--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is also a context constituted by…" description: "\"“There is also a context constituted by the formation of the literature into a larger whole, a context that is literary and/or canonical: “The problem ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38a/r-w-l-moberly-29956_bible_there-is-also-a-context-constituted-by-t_2959313.jpg" --- # There is also a context constituted by the formation of… ![“There is also a context constituted by the formation of the literature into a larger whole, a context that is literary and/or canonical: “The problem is that by making historical context sovereign and regulative, historical criticism destroys the literary context that is the Bible (either Jewish…” quote by R.W.L. Moberly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38a/r-w-l-moberly-29956_bible_there-is-also-a-context-constituted-by-t_2959313.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38a/r-w-l-moberly-29956_bible_there-is-also-a-context-constituted-by-t_2959313.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38a/r-w-l-moberly-29956_bible_there-is-also-a-context-constituted-by-t_2959313.jpg) > ““There is also a context constituted by the formation of the literature into a larger whole, a context that is literary and/or canonical: “The problem is that by making historical context sovereign and regulative, historical criticism destroys the literary context that is the Bible (either Jewish or Christian) as a whole and often even the smaller literary context that is the book, the chapter, or whatever.”” [R.W.L. Moberly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-w-l-moberly/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Historical context can dominate criticism, eroding literary context of the Bible. **In simple terms:** History can overshadow Bible’s literary meaning. Key Takeaway Balance historical and literary analysis. Themes biblical studies literary criticism history Mood scholarly thoughtful Type analytical academic When to use this quote - Seminars - academic publications - church teaching - personal study Key Concepts Hermeneutics canon formation interdisciplinary study Questions to Reflect On - How to integrate history and literature? - What risks of ignoring literary context? A Different Perspective Overemphasis may limit spiritual insight. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Context Literary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/context-literary-4498976/) [Historical context](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical-context/) [Historical Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical-criticism-1402231/) [Literary Canonical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literary-canonical-4498977/) [Literary Context](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literary-context-4498975/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [The two basic maxims of the so-called historical criticism are the postulate of the common and the axiom of the ordinary. Postulate of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-wilhelm-friedrich-schlegel/the-two-basic-maxims-of-the-so-called-historical-criticism-are-the/) [Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-wilhelm-friedrich-schlegel/) > [In terms of preparation, if there's some historical context that's needed, I do like to read a lot. Working on Joe Kennedy for 'Boardwalk,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-letscher/in-terms-of-preparation-if-there-s-some-historical-context-that-s/) [Matt Letscher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-letscher/) > [Now, whenever you read any historical document, you always evaluate it in light of the historical context.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-mcdowell/now-whenever-you-read-any-historical-document-you-always-evaluate-it/) [Josh McDowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-mcdowell/) > [There are very few critics who have historical context or authority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/there-are-very-few-critics-who-have-historical-context-or-authority/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [I was trained as a philosopher never to put philosophers and their ideas into historical contexts, since historical context has nothing to do with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-goldstein/i-was-trained-as-a-philosopher-never-to-put-philosophers-and-their/) [Rebecca Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-goldstein/) > [It's very important to always put things in their historical contexts. It teaches important lessons about the country in question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-christopher/it-s-very-important-to-always-put-things-in-their-historical-contexts/) [Warren Christopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-christopher/) > [If you think about the last 50 years, Africa's proximity and historical context has absolutely been with Europe and the United States, but their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dambisa-moyo/if-you-think-about-the-last-50-years-africa-s-proximity-and/) [Dambisa Moyo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dambisa-moyo/) > [“The material world constrain us, often with gret beneficence, to see each person and thing in its time and place, its historical context. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-scarry/the-material-world-constrain-us-often-with-gret-beneficence-to-see/) [Elaine Scarry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-scarry/) > [“We cut a pack of cards called historical context- our generation, Sixsmith, cut tens, jacks and queens. Adrian's cut threes, fours, and fives. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/we-cut-a-pack-of-cards-called-historical-context-our-generation/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [Many novelists take well-defined, precise characters, whose stories are sometimes of mediocre interest, and place them in an important historical context, which remains secondary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-queneau/many-novelists-take-well-defined-precise-characters-whose-stories-are/) [Raymond Queneau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-queneau/) > [Anyway I read more contemporary poetry than contemporary fiction so my mind goes first to a kind of crass "conceptualism" that repeats vanguard gestures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-lerner/anyway-i-read-more-contemporary-poetry-than-contemporary-fiction-so/) [Ben Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-lerner/) > [Often the Jesus-focused churches are leaning towards a 'social gospel' interpretation of the kingdom, and the 'Paul' churches are talking about being saved from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright-2/often-the-jesus-focused-churches-are-leaning-towards-a-social-gospel/) [N. T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright-2/) > [I enjoyed studying costume, learning about the corsetry and the historical context of fashion. I never had any real intention of being a costume…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgina-chapman/i-enjoyed-studying-costume-learning-about-the-corsetry-and-the/) [Georgina Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgina-chapman/) > [It's