A Text In Context Approach to Reading Scripture
from The Tolle Lege Podcast Hosted by Rick Barboa
Reading the Bible faithfully requires more than recognizing the words on the page. It requires learning the world those words were written in. In this episode, we introduce a “Text in Context” approach to Scripture, showing why even shared language can hide meaning when we read through modern assumptions. To illustrate, we step into Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and revisit one of the most quoted lines in English literature: “Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?” Most people hear it as a question of location, but in Shakespeare’s world wherefore means “why.” Juliet is not asking where Romeo is. She is wrestling with why the one she loves bears the very name that makes their love forbidden. When that single word is heard in its proper setting, the scene deepens, the tragedy sharpens, and Shakespeare’s point finally lands. That is the skill we are after. Context does not complicate meaning. It protects it. In the same way, biblical texts cannot be reduced to isolated phrases or modern instincts. We have to ask how words functioned in their time, what the original audience would have assumed, and how the surrounding passage guides the author’s intent. This episode lays the groundwork for reading Genesis, not as a modern scientific report, but as covenantal Scripture spoken into Israel’s world, for Israel’s formation, and for the Church’s instruction. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tollelegeministries.substack.com
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