“Booth Saved Lincoln”

The very title might offend some people, but it is the truth. Of course, context helps.

          It was Edwin Booth, not John Wilkes. And it was Robert, not Abraham, Lincoln. Edwin and Robert were among customers buying passage on a sleeping car in Jersey City, New Jersey. Robert lost his balance and fell into an open space between the train and the station platform. By all accounts, he would have been crushed and likely killed if Edwin had not seized him and quickly pulled him out onto the platform!

          Context can be very helpful. Without it, we can draw some erroneous and even fatal conclusions. This is especially true with the Bible, a book many may know a little about but neglect to study with the depth and purpose. Doctrines and conclusions are based on statements taken out of context.

·       “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31).

·       “The LORD hardened Pharoah’s heart” (Exodus 9:12; 10:20; 14:8).

·       “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated” (Malachi 1:2-3; Romans 9:13).

·       “Whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved” (Joel 2:32; Acts 2:21; Romans 10:13).

·       “Where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20).

Sometimes, the content of a verse is understood better just by reading the verses before and after it. That is the case in Acts 16:31 and Matthew 18:20. In Acts, the jailer is taught about Jesus and that faith includes repentance and baptism (16:32-34). In Matthew, the subject is not worship, but church discipline (18:15-18).

     Sometimes, a statement needs to be understood in light of the broader context. That would be the case regarding pharaoh and Esau. The Lord hardened Pharoah’s heart through the plagues, causing the Egyptian King to rebel against God’s will and choose pride over penitence. In the case of Esau, as Paul explains, the idea is God’s sovereign choice. God was not unjust. He had a purpose for choosing Jacob over Esau (Romans 9:11).

     Sometimes, a statement causes us to look deeper into all the Bible says about the subject. Consider the idea of calling on the name of the Lord. Ananias taught Saul that this is done when one is baptized, washing away sins (Acts 22:16).

     When we are studying the Bible, we must always do so contextually. It makes the difference in the conclusions we draw. God expects us to handle His word accurately! (2 Timothy 2:15). May we be the best Bible students we can be.

                                                                 --Selected

Heart to Heat

House to House