never pleasant to have one's unquestioning beliefs put in their historical context, as I know from experience, I can assure you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/it-s-never-pleasant-to-have-one-s-unquestioning-beliefs-put-in-their/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) > [As much as I care about historical context - I'm very eager to read a really great historical account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-lethem/as-much-as-i-care-about-historical-context-i-m-very-eager-to-read-a/) [Jonathan Lethem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-lethem/) ## More by R.W.L. Moberly > [“The other approach, probably more widely appealing in contemporary Western culture, is so to fix on the painful circumstances of life that one gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-w-l-moberly/the-other-approach-probably-more-widely-appealing-in-contemporary/) [R.W.L. Moberly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-w-l-moberly/) > [“Any particular term—myth, legend, saga, folktale, and so forth—tends to be used in so many differing ways by different people that without careful definition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-w-l-moberly/any-particular-term-myth-legend-saga-folktale-and-so-forth-tends-to/) [R.W.L. Moberly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-w-l-moberly/) > [“On the other hand, there is apocalyptic literature, which appears to be continuous with classical prophecy yet to be a particular outgrowth of it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-w-l-moberly/on-the-other-hand-there-is-apocalyptic-literature-which-appears-to-be/) [R.W.L. Moberly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-w-l-moberly/) > [“Similarly, those who have been weaned off the self-aggrandizing attractions of political power are those who can then best be entrusted with it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-w-l-moberly/similarly-those-who-have-been-weaned-off-the-self-aggrandizing/) [R.W.L. Moberly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-w-l-moberly/) > [“If the reader’s imagination is concerned with what happened next to Jonah rather than with the nature of the divine compassion, then the reader…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-w-l-moberly/if-the-reader-s-imagination-is-concerned-with-what-happened-next-to/) [R.W.L. Moberly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-w-l-moberly/) > [“Finally, the book of Jonah shows how theological understanding is exemplified in a person’s attitudes and actions: what Jonah does flows from his understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-w-l-moberly/finally-the-book-of-jonah-shows-how-theological-understanding-is/) [R.W.L. Moberly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-w-l-moberly/) > [“In this chapter I want to consider a concept, or rather two closely related concepts, where greater-than-usual puzzlement has often been the response of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-w-l-moberly/in-this-chapter-i-want-to-consider-a-concept-or-rather-two-closely/) [R.W.L. Moberly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-w-l-moberly/) > [“Nonetheless, Augustine and Pusey are surely clear examples of fighting one’s battle on the wrong ground. They assume that if unbelievers mock and question…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-w-l-moberly/nonetheless-augustine-and-pusey-are-surely-clear-examples-of-fighting/) [R.W.L. Moberly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-w-l-moberly/) > [“they play no further role in the story; indeed, any further provision of quails would diminish the importance and significance attached to the bread.11…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-w-l-moberly/they-play-no-further-role-in-the-story-indeed-any-further-provision/) [R.W.L. Moberly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-w-l-moberly/) > [“If the paradox is to be pondered, as part of growing in understanding the nature of the life of faith, then there are surely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-w-l-moberly/if-the-paradox-is-to-be-pondered-as-part-of-growing-in-understanding/) [R.W.L. Moberly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-w-l-moberly/) > [“How should this psalm be understood? My thesis is that the parts make sense in relation to the whole: so unless the whole is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-w-l-moberly/how-should-this-psalm-be-understood-my-thesis-is-that-the-parts-make/) [R.W.L. Moberly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-w-l-moberly/) > [“The depiction of terrible overthrow may well be, at least in part, a figure for Assyrian and/or Babylonian depredations on Israel and/or Judah, understood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-w-l-moberly/the-depiction-of-terrible-overthrow-may-well-be-at-least-in-part-a/) [R.W.L. Moberly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-w-l-moberly/) > [“Prophetic speech is predictive, but it is predictive in relation to the near future, to the circumstances that impinge on the lives of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-w-l-moberly/prophetic-speech-is-predictive-but-it-is-predictive-in-relation-to/) [R.W.L. Moberly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-w-l-moberly/) > [“What has preceded in verses 1–37 is designed not to mitigate the harsh circumstances of verses 38–45 but to be a foil to them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-w-l-moberly/what-has-preceded-in-verses-1-37-is-designed-not-to-mitigate-the/) [R.W.L. Moberly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-w-l-moberly/) > [“The problem is not the conflict of opposites in itself, but rather a probing of surprising and difficult dimensions of what is entailed by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-w-l-moberly/the-problem-is-not-the-conflict-of-opposites-in-itself-but-rather-a/) [R.W.L. Moberly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-w-l-moberly/) [Explore all 18 R.W.L. Moberly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-w-l-moberly/) ## More Bible quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/) [Michael Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arnold/) > [When you put your hand on the Bible, you are saying something much stronger than just telling your peers that you're going to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/when-you-put-your-hand-on-the-bible-you-are-saying-something-much/) [Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/) > [“Scripture also teaches that human beings are morally responsible creatures”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-peterson/scripture-also-teaches-that-human-beings-are-morally-responsible/) [Robert A. 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The Bible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/where-i-come-from-you-re-not-raised-to-think-on-your-own-it-s-not/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [What comes to mind when you think of heaven? 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