What is true context when reading the Bible?

What is Context as it pertains to understand the word of God?

1. A few verses around the one you're referring to.

2. The entire "passage" that is discussing that particular subject.

3. The entire chapter.

4. The entire book.

5. The entire Bible.

Sometimes a few verses surrounding the scripture helps give a greater understanding.

But, sometimes we have a theme that is being discussed and you need to read quite a bit to get the whole meaning.

And, sometimes that theme takes up an entire chapter.

Or three chapters...  like 1 Corinthians 12-14 for example.

Or the entire book may be touching on the same subject throughout.

What does context truly mean?

The entire word of God has context laced within its entirety.

If you don't read the whole thing, you're missing very important pieces to the puzzle.

The Bible is like a puzzle or a dot to dot picture. If you only complete half of the puzzle...if you only connect half of the dots...then try to pass off your incomplete picture as the finished product and final authority to what each puzzle piece and dot pointed to...you will never come to the knowledge, understanding or comprehension of what the entire picture was trying to paint and hereby convey. Your "complete" knowledge will be incomplete if you are satisfied with such an imperfect, spiritually-deficient, and fragmented form of knowledge. Each piece of the Bible is another brush stroke toward the big picture it is trying to paint. As with a painting, the Bible is a picture that wishes to convey a message. But the only way its message can be fully understood, seen and comprehended is by seeing the finished product. - by Steve Rau

Only reading part of the Bible and claiming to understand it is like putting part of a puzzle together, with a big hole in the middle, and claiming to know what's in the missing section even though you've never seen the completed picture.

If you don't read a word on my web site and do NOTHING else, pick up a Bible and read it!