Different Ways to Preach

¶ … genre?

The literary genre in the Bible can make a significant different into the interpretation of the passage. What the grammatical form of a word is, or what the role of a word or phrase is in relation to the sentence as a whole (syntax), are important considerations in determining meaning; but it is also important to consider that every statement in Scripture is part of the total context of the canon of Scripture and as such no single statement can completely reveal all of divine truth on any topic, the whole counsel of the Word of God is important for understanding the individual statements in the Bible (Taylor, 2012).

What are some instances of interpreting a biblical passage apart from its immediate context. Give an example of how ignoring the immediate can lead to an erroneous understanding or application of the text? Cite the specific passage you are discussing in your post. (e.g. 6-16 Romans)

"The waves of death swirled about me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me ... Smoke rose from his nostrils; consuming fire came from his mouth, burning coals blazed out of it ... He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters."

2 Samuel 22 (vv. 5, 9, and 17)

This passage is a great example of how a things taken out of context in the Bible can lead to many problems with understanding the intended meaning. If you were to read this on its own, you might think that God was like a dragon and saved someone that was drowning. However, it is one of David's psalms and is meant to be read like poetry (Taylor, 2012). The meaning of the smoke, fire, blazing coals, etc. are meant to be understood as a metaphor that illustrates God's power and how he can use these powers to help someone who is struggling to deal with life (or draw them out of deep waters).

3. When is topical preaching contextually valid? When does it disregard and violate context?