“A text without a
context is a pretext for a proof text.”
-D.A. Carson
This quote, attributed to Carson’s father by Carson himself,
is essentially saying that when you take a passage from the Bible out of its
context it leads the reader to come to false conclusions.
The word text comes from the old Latin word “textus” which
means “style of a work” or literally “things woven”. The “text” is any Bible
verse or passage. The “context” is the verses or passages that surround the
text. Each text has a context and Scripture cannot be broken and the whole
hangs together perfectly woven as one unit.
A “pretext” is essentially an excuse. It literally means,
“giving a reason for something to conceal the true motive.” A “proof text” is
the text from Scriptural that proves, or is used to prove a claim, a certain
doctrine or teaching.
Carson is saying that often what many “pastors” and lay
people do is they take a single verse or phrase out of “context” to “prove” a
particular view.
The Bible is one whole unit, and even though it is broken up
into books, chapters and verses, it is to be taken as a whole, as one unit, and
not sixty-six separate books or one thousand one hundred eighty nine chapters,
but as one perfect unit.
Paul, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit said
to his young pastor Timothy, declares that…
2 Timothy 3:16 “16 All
Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for
correction, for training in righteousness;”
(NASB)
“All Scripture” means both Old and New Testaments.
The Greek word that is translated “inspired” is
“theopneustos” which literally means “God-breathed”.
“A text without a
context is a pretext for a proof text.”
-D.A. Carson
This is true about reading and interpreting the Bible, but
also in regards to other subjects. You ever overhear a conversation between two
people, and because you came in late to the conversation, you heard a remark by
one of the people. You immediately form an opinion about that person, and you
can be completely wrong because you didn’t hear the whole conversation and only
a small portion.
Have you ever seen part of a movie or show halfway through,
and as you try to figure out the plot, and who the characters are, you form an
opinion based off of your limited knowledge. It’s not until you see it in its
sum that you realize what you thought about a character was wrong and you now
understand why they acted the way that they did.
One of the often misquoted texts taken out of context for a
proof text is found in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter eighteen verse twenty:
“For where two or three have gathered together in My name,
I am there in their midst.” (NASB)
Many pastors who I respect, as well as many martexts
(pastors who take a text out of context) have consistently quoted this verse
completely out of context, thus forming a pretext for a proof text.
Hearing this as a young follower of Christ, I was told that
this meant that whenever I was in church, or Sunday School, or with any other
Christians Christ was there with us. But I remember thinking to myself, “Does this mean that when I am alone,
reading the Bible or praying, does it mean that Christ is not with me?”
Of course it doesn’t mean that!
Jesus is always with us; for He said that He will never
leave nor forsake us (John 16.07; Hebrews 13.05).
Even when we are literally alone…He is with us! For nothing
can separate us from His love (Romans
08.35; 39) and He dwells in us (Romans
08.11). Paul said, “Christ (is) in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 01.27)
So let’s look at this text in context so that we have an
accurate understanding of what this verse means.
In Matthew 18, Jesus was giving His disciples various
instructions about humility (v. 1-6); and about those who cause offenses (v.
7-14).
Let’s start reading at verse 15 of Matthew 18:
“15 “If your
brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you
have won your brother. 16 “But if he does not listen to you, take one or two
more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE
CONFIRMED. 17 “If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if
he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a
tax collector. 18 “Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have
been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in
heaven. 19 “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about
anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in
heaven. 20 “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am
there in their midst.”” (NASB)
Did you see where Jesus said if you are not with other
Christians you will be all alone? Of course you didn’t see that!
Jesus just spoke about offense, now He was telling His
disciples how to handle the situation when someone who claims to be a follower
of Christ sins.
“15 “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in
private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.” (NASB)
When a brother sins against another, the two of them are to
meet together and discuss what happened and resolve it. They are not to post it
on a social networking site, telling the world how bad so and so is. They are
to go to them, meet and try to resolve the issue. If it can be resolved, than
praise the LORD you have won your brother!
“16 “But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more
with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE
CONFIRMED.” (NASB)
But, if your brother refuses to listen to you, you are than
to take two or three witnesses with you so that there is a clear testimony
about what happened. This was to keep the Old Testament teaching from Deuteronomy 19.15:
“A single witness shall not rise up against a man on account of any
iniquity or any sin which he has committed; on the evidence of two or three
witnesses a matter shall be confirmed.”
“17 “If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the
church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a
Gentile and a tax collector.” (NASB)
But if the sinning brother refuses to repent and acknowledge
his sin, than the situation is to be brought before the local church and told
before all the church the situation. If the sinning brother refuses to repent
even after all this, he is to be treated like a pagan (Gentile) or a tax
collector, who both were heavily looked down upon by the Jews.
“18 “Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall
have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been
loosed in heaven. 19 “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth
about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is
in heaven. 20 “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am
there in their midst.”” (NASB)
In conclusion, Jesus says that whatever decision is made
about the sinning brother, after applying the Word of God correctly in context,
spending time in prayer and seeking God’s leading, He, Jesus, will be in the
midst of that decision.
We now have seen how crucial it is to properly take a text
in context. Taking a text out of context leads to confusion, error, false
doctrine, and may cause some to fall away from the faith.
