Speaking the Truth in Love

Stump the Pastor 3: How Do You Respond When Someone Takes the Bible Out of Context?

For a Christian, there are few things more frustrating than when people misquote Scripture or take a verse out of context to make a point.

As a pastor, it happens far too often. I will have someone asking meaningful questions or wrestling with something deep, and then they misquote a passage or misunderstand what the passage is actually saying. And then my heart leaps for joy.

“I found the problem!”

Now, if I just add some clarity to the misunderstanding, then everything should be fine!

Right?

Sometimes.

In my experience, there are two main responses to gentle clarification.

The first is renewed interest. This is always a bit exciting. The person is sincerely interested in what God has to say and eager to learn. I remember one conversation where a person was deeply upset that Jesus would say:

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”
—Luke 14:26

Their question was honest: “Why would God call me to hate anyone?”

That is a fair question. At first glance, Jesus’ words sound harsh, even cruel. But this is where context matters.

I explained that we often hear the word “hate” very differently than Jesus’ original audience would have heard it. In Scripture, the Lord says, “Yet I have loved Jacob but Esau I have hated” (Malachi 1:2–3). Paul later repeats this in Romans 9:13: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

So what does that mean? Did God “hate” Esau in the sense that we usually mean hate?

Not in the way you are probably thinking.

In this biblical way of speaking, “love” and “hate” can describe preference, priority, and chosen purpose. God chose Jacob. The promised Messiah would come through Jacob’s line, not Esau’s. Jesus could not be descended from both Jacob and Esau. The Lord chose one line through which He would bring salvation to the world.

That does not mean God had no love or care for Esau. God blessed Esau. God preserved Esau. But God chose Jacob for this particular purpose in His plan of salvation.

So, when Jesus says that whoever follows Him must “hate” father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, He is not commanding sinful bitterness or cruelty toward our families. He is speaking about priority.

The context of Luke 14 is the cost of discipleship.

Jesus is asking: For the salvation of your soul, what comes first? Your family? Your comfort? Your own life? Or Christ?

The clear priority is your eternal life and spiritual health through faith in Jesus.

That does not mean your family, spouse, children, or life are unimportant. Not at all. It means: care about your soul.

A spouse’s calling is to point their spouse to Jesus. A parent’s calling is to raise their children in the faith and point them to Jesus. But you cannot faithfully care for the souls around you if you are neglecting your own.

Priorities matter.

Once you understand the context, you begin to see Jesus’ heart in the midst of it all. He does not shy away from difficult conversations, but His hard words are always driving toward our salvation and flowing from His infinite love for us.

So sometimes, when Scripture is taken out of context, the conversation can lead to something beautiful. It can open the door to amazing conversations, deeper understanding, and renewed faith. Sometimes it just takes courage to speak gently and clearly.

But there is another response too.

Too often, the person taking Scripture out of context is not actually interested in what you have to say. They already know the passage they want to use because they think it proves their point. It is their “gotcha” verse.

They read a chunk of Scripture, heard what they wanted to hear, and now weaponize it against the Christians around them. Or they use it as an excuse to keep Jesus at arm’s length.

It is amazing, and heartbreaking, how Satan can twist God’s Word. He did it in the wilderness when he tempted Jesus. He still does it today. Sometimes he works through misunderstandings. Sometimes he works through pride. Sometimes he works through the wounds people have received from sinful Christians.

When interacting with someone like this, they may not be ready to hear the truth yet. Speaking up in that exact moment may only put you in the crosshairs of their anger toward God. It may even make them feel more confident in their bitterness.

In those situations, I encourage prayerful patience.

Pray for them.

Pray that the Holy Spirit would soften their heart.

Pray that God would give you the right opportunity to speak truth into their life.

That does not mean you stay silent forever. It means you ask for wisdom. Sometimes the faithful thing is to speak. Sometimes the faithful thing is to wait. Sometimes the faithful thing is to speak truth to the people nearby who are being drawn in by the misunderstanding, even if the person making the accusation is not ready to listen.

And you can always speak to your pastor or faithful Christian friends to confirm whether you are understanding the passage rightly. It is important that you do not let Satan’s lies shake your confidence in the faith. Doubt is natural, but respond to doubt with faithful curiosity. Open the Scriptures. Ask questions. Seek wisdom. Let God’s Word speak in context.

Then wait for the Spirit to open the door.

I pray that we as Christians would become more confident to speak when the opportunity presents itself. There are too many people in our world trapped in the jail cell of sin. How can we sit idly by when Christ has given us the key?

In all things, point to Jesus.

If people are offended by that, then their problem is ultimately with God, not you. Be faithful. Speak the truth in love. Let the Lord do His work.

As Paul writes, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:6).

We plant seeds.

The Lord gives the growth.