Why do Christians believe that some of the bible is literal and some is figurative?

Question

How do you know this? Is there a "bible Mark 3" or "bible bibliography" or something that the rest of the planet doesn't know about?

How can christians be so arrogant as to say the word of god is not really meant that way? Who gives you this authority?

And please don't answer with circular logic.

i.e. The holy spirit tells me so

Answer 1

There is no cut and dried way to answer what you wish to know. But generally speaking, Christian biblical interpretations are highly dependent on the spiritual base of the person doing the interpreting who, in turn, wouldn't probably accept teachings except from someone with the same tradition of thinking. If you go back enough in time or thinking you'll find that, ultimately, each teaching started with someone who had some type of agenda, usually political and financial in the Roman Empire. Romans established Christianity as state religion. But that doesn't answer the differences in biblical interpretation between Christians. The Christian church was pretty much monolithic until Martin Luther and the ensuing Reformation, in which others also participated. Luther and other reformers resented the authority of Catholic clergy and wondered how come intermediaries were needed to be in contact with God. So they decided that humans could directly contact God by directly and literally interpreting the Bible as the unadulterated word of God. Of course, that argument missed the point that the Bible is really a compilation of books from different eras and by different authors from different backgrounds and that it was put together by an all too human team of theologians (Council of Nicaea, first few centuries AD). That's where the concept of faith was brought to bear on all this: Faith is what tells fundamentalist Christians that the Bible is literally true and tells Catholics that it requires interpretation. To summarize, there's no definite scientific answer to your question, but history sheds some light on possible partial answers.

Answer 2

Well, the bible contains different kinds of literature. Some is literal, and some is figurative. The best thing to do is to take a literary view of the bible. Determine which kind of literature a given passage is, and go from there.

For example, in Isaiah there is a phrase that says "The trees clap their hands." Obviously, this is a figurative and poetic phrase.

In the New Testament, when it says, "Paul held discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrranus" that is obviously literal.

These are two simple examples, but you get the idea.

Additionally, it helps to know what the bible actually teaches, and what it does not. For example, it was determined by some famous bishop that the earth was created in the year 4004 BC or thereabouts. His determination was based on his study of the geneaologies of the bible.

Unfortunately for him, the geneaologies in the bible are incomplete, and there is NO WAY of determining the age of creation with the information given in the bible. However, this idea has persisted, and people unfamiliar with the bible dismiss the whole thing because some hold that the earth is 6000 years old. But that notion is not found in the bible.

So it becomes quite a mess, if one is not careful to know what one is talking about before one opens one's big yapper.

Love, Jack

Answer 3

The words of Our author contains the two literal and figuratively yet the two way that's extremely clean and particularly to the guy that is familiar with the Jewish custom in those days The Holy Bible does incorporate sufficient evidence in it that all of us be attentive to it to be the words of God and it may be impossible odds for all that to come back via twist of destiny the events and which ability and prophecies all coming completely jointly via 40 distinctive authors writing sixty six books over a 1500 year era , there is no different have faith device on the earth that has the credibility the Holy Bible contains stands far extra than all the religions of the international or maybe the hot faith of evolution has been completely debunked over the final decade even however they nonetheless attempt to concepts wash the ignorant and the government likes the evolution lies because of the fact than they could lay out what's proper and what's incorrect they could call evil good and good evil and who ought to declare distinctive for they in contact larger than us known individuals

Answer 4

Well, I've answered this question a couple of times..and the best explanation I can give for the "how do you know this is literal" is something I heard that I thought made pretty good sense: with regard to interpretation...."if the most literal sense makes sense, seek no other sense". The bible communicates with us in several different ways. Much of it is literal, yes. But then you also have metaphors, symbolism, parables (which Jesus used alot), etc.

May I give you a for instance? Jesus said, about sin, that it's better to cut off your hand or gouge out your eye than (to let sin tempt you). Now, did He mean literally to do this? Doubtful. Most people would be walking around eyeless and handless. This is called hyperbole...it is exaggeration for the purpose of making a point.

It's not arrogant to be able to "rightly divide the word of truth". It's something that is learned by studying it. I'm not saying everything I think is right...but in studying the bible for many, many years, I do think I've got a good understanding of its meaning.

Hope this helps you.

Answer 5

The answer is that it is entirely dependent on how much reason a person allows into their thinking.

The more a person introduces reason ("a 6,000 year old earth is just implausible given the proof") the more they view it figuratively. Some even make it all figurative, except for a handful of miracles like the resurrection.

There is no objective basis to decided "where" reason ends and faith begins. Most people (but amazingly, not all) think there should be at least some reason introduced, which is where moderates come from. I personally think reason is paramount, and should not be second to ideas of fancy. That is probably the major reason why I don't believe in the bible anymore.

Nevertheless, there is no good answer to your question. Its simple a matter of at which points in the bible do folks put their thinking cap on, and at which points to they take it off.

Answer 6

Some Christians believe the Bible is literal and some would agree with your statement. Some passages, given the context of the times and literary environment in which they were written, seem more likely to be allegorical. For example, the Revelation is filled with metaphorical imagery, but some is literal as well. And, yes, there are many works that debate this very topic, which one might compile into a "bible bibliography."

As for me and my family, we will follow the Lord . . . May God bless and keep you.

Answer 7

to know and to believe are two different things. How does WHO "know" this? Do you know what all christians believe OR know? What way, do YOU think the word of God is really meant? Or did you forget to read that book? What authority? Is it not natural or "authorized" for everyone to have beleifs, opinions, or knowledge? You certainly seem to think you have that authority - where did you get yours? And foremost how can YOU be so arrogant, to be condescending of a people, their beliefs, knowledge and attitude while simotaneously stating that you have no idea what you're writing, thinking, stating and asking. How many other books have you not read or attempted to understand that you have formed such a big opinion of?

Answer 8

Its called "Hermeneutics", the study of "How to study the Bible". Some of the Bible is History, some Prophecy, some parable, some literal, some metaphorical. If you don't know the difference-you can get lost. These courses can be taken in Bible college or seminary. It a tough study.

Answer 9

Because with all the interpretations and translations, no one can really be sure what any of it means, for sure. I'd like to think that God takes this into account. Many people seek him, wholeheartedly and end up in different places. Why? Because ( and here's the controversial part) Either way, you have to pass man in order to gain your understanding of the word. Not just ministers. People say that all you have to do is trust God but how can you trust yourself to trust him? We're not perfect. Therefore, our interpretation may not be, either.

Answer 10

The Holy Spirit. But you probably dont know what I mean by that.

The Holy Spirit is our guide, and helps us to understand.

How is that circular? You asked for an authority, I gave you one, you didnt like the answer, so you dismiss it. I am not suprised, its typically circular, on your part.