Bible because there are real differences between the biblical context and our contemporary context. Contextual issues such as language, literary styles, history, and culture are essential to keep in mind as we read a Bible passage and search for meaning.

The Bible was written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. And it was written in those languages by people whose thought world was shaped by their language. Our thought world is shaped by our use of modern English. Although the Bible has been translated, we are aware that something is always lost in translation. While language is beyond the scope of this study, this lesson will give examples of other challenges involving context, such as literary genre, historical factors, and cultural factors.

Participants will be encouraged to find examples of errors and build a list of things to keep in mind when reading a particular Biblical passage.