Quoting singular verses

[Chris]

Something that often concerns me a lot is quoting a singular verses without the preceding and following ones because it can be read out of context and take on a new meaning. I know many verses where it is no problem.

Ex

Matthew 18:20
For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."

Is a verse about conflict resolution amongst quarreling brothers, but without the verses before and after you wouldn't know its full meaning, unless you already knew the story.

Do you think it is better to put more verses in when you use them as references so they keep their meaning in context?

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Matthew 18
<sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-23743">15</sup> “If your brother or sister<sup class="footnote" value="[<a href=&quot;#fen-NIV-23743b&quot; title=&quot;See footnote b&quot;>b</a>]">[b]</sup> sins,<sup class="footnote" value="[<a href=&quot;#fen-NIV-23743c&quot; title=&quot;See footnote c&quot;>c</a>]">[c]</sup> go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. <sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-23744">16</sup> But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’<sup class="footnote" value="[<a href=&quot;#fen-NIV-23744d&quot; title=&quot;See footnote d&quot;>d</a>]">[d]</sup> <sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-23745">17</sup> If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. <sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-23746">18</sup> “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be<sup class="footnote" value="[<a href=&quot;#fen-NIV-23746e&quot; title=&quot;See footnote e&quot;>e</a>]">[e]</sup> bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be<sup class="footnote" value="[<a href=&quot;#fen-NIV-23746f&quot; title=&quot;See footnote f&quot;>f</a>]">[f]</sup> loosed in heaven.
<sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-23747">19</sup> “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. <sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-23748">20</sup> For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

 

[handy]

When I was a very young Christian, not raised in the faith and clueless about what the Scriptures taught, I got caught up in a cult that were experts at taking one or two verses and using them to push their own brand of religion. Using the "singular verse" strategy, the cult leaders convinced me of many things, up to an including:

It being a sin not to do everything the leader commanded us to do. "For rebellion is as the sin of divination, And insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry." 1 Sam 15:23

It being a sin to go to church with Mom on Mother's Day after the leader said not to. Add the 1 Samuel reference to, "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me." Matthew 10:37

It being a sin to remain friends with my best friend after she left the group. Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals." 1 Corinthians 15:33

(Yeah, the cult was good at separation and isolation of members from family and friends.)

So, I have pretty strong feelings about quoting singular verses taken out of context. It also is a pet peeve of mine when verses out of context become the basis of sloppy theology. For instance, quoting Revelation 3:20 as a proof text that Jesus is standing outside the "door of my heart", knocking to come in and save me. Revelation 3:20 is speaking to the local church not to individuals. I cannot think of any texts that show our salvation is based upon Jesus being a supplicant begging to come in, yet this imagery is pushed all the time.

:D Then there is the old story of the man who decided to do everything that the Bible said, but wanted the Holy Spirit to lead him, not no church dude. So, his method of Bible study was to close his eyes, open the Bible at random, put his finger down and do whatever the verse his finger happened to land on said to do. One day, he opened his eyes and his finger was on "Judas went out and hanged himself". Not being too sure that God really wanted him to do that, he thought he'd better try again, so he closed his eyes, randomly flipped pages and then put his finger down again. This time he was pointing at "Go and do the same."

 

[Chris]

I tried to stop doing it when I can for those people unfamiliar with the bibles contents and put the other verses in too.

 

[WIP]

Whenever I pay attention to individual verses I look them up to learn how they are really used in the context of the scriptures. I do the same thing with our Sunday service readings in church. Quite often, I'll reread the text from my Bible and include the entire chapter or even the previous and trailing ones. I think it is important for us to do this so we don't get pulled off course by incorrect use of scripture. We are told to test scripture and this is one way to do that.