Taking The Bible Literally

[uvn477]

Well first of all its been a long time since I've been here and I'd like to wish everyone happy holidays. I've been growing more spiritually for the last few months and I'd like to post a topic I was discussing with a friend.

He believes that the Bible should not be taken literally. Its just ridiculous to do so. Certain things in the Bible just don't make sense at all with our rational world. He brought the fact that God spoke through a donkey into his arguement and started building up on it.

I'm sure many Christians have this problem. I admit there are some things that should not be taken literally such as Jesus telling people to gouge out their eye or chop off their hand. As far as we know all the disciples had both eyes and hands. But the problem comes when the story sounds like something out of Greek mythology.

Well let me start by saying that the Bible only contains a few events. These few events took place in a span of thousands of years. That alone tells you that these events were extremely rare even in ancient times. The Bible seems like a book of fables only because it records unique events. It does not record every moment of everyones lives. Everything in the Bible should be taken literally, especially the stories. Unless it contradicts what God has said we should not deny validity of it. If you deny one thing what stops us from denying something else? Soon the Bible will not be looked on as a history book but a book of fables with morals and such. That's what we have to avoid.

[Catsmeow]

I understand what you're saying when you say it seems unreasonable for Jesus to tell folks to cut off their hands or gouge out their eyes....BUT, I think I know why He said this...

Jesus, being God, knew and understood that hell is so horrific that one would be better off removing the offending body part than to participate in the offense itself.

It seems to indicate that hell's portion (degree of suffering in hell) is commensurate with one's degree of offense (sin).

I'm definitely open to any opposing position but this is how I understand it.

[Bolts]

The Holy Spirit will never be made redundant. Those whose names are written in the Lambs book of the living will not be lost - God has everything in hand

Remember the bible is a two edged sword. Written in a way that man can understand - for example, we understand what gouging out an eye is and we can near feel it as we read it, but comprehending what it means to be saved by grace, or to live by faith, are beyond our understanding unless the spirit of the Lord reveals to us what it means and how it works.

We live in a devine plan not a human one.

[Guest shiloh357]

Well first of all its been a long time since I've been here and I'd like to wish everyone happy holidays. I've been growing more spiritually for the last few months and I'd like to post a topic I was discussing with a friend.

He believes that the Bible should not be taken literally. Its just ridiculous to do so. Certain things in the Bible just don't make sense at all with our rational world. He brought the fact that God spoke through a donkey into his arguement and started building up on it.

I'm sure many Christians have this problem. I admit there are some things that should not be taken literally such as Jesus telling people to gouge out their eye or chop off their hand. As far as we know all the disciples had both eyes and hands. But the problem comes when the story sounds like something out of Greek mythology.

Well let me start by saying that the Bible only contains a few events. These few events took place in a span of thousands of years. That alone tells you that these events were extremely rare even in ancient times. The Bible seems like a book of fables only because it records unique events. It does not record every moment of everyones lives. Everything in the Bible should be taken literally, especially the stories. Unless it contradicts what God has said we should not deny validity of it. If you deny one thing what stops us from denying something else? Soon the Bible will not be looked on as a history book but a book of fables with morals and such. That's what we have to avoid.

Taking the Bible literally...

To take or read the Bible in a literal fashion means to read it as literature. In other words, a narrative, historical event should be read as a narrative historical event. A prophecy should be read as a prophecy, and not like a parable. There are different literary types in the Bible. There is history, prophecies, prose, parables, proverbs, allegories, and even poetry. They should each be read as they were intended to be read.

The problem is when people begin reading historical accounts as parables, or allegories. That is where they get into trouble. When people don't want to accept the historicity of a particular event, they pretend that such events should be understood as actual events.

You are exactly right. When we start denying the truth of Scripture in one area, where does it stop??? Most of the time, denying the historicity of the Bible has a much deeper motive. If someone can successfully discredit any of the supernatural events that occurred, they feel they will be able to discredit what the Bible says about their sin.

[other one]

Let me ask you all a question....

If your right hand had gangreen in it and could not be fixed and the doctor came to you and ask you if you wanted to cut off your hand or die in two weeks from the infection. What would you do?

If you have something wrong with your eyes that were life threatening would you die instead of loosing your eyesight...... I don't think so.

Jesus was simply telling us that if some part of us is broken and we can not controll it to the point that it is going to send you to hell, then cut it off...... it's to our benifit to loose that part than to burn in hell for eternity.

[Gerioke]

Let me ask you all a question....

