Lesson 173: Scripture-Study Skills

Understanding the Context of Scriptures

young man studying his 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.

boy pushing another boy

• What is happening in the picture?

  boy pushing another boy out of the path of an oncoming car

• 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.

• 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.

• 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):

David A. Bednar

“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)

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• How does this context help deepen your understanding of the message the Lord gave to Joseph in these verses?

• 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).

• Doctrine and Covenants 3:6–9

• Doctrine and Covenants 8:2–3

• Doctrine and Covenants 27:1–2

• Doctrine and Covenants 28:2, 7

• Doctrine and Covenants 46:3–5

• Doctrine and Covenants 49:15–17

• Doctrine and Covenants 98:1–3

• Doctrine and Covenants 109:22–23

Invite students to share what they found. If useful, consider asking the following:

• How does the context of the section deepen your understanding of what you learn in the verses?

• 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.

Additional Resources

How can I understand the scriptures better?

Read this statement by President Thomas S. Monson (1927–2018), looking for what he encourages us to do in our scripture study:

President Thomas S. Monson

Become acquainted with the lessons the scriptures teach. Learn the background and setting of the Master’s parables and the prophets’ admonitions. Study them as though they were speaking to you, for such is the truth. (Thomas S. Monson, “Be Your Best Self,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2009, 68)

How does context help me to acquire spiritual knowledge?

To examine doctrinal concepts, questions, and social issues with an eternal perspective, we consider them in the context of the plan of salvation and the teachings of the Savior. …

… It may also help to examine historical questions in the proper historical context by considering the culture and norms of the time period rather than imposing current perspectives and attitudes. …

… Help those with whom you speak examine or reframe their questions in the context of the gospel and the plan of salvation. (Doctrinal Mastery Core Document [2023], “Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge,” paragraphs 8–15)

Supplemental Learning Activities

Using additional sources for context

To help students see how additional resources can help us understand and deepen our knowledge of the scriptures, consider doing the following: Invite students to search through some section headings in the Doctrine and Covenants, looking for what they think is the shortest section heading. The following are some examples of what students may identify: Doctrine and Covenants 4, 5, 26, 38, 65, 79, 80, 93, 114, 130, 131. Students could pick a section and read a few verses in the section.

To help students learn more about the context of the section they selected, they could use additional sources, such as Revelations in Context in their Gospel Library app. Have students search for one of these sections in the table of contents and then turn to the page or pages to learn more about the context. Consider inviting students to share things they learned about the section and how the context helped them to learn more from the verse or verses they read.

Out of context

Elder Neil L. Andersen shared a story about President Russell M. Nelson to demonstrate how people take information about Joseph Smith and present it out of context. Consider showing the following video clip. As students watch, invite them to observe how taking information out of context can promote a false impression. Then have them share what they observed. Apply what they share to the importance of reading verses of scripture in their proper context.

Context matters

Consider giving students some of the following scenarios. For each scenario, show the two statements one at a time. You could also choose to include an image of the second statement as you show it. You could show the statements to the class as a whole or divide them up among groups of students. Discuss how the details given in the second statements help to deepen your understanding of the situation.

• Imagine a young man praying. Now imagine that young man’s name is Daniel and he is in a den of lions.

• Imagine a man at the sea. Now imagine that man’s name is Moses and he is delivering his people through that sea.

• Imagine a man praying in a garden. Now imagine the garden is called Gethsemane.

• Imagine a woman standing in front of her husband. Now imagine her name is Esther, her husband is the king, and she can’t stand in front of him without his permission.

• Imagine a young man holding a slingshot. Now imagine that his name is David and he is standing in front of Goliath.

• Imagine a young man praying in a grove of trees. Now imagine his name is Joseph Smith and that God the Father and the Savior appear to him.