Is everything in the bible literal?

[rtwo]

I am in agreement with Apoth on this, for the most part. The Bible needs to be looked at from a literary point of view, and a contextual point of view. We can learn much about what's being said if we pay attention to -how- it's said.

Having said that - some things are mysteries. We may never fully understand how God created the earth, and how long He took to do it -- until the day we meet Him. And, frankly, as long as we realize that He IS the Creator, and He is glorified through this understanding, the exact whys and wherefores don't make much of a difference.

Developing a contextual understanding, though, goes a long, long way to gaining a more accurate perspective on Scripture.

As Joe said (or, quoted, I should say), "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Tim 3:16). Scripture is Truth. There's no way of getting around that. But the way the Truth was delivered varies. Visions, as has been pointed out, cannot be taken as purely literal - and nobody, not even the most staunch of literalists, does that. But then we fail to apply that to other parts of Scripture and start to get questions about whether Christ will marry a city, and what color wool the Lamb of God will have.

[Smalcald]

But are not those relatively obvious?

I mean yes we should use our brain to read the bible, it was meant to be read with our mind. If you tried to read the bible in a purely literal way then you would not understand the parables Christ used for example.

However I don't need to understand everything about ancient Greece and Asia Minor in the year 90ad to understand what Paul is saying in his epistles. God used the writers of the bible to impart His intentions to human beings over the sweep of time and history.

Like I said though, things are debatable, particularly when we are talking about visions. But if someone say John says he is writing down a vision he had, and in that vision he sees the Lamb, who in other parts of scripture we know is the Christ, well then we know that the Lamb is not some giant cosmic Lamb.

But certainly we will argue about things in the bible which are mysterious and there are some things which are mysterious.

[zecha51]

Ask God to show you Truth in the Bible and to allow it to reach your heart. Then you will have greater

understanding of what is literal and not-literal.

"The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!" - John Chapter 1 v 35.

In a book like revelation, a new believer might think Jesus literally became a lamb. It can be extremely symbolic. However, in this case John was explaining how Jesus was like a lamb in terms of a sin sacrifice for us provided by God; so we call Him the "Lamb of God." This verse in John is not literal with more study of the Bible.

[salos]

There are things that in previous times people thought were figurative that turned out to be literal. Consider this prophecy from Ps. 22:

I am poured out like water,

And all My bones are out of joint;

My heart is like wax;

It has melted within Me.

15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd,

And My tongue clings to My jaws;

You have brought Me to the dust of death.

16 For dogs have surrounded Me;

The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me.

They pierced[c] My hands and My feet;

17 I can count all My bones.

They look and stare at Me.

18 They divide My garments among them,

And for My clothing they cast lots.

Some things are obviously symbolic, as the woman in Rev. 17. Some things are obviously literal, as the Lord's resurrection. When we don't know what category something fall in, it's okay to say we don't know.

[Vickilynn]

There are things that in previous times people thought were figurative that turned out to be literal. Consider this prophecy from Ps. 22:

I am poured out like water,

And all My bones are out of joint;

My heart is like wax;

It has melted within Me.

15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd,

And My tongue clings to My jaws;

You have brought Me to the dust of death.

16 For dogs have surrounded Me;

The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me.

They pierced[c] My hands and My feet;

17 I can count all My bones.

They look and stare at Me.

18 They divide My garments among them,

And for My clothing they cast lots.

Some things are obviously symbolic, as the woman in Rev. 17. Some things are obviously literal, as the Lord's resurrection. When we don't know what category something fall in, it's okay to say we don't know.

Shalom Salos,

Amen! Good post!!!!

[apothanein kerdos]

This is where I explain my position on the issue. It helps to know the genre and to use proper exegesis in order to determine if a passage is literal or not.

[Guest shiloh357]

To take the Bible "literally" means to treat the Bible as literature. The Bible is composite of different literary types, and God uses these types of literature to speak to us. He speaks to us in prophecies, parables, proverbs, poetry, psalms, prose, narrative short stories, etc.

Read a passage in the "literal" sense means that we understand or comprehend the object the author has in view. If the author uses a metaphorical device, it is up to us to see the literal, intended meaning behind the device that the author is trying to communicate.

The Bible was written by real people in history and God did not circumvent their culture or idiomatic forms of expression when He inspired the Word of God to be written. They had figurative modes of expression just like us.

For instance when Jesus said that if your right hand offends you to cut it off, or if your right eye offends you to pluck it out, it is obvious to any honest reader that Jesus is not really suggesting self mutilation. He means that if there is anything in our lives that be it a habit, or assoication that is hindering our walk and relationship with God, we need to sever or remove that association or habit from our lives. That is an easy example and there are others.

Taking the Bible literally is NOT a matter of reading it with a wooden face value approach.

[salos]

Vickilynn, thanks for your kind post.

AK makes a good point. Reading the bible with a mind to find out what's really there is not the same as reading it to find something to make an argument.

It helps to know the broad themes of the bible, then when we find something odd we have a proper context to use in our analysis.

[Vickilynn]

Vickilynn, thanks for your kind post.

Shalom Salos,

Welcome!

AK makes a good point. Reading the bible with a mind to find out what's really there is not the same as reading it to find something to make an argument.

That isn't the topic though, the topic is what parts are literal, not do we use the Bible to support an argument. Two different things in my book.

I personally look to the Bible to see what it says and the Christians that I know who want to serve G-d, not themselves, do the same. It has nothing to do with what parts are literal.

I think so many people want to make the Bible SO complicated, yet, I see it as much more simple. G-d did not make it hard to know His will and what is expected of us. G-d does not require us to be scientists to understand His Word. The Holy Spirit speaks to us through it.

[Guest]

"Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually."

1 Chronicles 16:11

I think so many people want to make the Bible SO complicated, yet, I see it as much more simple. G-d did not make it hard to know His will and what is expected of us. G-d does not require us to be scientists to understand His Word. The Holy Spirit speaks to us through it.

And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 29:13

Yeshua

Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,

Psalms 40:7

Jesus

Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.

Hebrews 10:17

The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:

The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:

The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.

Numbers 6:24-27

Love, Your Brother Joe