DO YOU READ THE BIBLE LITERALLY
OR CONTEXTUALLY?
Literal Approach
 Literal means “every word”
 Reading the Bible word for word
 Every sentence is taken to mean exactly what it says.
Contextual Approach
 The words are put in context.
 We consider the culture, time, and place.
 This approach tries to determine what the authors were saying to the
people of their own time.
 Sometimes we have to “interpret” the passage to understand what the
author was saying.
Interpret the following sentences:
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It’s raining cats and dogs.
Break a leg.
I caught a fish that was three feet long.
The early bird catches the worm.
Kill two birds with one stone
A stitch in time saves nine.
Give me a break.
Knock it off.
Take a hike.