Task 4: Investigate Important Contextual Issues
Essence of the Task
Having delved somewhat deeper into the passage and its context one may have become aware of some contextual issues that require further investigation. These may be historical, cultural, literary or theological. Identify these issues and study them as necessary to be able to preach the passage clearly.
Detailed Description
Even if you have done advance preparation for the series, not every question of significance will have come up at that time. There are always issues that arise from a particular portion of a text that need not have come up before. These questions are contextual issues that require study in order to derive accurate conclusions in the study of the passage itself. They may be historical, cultural, literary, or theological issues.
Let us take an easy example. If someone is facing a series of sermons on the Gospel of John, it is possible that he has done a very complete and excellent preparation beforehand, without having gone deeply into the issue of the relationship between the Jews and the Samaritans. However, when you get to chapter four, the portion that has to do with the so-called «Samaritan woman» will force you to address this question. It is a topic that does not necessarily suggest itself in one’s Advance preparation of John’s Gospel as a whole, but it certainly does suggest itself when you come to chapter 4. The context requires it.
To Do
The task at this time, then, is one of reading and investigation. The issues you need to work on are those that in a generalized or half-generalized way affect your ability to study the content of the passage. They may also be topics that will have relevance in later passages and the time invested now will serve you for several sermons.
- Does the passage touch on an issue that gives rise to a broader debate? Do you need to do some reading on the current state of that debate?
- Does it touch on a historical or cultural issue that is worth understanding well and explaining well for the passage to make sense?
- Does it highlight some theological reality about which you need greater clarity or at least a greater awareness of the various positions that exist?
- Are there any literary issues that need to be studied? For example, related to literary genre, or some aspect of the genre under study.
These are all contextual questions that will condition, in one way or another, the work that you do on the particular content of the pericope to be preached. If you do not set aside some time to study them, you will be stunted in your ability to analyze the passage because you lack adequate background material to make certain affirmations, or at least to feel really «at ease» with the affirmations that you may make.
If the passage suggests one or more contextual issues to study, write them down and start studying. As always, be sure to collect the fruit of your study in your notes and file system for later use. Better yet, if you can, summarize what you learn in a sentence or paragraph that you can include in the sermon itself. This way you kill two birds with one stone: at the same time that you make your discoveries you will have written part of your sermon or lesson.
To Keep in Mind
Encyclopedias and Bible dictionaries can be especially helpful for this kind of study. Make sure you always have a few reliable resources of this kind available.
Some commentaries include brief articles devoted to these questions precisely because the authors are aware of their relevance to the exegesis of the book or passage in question. If you don’t have a commentary or a series with entries of this type, see if you can get a hold of one.