Analogies -Folly?

[Neighbor]

Hi all, I present the thought for discussion that analogies are in general  fallacious folly when used to try to explain  the direct and clear message of the Bible.

 I suggest that the Bible is not made clear by presentations of simile or perceived similes. That instead the Bible is made clear by, and only by, the will of God via the Holy Spirit indwelling of the hearer/reader of the word of God.

No number of analogies will make clear the word of God. It is folly to try to contrive limited meaning for the deep deep word of God, so deep that it's reveal is layered beyond any feeble uninspired of God analogy  contrived by any man.  The word is the word, it needs  no analogy, nor can it benefit anyone to be limited in understanding of it by a monolithic analogy for no analogy has the depth that is the word itself.

[Michael37]

10 minutes ago, Neighbor said:

Hi all, I present the thought for discussion that analogies are in general  fallacious folly when used to try to explain  the direct and clear message of the Bible.

 I suggest that the Bible is not made clear by presentations of simile or perceived similes. That instead the Bible is made clear by, and only by, the will of God via the Holy Spirit indwelling of the hearer/reader of the word of God.

No number of analogies will make clear the word of God. It is folly to try to contrive limited meaning for the deep deep word of God, so deep that it's reveal is layered beyond any feeble uninspired of God analogy  contrived by any man.  The word is the word, it needs  no analogy, nor can it benefit anyone to be limited in understanding of it by a monolithic analogy for no analogy has the depth that is the word itself.

C. S. Lewis must have missed that.

You're right in that nothing equals the Word of Truth, but to my mind that does not translate as a prohibition of analogies, or allegories, or anecdotes, all of which preachers are renown for using to present Gospel truth.

Quote:

The phrase “Word of Truth” is mentioned in the Bible in the following verses:

• 2 Corinthians 6:7 - [“2Co 6:4  But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, . . . "] "in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left”
• Ephesians 1:13 - “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise”
• Colossians 1:5 - “because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel”
• James 1:18 - “In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures”

These verses emphasize the importance of the “Word of Truth” in the Christian faith. The “Word of Truth” refers to the Gospel, which is the message of salvation through Jesus Christ ¹²³⁴. [BingChat search]

[other one]

I don't think I could agree with using no analogies.  I think it would depend on who you are talking to.  The Bible is full of concepts, and if you don't understand the customs and language of the time the Bible was penned and translated, sometimes you would have to have a long history lesson just to understand the concept of what is being said or done to get the person to understand.

[Mr. M]

2 hours ago, Neighbor said:

Hi all, I present the thought for discussion that analogies are in general  fallacious folly when used to try to explain  the direct and clear message of the Bible.

 I suggest that the Bible is not made clear by presentations of simile or perceived similes. That instead the Bible is made clear by, and only by, the will of God via the Holy Spirit indwelling of the hearer/reader of the word of God.

No number of analogies will make clear the word of God. It is folly to try to contrive limited meaning for the deep deep word of God, so deep that it's reveal is layered beyond any feeble uninspired of God analogy  contrived by any man.  The word is the word, it needs  no analogy, nor can it benefit anyone to be limited in understanding of it by a monolithic analogy for no analogy has the depth that is the word itself.

The scriptures make extensive use of metaphor,

which facilitates translation.

Proverbs 19:12 The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion,
But his favor is like dew on the grass.

Regardless of the language, a lion is a lion,

and dew is dew.

Of course there are many parables, which may require

the Holy Spirit for right comprehension, but also a knowledge

of God's dealings with Israel, which are a parable in themselves.

Ezekiel 17:

1 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 

2 “Son of man, pose a riddle, and speak a parable to the house of Israel, 

3 and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God:

“A great eagle with large wings and long pinions,
Full of feathers of various colors,
Came to Lebanon
And took from the cedar the highest branch.....

1 Corinthians 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for examples:

and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Someone preaching or teaching by the Spirit may use just about any story

from the testimonies concerning Israel as an analogy for God's perspective of man.

This is an expected and acceptable manner of teaching.

Isaiah 8:16 Bind up the testimony,
Seal the law among my disciples.
17 And I will wait on the Lord,
Who hides His face from the house of Jacob;
And I will hope in Him.
18 Here am I and the children whom the Lord has given me!
We are for signs and wonders in Israel
From the Lord of hosts,
Who dwells in Mount Zion.

19 And when they say to you, “Seek those who are mediums

and wizards, who whisper and mutter,” should not a people

seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living? 

