The One Thing You Can’t Miss When Reading the Bible
I recently preached out of the rich creation account in Genesis 1 and 2.
While the bulk of the sermon focused on drawing out the theological implications of these two chapters, I briefly encouraged listeners to resist the contemporary temptation to impose an overly scientific reading of the text.
Bible teachers and scholars have long attempted to interpret Genesis 1 and 2 scientifically—and with good reason. It scratches a real itch for those of us living on the other side of the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment. There’s a sense of satisfaction when we can draw connections between scientific research and Scriptural revelation.
For example, some Bible teachers have pointed out how Genesis 1:1 aligns with a discovery made by 19th-century scientist Herbert Spencer, who categorized all reality into five sequential elements:
Time - “In the beginning”
Force - “God”
Action - “created”
Space - “the heavens”
Matter - “the earth”
While this kind of observation can be fun and even affirming, it’s actually not the best way to approach the Scriptures—because it often overlooks the one thing readers absolutely can’t miss: context.
According to Read the Bible for Life by George H. Guthrie, context is “the circumstance that forms the setting for an event, a statement, or a written text, by which that event, statement, or text can be rightly understood.”
Guthrie identifies four types of context every Bible reader should consider:
Literary Context – “How a passage fits and functions within its book”
Historical Context – “The events in biblical history or those that form the backdrop of the story”
Cultural Context – “The attitudes, behaviors, and expressions of a society that shape our understanding of the passage”
Theological context – “How a topic fits into the broader tapestry of theological themes in Scripture”
So how does context enrich our reading of the Bible?
Here’s one example of how cultural context opens up our reading of Genesis 1–2:
“The Enuma Elish” was a widely known Babylonian creation myth in the Ancient Near East from the second millennium BCE. This story begins with chaos, conflict, and violent warfare among the gods. “The heavens and the earth” are formed from the carcass of a defeated deity. Human beings are created from the blood of another vanquished god, intended solely for manual labor to ease the burden of the gods.
Against this backdrop, the creation story in Genesis reads as a fierece polemic and radical proclamation of good news. Genesis 1–2 says:
The world is not born from cosmic violence, but from the orderly word of a singular, sovereign God.
Humanity is not an afterthought or divine convenience—they are the image-bearers of God, crowned with purpose and dignity.
The divine-human relationship is not transactional, but marked by blessing and intimacy.
Context changes everything.
This is why it’s been said, “Context is king,” and that “a text without a context is a pretext for a prooftext.”
Conclusion
I’ll admit it—I used the title as a hook. In truth, the one thing we really can’t miss when reading the Bible is Christ.
God is the central character of Scripture, and the person and work of Jesus is supreme over every other figure and theme in the Bible. But context is the tool that helps us see Him clearly, page after page.
When we understand the setting, culture, and themes behind the stories of Scripture, we’re better equipped to encounter Jesus in all of it. Context doesn’t replace Christ—it reveals Him.
If you’re looking to dive deeper into Scripture, here are a few resources I recommend:
• A Study Bible: CSB Study Bible or ESV Study Bible
• Overview Resource: The Essential Bible Companion
• Practical Guide: How to Read the Bible for All It’s Worth or How to Study the Bible
