journey. From this careful reading we become able to determine what the passage meant in the biblical context—that is, what it meant to the biblical audience. Often, however, when we try to apply this meaning directly to ourselves, we run into problems. We are separated from the biblical audience by culture and customs, language, situation, and a vast expanse of time. These differences form a barrier—a river that separates us from the text and that often prohibits us from grasping the meaning of