If the OT is a metaphor, then could the NT be also?

Question

Ok, so I don't believe the whole world was under water, and I don't believe a snake convinced the first humans to sin. Why should I believe that Jesus was born of a virgin, that he healed the sick, or was God?

--Struggling Christian

Answer 1

yes and you shouldn't....

Answer 2

All religion is a metaphor, because human beings are unable to fully describe the reality of God. However, Christians believe that the nature of God is uniquely revealed in the person of Jesus Christ. How you interpret that is up to you - and there is a wide diversity of Christian opinion about how the Gospel should be read. I would not suggest you read the Gospel as a historical account of past events any more than you would read the book of Genesis as such. rather, it is a living text, through which the Spirit continues to speak to us when we approach it with an enquiring mind and a humble heart.

Answer 3

Great point.

That is the biggest problem with the metaphore theory. Either the bible was inspired and is the perfect word of God or it wasn't.

Stating that the bible is full of metaphors creates a huge problem for people seeking the true will of God. If one story is a metaphor, then there is no way to determine which stories are true and which are just parables.

What if the story of Christ raising from the dead is a metaphore. That means that Paul's doctrine of salvation is not correct, and that Gentiles are not going to heaven, and that the Jews should be living under the old law.

Too many problems with placing bandaids on belief.

Answer 4

The OT was a shadow of what was to come, the reality. Just as the shadow tracks perfectly with the real being, yet is only an image behind the light, so did the OT track along with the truth until the reality of man's salvation could be revealed. The material was a shadow of the spiritual truth.

Answer 5

Let me ask you then... Does it really matter if it is literal or not? It is meant to teach a lesson... It is meant to guide you toward the path that Jesus walked on... Personally, I don't take the Bible literally... It's all symbolism for us to easily understand what God wants us to understand...As long as you are understanding the "moral" of each story... then you're on the right track... Mary could not have been a virgin, but what is the point to the story? It's supposed to show Jesus was not like us... He was above all Humans... He was not conceived in the way you or I was... He's superior to us... Take it... or leave it...

Answer 6

Not a metaphor although metaphors are used in it. You seem to have an all or nothing thing going on here. Some things might be metaphorical but they would only be metaphorical if that was a metaphor in use at the time.

As for the new testament - there is more than 100 times the documentation for events in the new testament than there is documentation for the wars of the middle ages. The battle of hastings has less actual evidence for its existence than there is for Paul's travellings for instance. I think you need to spend some time studying. I would reccommend looking at Josh McDowells books or Lee Strobels.

EF

Answer 7

Well, you said it yourself... "I don't believe". What is there more to say? That's what faith is, believing. That's what God wants you to do, believe Him.

There is no scientific evidence that proves that there was no creation or that there never was a flood. Also, if you believe in God why is it difficult to believe Satan can take the form of a snake and talk with Eve?

People saw Jesus. The men that wrote the gospel saw Jesus with their own eyes. They believed him and they told everyone the Gospel. That is the proof, the Bible. Historical and archaeological evidence agree with the NT.

Answer 8

Since there were over 10 previous "crucified savior, born of a virgin" tales going around prior to Jesus, it's not logical to assume his was an original.

Answer 9

you are not a christian if you do not believe the new testiment I admit some of the old testiment may have been metaphor. but with out Jesus being who he said he was and his sacrifice for our sins there would be no Christianity. you can not say you are a christian if you do notbelieve Jesus is our gift of salvation.

Answer 10

THE BIBLE AND THE PEOPLE THAT WROTE IT IS REAL

The flood was real and destroyed the life sustaining earth, it has to be made new 2Pet.3:13; for John 3:16; Satan Rev.12:9; knew how to be a ventriliquist.
Mary was very honored to be the mother of Jesus, she was of Nathan the son of David, and her husband Joseph was of Jehoiachin. Noah was son #10, Abraham son #20, David son #34, Jehoiachin son #48 Eze.1:2; and Jesus son #62 in genealogy, born in Rome world Empire #6. Matt.1:1-17;

