Reading the Bible in Context!

Ladies, how is the reading through the Bible going?  This month, we focus on context!  As you are reading, knowing the context will help you in understanding the Word.  Let's define it first:  context means the 'circumstances that form the setting for a passage of Scripture by which that passage can be rightly understood.'

There are four key kinds of context:
1) historical - events in the biblical era, either recorded in pages of Scripture or that form the backdrop for the biblical story; what's going on - the historical setting for the reading?
2) cultural - attitudes, patterns of behvior or expressions of a particular society that affect our understanding of a passage: what's the culture about, how do people think, behave during this time?
3) literary - how a passage fits into a book, group of books or Bible as a whole; what's the theme, message of the particular book or passage you're reading?
4) theological - how does the topic fit in the bigger story of the Bible, God's redemption plan?
Tools such as using a Study Bible, Bible dictionary and commentaries can help us in understanding these contexts. 

Finally, we all have personal contexts we bring with us in reading the Bible - our culture, ways of thinking, past experiences and even our families affect our reading of the Bible.

Let's look at the cultural context for this lesson.  Read Leviticus 19:32 and Proverbs 16:31.  What cultural patterns or attitudes do these verses reflect for this biblical era?   What are examples of the way people in our culture might express their attitudes toward aging?  What does these examples say about our culture's attitude today toward old age?  What personal attitudes do you have about aging and the elderly?  What changes do you need to make to bring your attitude in line with what God says about aging in these passages?