If your right hand had gangreen in it and could not be fixed and the doctor came to you and ask you if you wanted to cut off your hand or die in two weeks from the infection. What would you do?

If you have something wrong with your eyes that were life threatening would you die instead of loosing your eyesight...... I don't think so.

Jesus was simply telling us that if some part of us is broken and we can not controll it to the point that it is going to send you to hell, then cut it off...... it's to our benifit to loose that part than to burn in hell for eternity.

Would you mind coming by and helping me poke my eyes out? I just can't bring myself to do it.

[larryt]

Taking the Bible literally...

To take or read the Bible in a literal fashion means to read it as literature. In other words, a narrative, historical event should be read as a narrative historical event. A prophecy should be read as a prophecy, and not like a parable. There are different literary types in the Bible. There is history, prophecies, prose, parables, proverbs, allegories, and even poetry. They should each be read as they were intended to be read.

The problem is when people begin reading historical accounts as parables, or allegories. That is where they get into trouble. When people don't want to accept the historicity of a particular event, they pretend that such events should be understood as actual events.

You are exactly right. When we start denying the truth of Scripture in one area, where does it stop??? Most of the time, denying the historicity of the Bible has a much deeper motive. If someone can successfully discredit any of the supernatural events that occurred, they feel they will be able to discredit what the Bible says about their sin.

Hi All,

I just wanted to introduce myself and join into your discussion if nobody minds...

I am relatively a new comer to Christianity, basically I was born and baptized as a Catholic but have never actually been a "practicing" Catholic. For some reason it popped into my head that with all the confusion going on in the world I better pick up a copy of the Bible and read it for myself. We only get one chance at this life so I had to make sure whether or not I was going to turn to God or turn away from God. In either case I had to make the decision based on a sound educated one.

It didn't take me long to understand that the Bible contains a wealth of information, which in either case, can save a person or slip the neuse around ones neck as well. I quickly became embroiled in the Creation vs Evolution debate and found out real fast that more people are inclined to attack the bible without even having read it. They make snap judgments and produce explanations of so called "Biblical Contradictions" from websites by others that are also have no knowledge of the teachings itself.

Being a "Newbie" so to speak as far as scripture goes, it didn't take much for me to understand that Jesus didn't actually mean for me to cut off my hand or pluck out my eye as stated in Mathew 5: 29-30

29 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

I honestly have to agree with catsmeow, that in fact Jesus was speaking metaphorically.

If I am understanding what a doctrine is, what I appear to be witnessing, is that many people grab one verse which is one part of a doctrine which requires other verses in order to complete the doctrine and they use it like some sort ammunition to say that the verse means something negative and or is in contradiction to something else in the Bible.

Regardless of how far off from reality these people may be, there seems to be no way of reasoning with them to take the time and study the Bible for themselves and to stop being pursueded by "society's" interpretation of the Bible when none of them have actually read it.

So until someone can prove me wrong I will stick with the Bible as my personal guide to life and trust in it implicitly regardless if others find it hard to believe, I can just as easily extrapolate theories which I can establish that the Bible is in fact correct historically speaking right down to Genesis 1 because I cannot for some reason or another accept repulsive discussions by people who knock something they know nothing about and or haven't even read.

Jesus has that one laid out for us too.

Mark 12:24:

And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?

Regards

Christopher_John

Hi Christopher_John,

Welcome to Worthy Boards.

Not bad for a newbie. Keep studying to show yourself approved unto God.(2Tim 2:15) And keep asking the Holy Spirit to guide you in the truth.(John 16:13)

LT

[Guest shiloh357]

Let me ask you all a question....

If your right hand had gangreen in it and could not be fixed and the doctor came to you and ask you if you wanted to cut off your hand or die in two weeks from the infection. What would you do?

If you have something wrong with your eyes that were life threatening would you die instead of loosing your eyesight...... I don't think so.

Jesus was simply telling us that if some part of us is broken and we can not controll it to the point that it is going to send you to hell, then cut it off...... it's to our benifit to loose that part than to burn in hell for eternity.

What Jesus was saying is that we are to cut those things out of our life that inhibit our relationship with Him. If certain influences in our lives are causing us to stumble then we need to lose those influences. That means tellling those around us, that we don't want to hear their dirty jokes, or that we cannot any long behave in such a fashion. It means losing certain TV shows and other forms of entertainment that maybe causing us to drift away from the Lord. Anything that takes our eyes off of Jesus is to cut away from us.