One of the vital principles we emphasize in Pathways, and that all those who study the Bible must practice, is reading a passage in its context – looking at verses that come before and after the passage we are studying. In seminary, sometimes hermeneutics profs will declare, “Context is king!” meaning context is very important to understanding any passage. Here is why this is so important: In Africa, pastors and preachers love to quote Mark 10:29-30, also in Luke 18:29-30 (which was part of my devotional reading today.) In Mark 10 we read:

Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. 

Then the preacher excitedly declares that if anyone gives up for God’s work, they will get a hundred times as much from the Lord, physical blessings here and now for anything sacrificed. The way to get from God is to give, then you will receive. I’ve heard this many times, and debated this with many African preachers, particularly those enticed by the prosperity movement. But is this what Jesus promises? If I give a dollar in the offering basket, God will give me $100 soon?

I believe it is helpful to look at the context, the surrounding verses, to understand what Jesus means. Jesus has been approached by a rich man who asks what he can do to inherit eternal life (Mark 10:17). Jesus reminds him of the Old Testament commandments, which the man says he has kept. In love, Jesus points out to the man his glaring weakness, money. “Get rid of it, and follow me,” Jesus instructs, but the man is unwilling. So Jesus teaches about the lure of money. The love of money, (that is attachment to material things, refusal to release it, constant focus on money, how to get more of it, etc.) all make eternal life nigh unto impossible (like a camel going through the eye of a needle.) Peter figures he nailed this one, saying that they have left everything to follow Jesus. Then Jesus offers the words of our verse, ending with the upside down kingdom inversion: first will be last and the last will be first (v.31).

So in the context, Jesus is not focusing on how to get things from God, as the preachers declare. He is talking about what rules in our hearts, be it money (things in this life), or following Christ (with sacrifice, and persecution, included in following Him.) What is most important to you? For the rich man, he wanted eternal life, but it was clear that more important to him was his wealth. Jesus declares that if you release your hold on the things in this life (houses, family relationships, etc.) God will reward you in His kingdom. Temporal blessings must not be most important to us. Keep in mind he says persecutions are part of God’s reward, but so is eternal life. So this is not a recipe to get from God, but it is a kingdom principle of surrender to the Lord, and trusting God to take care of your needs, which He will do abundantly.

One application of this is that when I travel to Africa, I leave my family, my home, my relationships, everything, and take a small bag to a distant location. However, whenever I land in Africa, I’m met by “family” who take good care of me. I have stayed in homes and had sweet fellowship with a “hundred” brothers, sisters, fathers, children all over the world who are united with me in Christ. They feed me, give me a bed to sleep in, I am well cared for, and have a “family” away from my family, a demonstration of God’s Word being fulfilled.

Be encouraged, friends, as you study Scripture, to consider the context of the passage rather than pulling a verse or two out of context and making it say something you want it to say. Using context will lead us to understand Scripture as God intended and guard us from a host of errors.

I will end with the Valley of Vision Puritan prayer I read today that reflects a heart after the Lord rather than things of this life:

“We are weary, give us rest, ignorant, make us wise unto salvation, helpless let thy strength be made perfect in our weakness, poor and needy, bless us with Christ’s unsearchable riches, perplexed and tempted, let us travel on unchecked, undismayed, knowing that thou hast said, ‘I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.'” (p.393)