“Lesson 173—Understanding the Context of Scriptures,” Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Teacher Manual (2025)
“Understanding the Context of Scriptures,” Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Teacher Manual
Lesson 173: Scripture-Study Skills
Understanding the Context of Scriptures
Understanding the context of the scriptures helps us recognize the intent of the inspired authors. This can deepen our understanding of their words and help us to hear the word of the Lord in our lives. The purpose of this lesson is to help students understand how the context of the scriptures can make scripture study more meaningful.
Possible Learning Activities
The whole picture
Begin class by showing the following pictures one at a time and asking the questions that follow. Alternatively, students could write captions for the images as you display each one. They could then discuss how the caption changed after they saw the whole picture.
Instead of using the pictures below, students could select a photo from the camera roll on their phone, zoom into only a portion of the picture, and invite a partner to guess what is happening in the picture. They could then zoom out and ask how the other student’s understanding changed.
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What is happening in the picture?
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How does our understanding change when we have the whole picture?
Consider inviting students to share examples from their life when seeing more of the picture made a difference. Some possible examples could include texting or posting something before having all the details, judging someone without knowing their story, or drawing an incorrect conclusion from a cropped picture.
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How can this relate to our scripture study?
As students answer this question, assess their understanding of context as it relates to scripture study. Based on your assessment of their understanding, consider using all or parts of the following section.
Define: Understanding context
Consider writing the word context on the board.
We can miss important details and have an incomplete understanding of what is happening without context.
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How would you define the word context?
Consider writing students’ answers on the board. As needed, share the following definition of context:
Context is the background, conditions, and setting in which events take place that enable us to better understand what is happening.
Read the following from Elder David A Bednar regarding a statement by the Prophet Joseph Smith (1805–1844):
“I have a key by which I understand the scriptures. I enquire, what was the question which drew out the answer, or caused Jesus to utter the parable?” (History of the Church, 5:261). Thus, striving to understand the question that preceded a particular revelation, parable, or episode can assist us in obtaining a deeper understanding of the scriptures. (David A. Bednar, in “Witnesses of the Prophet Joseph Smith,” Ensign, Jan. 2009, 15)
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How would learning the context of the scriptures help you understand the lessons they teach?
Invite students to ponder how often they seek to know the background and setting. Consider giving students a minute or two to ponder how learning the context of the scriptures has blessed, or may bless, them in their scripture study. You could invite a few students to share their thoughts or personal experiences.
Model: Doctrine and Covenants 121
The following is a model of how understanding the context can make scripture study more meaningful. If you would like, you can select different verses to use as your model.
Read Doctrine and Covenants 121:7–8, looking for what the Lord taught Joseph Smith.
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What was meaningful to you in these verses?
Consider placing students in small groups to discuss answers to the following question. Invite them to make a list of resources that help us learn about context.
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What are some tools or resources that could help us learn about the context of this and other scriptures?
Students may list some of the following resources: section or chapter headings, surrounding verses, scripture commentaries, manuals, talks given by Church leaders, and the scripture stories for children.
You may want to mention that some of the specific resources available for Doctrine and Covenants and Church history include Saints, volume 1 and Revelations in Context. If students would like to know more, you could demonstrate how students can access these resources on the Gospel Library app. Assure students that though studying various sources can be helpful, the simple habit of reading the section heading before they study can make scripture study more meaningful. That will be the focus of this lesson.
Read the section heading for section 121, looking for information that would help us to understand these verses better. You may also want to read Doctrine and Covenants 121:1–6 for additional insights.
Reread Doctrine and Covenants 121:7–8 with an understanding of the context in mind.
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How does this context help deepen your understanding of the message the Lord gave to Joseph in these verses?
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How does this new understanding make these verses more meaningful to you?
As students answer, look for ways to emphasize or ask what this context teaches us about the Lord. For example, the Lord lovingly gave the Prophet Joseph Smith peace, perspective, and a promise of future blessings in a difficult time. Understanding this context helps us know that the Lord can give us peace and direction in our lives as well.
Practice understanding the context of the scriptures
To help students practice understanding the context, consider displaying the following scripture references and questions on the board. You could have students read one or more of the scripture references in pairs and write what they learn from it in the center of a piece of paper. Then they could read the section heading along with surrounding verses. Around what they have already written, they could draw or write something that captures the context (the bigger picture).
Invite students to share what they found. If useful, consider asking the following:
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How does the context of the section deepen your understanding of what you learn in the verses?
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How does the context help you learn more about the Savior, His love, His mercy, or His power in our lives?
As time allows, students could practice this skill using a current section or chapter in their personal or family scripture study.
Invite students to ponder how studying the context could make a difference in their personal study and how they could improve their scripture study by implementing this skill.
As students practice this scripture-study skill in coming weeks, consider finding ways to have them share insights they learn with the class as part of future class devotionals.