When verses of Scripture are taken out of context and used repeatedly to enforce some theological system, these particular interpretations become attached to those verses; they then gain a life of their own to both speakers and hearers. This happens because they are prized “proof text” for a particular doctrinal system. These verses can then be shared (even in passive-aggressive ways) by those who claim to be “only quoting” Scripture. The truth is, we are never “only quoting” anything. There are reasons that certain verses seize us and there are reasons that we seize certain verses; it is essential to self-examine and reflect in both cases. The Scriptures need to be freed from such imposed interpretations, as well as old assumed meanings so that we may hear their true message. This is to be done by opening our hearts, not just to the immediate context, but the bigger context of the overriding message of the Bible itself, which is revealed in and by the Spirit of Jesus. He is the One who said in the Sermon on The Mount, “You have heard it was said…but I say to you…”.
