How do you know which parts of the Bible are metaphor and which are literal?

Answer 1

pik and choose and decipher the metaphores as time goes on until it makes sense. Then as new technoologys come out, it stime to repick and rechoose.

Answer 2

Even the parts that seem like history are metaphor. It is all metaphor. Why? Because the stories were seriously edited by pagan imperial forces that had a great interest in using Judaism and Christianity as means of controlling a populace:

The Babylonians and Syrians with the Jews.

The Romans with the Christians.

There are, of course, preserved cultural stories in there that, like many other mythological lessons, tell important metaphorical stories about life. It is not worthless to study as such, but I am amazed at how many people wish to insist that they *know* how their world happened to exist.

Sais la vie, I suppose.

Of course I prayed to the holy spirit and all sorts of other deities, but they all give the same answer: No, really, you know it all! I don't trust those voices in my head though... I don't think you should either.

Answer 3

Depends on who you ask. I personally find it to be all metaphor. Some would say the entire thing should be literal (like god actually flooded the earth and that there were only two original people hahaha wow how would we all look then! incest=bad). The people who take the entire book seriously are kinda scary though, you know, some of the bible is rather graphic. I wonder if they actually stone disobedient children and prostitutes...

Answer 4

The context in which it is written will tell you most often. Those things that you know to be true, or are logically, possibly true, are literal. Those parts that require you to use the spiritual part of your mind are metaphor, or in other words, metaphorical revelation requires spiritual understanding.

Answer 5

This is a very difficult matter. However, people of faith can easily see the difference. They seek the interpretations in other parts of that Book, in other Holy Books and in the interpretations of the following Prophets.
And because of this, amidst continuous disputes, the followers of each religion keep on progressing in an ever-advancing civilization to our present global unity.

Answer 6

First, you pray to the Holy Spirit for divine guidance. Then you decide. If nobody else agrees with you, then you go out and form your very own church.

Or you could just become a Catholic. They figured all that stuff out around 1500 years ago.

Answer 7

Hard to explain here.

But I recomment this book 'Read the Bible for all it's worth'.

It is like doing a study in university for Arts in history and litreture. But simplier.

Answer 8

Most of its literal,definately from david onwards.
A lot of theologins have cross reference dates and events and a lot seems to stack up,

A lot of its pretty mundane and only covers who built this wall here or there,The jews seemed to be writting early on.

Answer 9

Since bible has been twisted and edited many times it is impossible to say

Answer 10

Get hold of a bible with commentaries.For instance the Torah,Tenach,Chumash,Massorah.To name a few.