1.  Historical context

By historical context we mean the original setting of the particular passage. It involves the time and culture of the author and his audience. It includes customs, governments, politics, industry, problems facing those cultures, etc. The historical context also involves the background of the author. It is helpful to know the difference in the Apostle Paul’s background from the Apostle Peter’s.

To properly understand the epistles written to the Corinthians, you need to know some things about the city of Corinth. If you read them through the eyes of the modern western world, you will come to some very different conclusions than had you read them through the eyes of a Corinthian. We shouldn’t be surprised, because life in New York is not like life in Paducah, Kentucky. The culture and challenges will be different in the two places. Magnify this by millennia and across nations, and you get the point.

When a book is written is a part of historical context. For example, whether one of the Old Testament prophetical books was written before or after Israel’s Babylonian captivity makes an interpretative difference.

The purpose of the book or letter is extremely helpful to establishing historical context. Everything in the particular book will be shaded by the reason or reasons the author had in writing. The theme of the book will usually give itself up with a complete reading of the book in one sitting. Also, there are wonderful helps that give this kind of information.