BIBLE BOOKS IN ORDER WITH ALL PROPHETS
#01. Genesis ~~~ Billions in time. Old earth prepared ages in time.
~~~ Adam- to year 2368, Joseph dies, Gen.50:26; flood 712 ago, 1698 BC
#02. Job [ 2293 to 2433, Moses age 80, Adam-2513 ], flood-857 & 1553 BC.
#03. Exodus 7:7; 12:40,41; Gal.3:16-18 [ 430 covenant to law ] flood-857.
#04. Leviticus [Abraham, Isaac, Jacob & Levi. Priestline 1Cor.6:1-15; Ezra];
#05. Numbers [ 33:38,39; Aaron Priest line age 123, 40th year dies ];
#06. Deuteronomy [ Moses 120, 40th died, flood-897, Adam-2553 ]; 1513 BC
#07. Joshua [ 5:6,10,12; 14th day New Year, flood-898th ago ]; 1512 BC
#08. Judges [ 11:26; 300 Judge Jair dies, flood-1198 ]; 1212 BC
#09. Ruth [ Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Parez king line 4:18-22 ]; David 1107 BC
#10. 1Samuel [ Acts 13:20; 450 & 857, flood-1307 , Samuel 80 ]; 1103 BC
#11. 2Samuel [ Saul 1117 to 1077 BC ], David 1077 to 1037 BC
#12. 1Kings [ 6:1; 480 - 1513 Deut.34:7; 36 1Ki.42:11 ] ; 997 BC
#13. Psalms
#14. Proverbs Solomon 997 Bc. 18 Judah kings to 391st year is 606 BC.
#15. Ecclesiastes
#16. Song of Solomon-THE PROMISED LAND PROPHETS
#17. 2 Kings ~~~~~~~ 1077-1037 BC Gad 2Sam.24:11; Nathan 1Ki,1:45;
#18. 1Chronicles~~~~ 1037-0977 BC Ahijah 1Ki.11:29;12:22; Shemaiah
#19. 2Chronicles~ 0977-0947 BC Old Prophet 1. 1Ki.13:11,31 2. Man of God.
#20. Isaiah~~~~~~~~~ 0947-0936 BC Elijah 1Ki.16:1; 16:7; Jehu
#21. Hosea ~~~~~~~~~ 0936-0913 BC Micaiah 1Ki.22:9; Elisha 2Ki.2:1;
#22. Joel ~~~~~~~~~~ 0913-0827 BC Amitai and Jonah 2Ki.14:25;
#23. Amos ~~~~~~~~~~ 0827-0714 BC Hosea 1:1; 2Ki.15:2; 19:2; Isaiah
#24. Obadiah ~~~~~~~ 0827-0800 BC Joel 1:1; and Amos 1:1;
#25. Nahum ~~~~~~~~~ 0800-0750 BC Obadiah 1:1;
#26. Jonah ~~~~~~~~~ 0750-0777 BC Nahum 1:1;
#27. Habakkuk ~~~~~~ 0777-0760 BC Habakkuk 1:1;
#28. Zephaniah ~~~~~ 0777-0720 BC Zephaniah 1:1;
#29. Micah ~~~~~~~~~ 0720-0650 BC Micah Jer.26:18;
#30. Jeremiah ~ 0650~0606-0570-BC 0550 Jeremiah 2Ki.23:23; Baruch
#31. Lamentations ~~ 0606-0554 BC Huldah 2Ki.22:14; Ezekiel 2Ki.24:12;
#32. Ezekiel ~~~~~~~ 0633-0606-BC Adam 3460- 0533 BC Daniel and Iddo
#33. Daniel-633-606~ 0533-0526-BC 0443 BC, Ezra, Haggai and Mordecai
~~~ Flood 1804 -606 2Ki.25:8; 2Chr.36:20-23; 391st -997 Solomon. 606 BC
#34. Ezra-0526-0443 BC. #35. Nehemiah. #36. Esther [ and Mordecai ].
~~~~ #37. Zechariah, #38. Haggai. #39. Malachi. 443 BC
Babylon Empire #3, 3460, 606 to Jesus in Rome #6, now 2007 is 6,073.
O.T. 39 books 1110 years, done 443 BC. Greece Empire #5, 336 BC
N.T. 27 books 50 - 100 years after Christ in Roman Empire #6.
KJV Bible 1611 published, at 303 years is 1914 after Christ [ now 2007 ],
93 years ago an excepted translation by law of man and God, for end times.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ AS IN BIBLE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth,
1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Ester, Job,
Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah,
Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah,
Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Heb.11:1-40,12:1,2; Acts 7:1-60,13:17-23; The bible is very real.

Answer 11

Yes, it is all based on mystique, with no satisfactory answer about the purpose of life.