Summary of "How To Read The Bible | Part 2 | Pastor Jacob Sheriff"

Brief summary

Pastor Jacob Sheriff’s message, “How to Read the Bible | Part 2,” emphasizes that context is essential for reading, interpreting, and applying Scripture well. He teaches basic hermeneutical principles so Christians can move from merely reading Scripture to correctly understanding the author’s intent and living it out. Misreading without context produces bad outcomes (illustrated by the 1938 Orson Welles broadcast and historical misuses of Scripture). Sheriff presents practical principles (drawn from Dan Kimball) and application steps for better Bible reading.

Main ideas, concepts, and lessons

Context is key
- A text without context becomes a pretext: missing background leads to confusion, panic, or harmful misapplication.
- Correct interpretation seeks the plain meaning of the text by discovering the author’s intent (both human author and the Holy Spirit).
Everyone who reads interprets; the goal is to become a better interpreter (hermeneutics = the art/science of interpretation).
Bad interpretations have caused real harm (for example, both pro-slavery and abolitionist arguments have appealed to Scripture).
Reading without attending to genre, historical setting, literary placement, and canonical purpose will produce errors and odd applications (e.g., misapplying head-covering instructions or single verses like “I can do all things…”).

“A text without a context is just a pretext…” — Ben Witherington (quoted in the message)

Methodology / Practical framework

(Based on Dan Kimball’s four principles, expanded with application steps)

The Bible is a library, not a single book
- What it means:
  - Scripture is 66 books written by many authors across roughly 1,500 years, in multiple languages and cultures, later bound into one volume.
  - The Bible presents itself as a unified story but contains many literary genres.
- How to apply:
  - Identify the genre before you interpret (narrative, poetry, law, prophecy, parable, epistle, apocalypse, etc.).
  - Read narrative differently than poetry or theological prose. (Example proportions noted in the message: ~43% narrative, ~33% poetry, <25% prose/discourse.)
  - Pay attention to how a given book fits within the larger canonical story.
The Bible is written for us but not written to us (historical context)
- What it means:
  - Scripture has eternal relevance, but each passage was originally addressed to particular people in a particular time, language, and culture.
- How to apply:
  - Ask who the original audience was and what cultural, political, and religious circumstances surrounded them.
  - Practice exegesis: seek what the text meant to its first hearers/readers.
  - Distinguish cultural-specific commands from transcultural principles.
  - Avoid imposing 21st-century Western assumptions on ancient texts.
Never read just a single Bible verse (literary context)
- What it means:
  - Verses pulled out of chapter/paragraph context are easily misread; chapter and verse divisions were added much later.
- How to apply:
  - Read surrounding sentences, paragraphs, and—when possible—the whole book.
  - Consider immediate context (words → sentences → paragraphs → chapters → book).
  - Resist “proof-texting” (using isolated verses as airtight proof for modern positions without context).
  - Use community and resources to clarify difficult passages.
All the Bible points to Jesus (canonical / Christ-centered context)
- What it means:
  - The Bible tells one unified story that culminates in Jesus (see Luke 24: Jesus interprets Scripture as pointing to himself).
- How to apply:
  - Read with a Christ-centered hermeneutic: look for how texts relate to God’s redemptive story and to Jesus’ person and work.
  - Let the “Jesus-tether” guide interpretation and application when in doubt.

Practical recommendations and habits

Read the whole Bible periodically—familiarity reveals connections and clarifies confusing passages.
Grow in communal interpretation: discuss readings with your church or others to benefit from shared insight and accountability.
Do basic historical, literary, and canonical study—this reduces misapplication.
Use study tools and guides (the speaker referenced an “integration guide”/QR code) to practice steps.
Spiritual practice when reading: ask two questions while reading Scripture:
1. “Lord, what are you saying to me?”
2. “Lord, what do you want me to do about it?”
Imagine Jesus (the living Word) present while you read; pray for the Holy Spirit to open your understanding and empower obedience.

Illustrations and warnings used

Orson Welles’ 1938 War of the Worlds radio broadcast: listeners panicked because they missed the program’s framing—used to show how missing context leads to false conclusions and harmful actions.
Historical misuse of Scripture (e.g., arguments both for and against slavery) to demonstrate real-world consequences of poor interpretation.
Personal anecdote: a child’s misuse of Philippians 4:13 illustrates how isolated verses can be applied inappropriately.

Key terms introduced

Hermeneutics: the science/art of interpreting Scripture.
Exegesis (lightheartedly called “exesus” in the message): the practice of determining what the text meant to its original audience.
Canon / canonical context: the authoritative collection of Scripture and how a passage fits within the whole.

Speakers and sources featured

Pastor Jacob Sheriff — primary speaker and preacher.
Ben Witherington — quoted scholar.
Dan Kimball — source of the four-principle framework.
Ray Lubeck — scholar quoted about how genre shapes reading.
Orson Welles — referenced for the 1938 radio broadcast anecdote.
H. G. Wells — author of The War of the Worlds (source of the radio adaptation).
Jesus — cited as interpreter of Scripture (Luke 24) and as the center of the biblical story.
Paul / Pauline epistles — referenced as formative for Western theology and as an example of prose/discourse letters.