This week we continue our series by learning to take a wider view when we read Scripture. One of the easiest ways to misuse the Bible is to lift out a single sentence that supports what we already believe, what we already want to say, or what gives us power over someone else. Ephesians 5:22, “Wives, be subject to your husbands,” has often been read this way, separated from the verse before it: “Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ,” and separated from the larger call to live in the self-giving love of Christ. When we leave out the surrounding verses, we can make Scripture say less than it says—or even the opposite of what it means. This week’s lesson is simple but essential: don’t leave stuff out. Read the verse, but also read the paragraph, the chapter, the book, and the wider witness of Scripture. Faithful reading requires humility, patience, and enough honesty to let the whole Word speak, not just the parts that are easiest for us to use.