20 To the law and to the testimony!

If they do not speak according to this word, 

it is because there is no light in them.

[AnOrangeCat]

5 hours ago, Michael37 said:

You're right in that nothing equals the Word of Truth, but to my mind that does not translate as a prohibition of analogies, or allegories, or anecdotes, all of which preachers are renown for using to present Gospel truth.

Pretty much where I stand too, and I'll note that the Bible itself contains many analogies. The parables are a type of analogy, for example. The parable of the different soils is a particularly noteworthy example. It was easy to understand back then because it was so firmly tied to survival and a very common occupation. Even now the language used makes it easy to understand. Not all of them have aged as well for various reasons, though, like the camel passing through the eye of a needle. If someone's analogy is the tool God uses to reach a particular person I'm certainly not going to take issue with it.

[Neighbor]

Interesting thoughts being expressed on the subject.

Yes the Bible uses Parable, but parable was not for enlightenment for certain individuals or groups, but was for the purpose of concealing enlightenment, were they not?

 A writer/speaker using analogy today is using uninspired of God tales to highlight  a limited understanding, and perhaps a wrongheaded  one,  while the Bible is the inspired of God example that has truth already within it that is both deep and profound. It may be subject of study as well as  exposition,  but I suggest  not addition in place of the word of God already stated as scripture and epistles.

Seems to me God's truths  have layers that can be explored at length, by comparison  to additional scripture, and even extra Biblical writing of history that also examines the word, and archaeological reveal, while most if not all analogies by men lack all of that depth and significance; and instead such analogy by speakers/writers take what is profound and substitute simplistic "foolishness".

It is as though the author of such analohy has a basic disdain for the hearer, a thinking that the hearer/reader is unable to be enlightened to the truth of the Bible scripture itself by the empowerment  of God the Holy Spirit like the speaker/ writer has been.  

It to me is well, - bluntly put - almost an ego trip by the speaker/ writer, a looking down upon his or her audience more than a sharing under guidance by the Holy Spirit. That exercise does not serve the speaker / writer well, nor does it share of the gospel well either. Instead it attempts replacement of the word of God.

Analogy by man is a  bad idea overall is my thought, for the speaker/writer should have  much greater confidence in the Holy Spirit's ability to reveal to whom the Spirit will  what is God's message for the hearer/ reader of God's word  to absorb.

 

Incoming! LOL

[Vine Abider]

People learn different ways. For some, analogies might be clarifying and useful to express biblical concepts; for others, not so much.  Seems like a Romans 14:5 application . . .

Peace

[Yes, and]

I have to say this is such a limiting perspective, limiting to how God may chose to speak through any person, thing, or event. And why do you only take issue with analogies? If they come from base instincts and desires ("an ego trip by the speaker/ writer") what about anything else spoken by a mere mortal? What about anything anyone here—including yourself(!)—has written which is not just quotation of the Word? By your standard it seems we should only be doing just that, quoting the Word, because even the things you seem to allow for ("even extra Biblical writing of history that also examines the word, and archaeological reveal") can be just as much in error or full of folly.

This perspective brings to mind the analogy of that person standing on the rooftop in the midst of a flood ("I sent you a guy in a rowboat and then a helicopter to save you..."), only he's not just praying, "God, please save me," but also putting his hands over his ears and shutting his eyes, because he refuses to accept that God can say and do whatever He likes, whenever He likes, however He likes, through whomever He likes.

[itty-bitty lamb]

The beauty of analogies and parables is in how flexible they are to the audience. Everyone can hear the same parable but gather something different out of its meaning, and apply it to their life on personal levels, for the glory of God. i understand it is frustrating when the Word is not cut clean for us, but i feel God uses analogies to reach us on our individual paths of differing maturity. They may not be appreciated by some, but i feel the very fact that God uses parables is a witness to His profound and perfect genius. And might i add, also a testament to how God aches to have a personal and unique relationship with you and me.

Edited December 1, 2023 by itty-bitty lamb

[Neighbor]

10 hours ago, itty-bitty lamb said:

i feel God uses analogies to reach us on our individual paths of differing maturity.

Hi, God's use of  analogy is to me quite different from any individual trying to doing so. God's word the Bible coupled with enlightenment of it by the Holy Spirit is way different than the rather lame expressions too often made by man trying to imitate God,  adding to and or limiting God's word, or the God inspired word by a prophet or apostle as shared within the Bible.