The first thing you need to do in understanding any passage of scripture is to know when the writing took place.  This is important because circumstances that impact our scriptural analysis change from time to time.  For example, when we read things from the Old Testament, it is critical to realize that God’s people were, at least for most of it, living under the Law of Moses.  Today God’s people are amenable to a different law (the Law of Christ).

When this is either unknown to the reader, or simply ignored, one will apply Old Testament teachings to the New Testament church, leading to unauthorized practices and erroneous beliefs.  An example of this is when people try to justify the use of musical instruments in the church by reading Psalm 150, not understanding that while the Old Testament specified the use of musical instruments in worship (1 Chronicles 28:11-19; 2 Chronicles 29:25), the New Testament only commands us to sing (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16, etc.).  Thus, to use instruments of music in the Lord’s church today is unauthorized and, therefore, sinful.  This is something understood by those who rightly divide the Word of Truth.

Let me now give you an example of the importance of knowing why certain things were written by inspired writers, as well as the timing of it.  In 1 Corinthians 14:39, Paul wrote, “So, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.”  This verse has been used by those who believe we are still living in the miraculous age.  They tell us that we are violating the command of Paul.  Why?  Because they fail to rightly divide the Word of Truth.

Paul spoke those words during the miraculous age.  An age that lasted approximately sixty years.  We know this because the only way miraculous gifts were obtained was by the laying on of an apostle’s hand (Acts 8:18; 19:6).  This being the case, the miraculous age could not have lasted any longer than the last person, on whom the apostles laid hands, lived.  It is not a coincidence that this was about the same time the written Word of God was completed.  Referring to this, Paul said that when the perfect (referring to the written Word of God – James 1:25) comes, the partial (miraculous gifts) would cease (1 Corinthian 13:8-13, esp. ver. 10).

Furthermore, Paul’s instructions to not forbid speaking in tongues reflect the immediate text surrounding it.  Paul had been admonishing the saints at Corinth for abusing the gift of tongue speaking, informing them that the gift of prophecy was more practical and useful.  Thus, he wanted to make sure they understood that he was in no way telling them not to use the gift of tongue speaking if they possessed it.  He merely wanted them to use it in the right way.

Finally, whenever you read the Word of God, you must keep in mind to whom the writer is writing.  It may be something that has universal application, or it may apply only to the ones to whom it was written.  A classic violation of this is when Jesus told the apostles that He would send them the Holy Spirit to teach and guide them into all truth (John 14:26; 16:13).  Those who fail to the rightly divide the Word of Truth, apply this to Christians in general.  Those passages, however, were referring to the baptism of the Holy Spirit, something that only the apostles experienced (Acts 1:1-5; 2:1-15), with, maybe, the one exception of the household of Cornelius (Acts 10:44-48; 11:15-17).

In the first set of passages cited from the book of Acts, we know that the Holy Spirit fell only on the apostles because the text demands it.  Read the passage again and notice that the antecedent to all the pronouns “they” and “them” is apostles.  Furthermore, it is clear that the Holy Spirit fell on the ones who were accused of being drunk after they spoke in tongues.  The apostles were the ones accused of being drunk; thus, they were the ones who spoke in tongues; hence, they were the ones on whom the Holy Spirit fell.  We see, then, that the promise of the Holy Spirit in John 14:26 and 16:13 was given to the same ones upon whom it was fulfilled—the apostles.

So, if you want to get a good understanding of the Bible when you read it, rightly handling it, make sure you always know when, why, and to whom a passage was written.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.