Is the Bible literal or mostly metaphorical?

Question

Some things just dont make sense.

Answer 1

Metaphorical

Answer 2

There is both in the bible and I don't know why you are having trouble understanding it.
There is metaphor in most, if not all literature.
When they bible says...A certain man had a field..it is an example. When it says Joesephus had a large field in Jerusalem..it is literal.
Try one of the bible websites that has commentaries and explainations. That might help. biblegateway.com is a good one. Also try a translation that has more modern language, like the Amplified or the message bible. God does want it to be clear and he does want you to understand.

Answer 3

The bible is a complete allegory. The key of knowledge is to turn the scriptures within yourself as it reflects your mind and being.

To be honest in the Theology it was WELL known that scriptures were to be taken allegorically.

Origen in his De Principiis : “Where the word found that things done according to the history could be adapted to these mystical senses, he made use of them concealing from the multitude the deeper meaning; but where in the narrative of the development of super-sensual things, there did not follow the performance of those certain events which were already indicated by the mystical meaning, the scripture interwove in the history the account of some event that did not take place, sometimes what could not have happened; sometimes what could but did not.”

G.R.S. Mead entitled Fragments of a Faith Forgotten, this explanation is put forth: “…what the Gnostics projected onto the screen… [in the form of a ] picture of the universe was in reality a picture of their own minds. Its mythology is a symbolic portrayal, almost a deliberate one, of the forces which operate in the structuring and evolution of the human personality”.

Answer 4

thats an excellent question! if you look carefully & imean carefully you can see for yourself that more than 50% of the bible is metaphorical, people will say it is literal but lets be real. think about it like this, most of the things that happened back then does not happen in these days & time, they can find cities upon cities but they cant find noahs ark! hum?when jesus spoke he did'nt speak literal he spoke in parables with metaphors showing you a sign that literaly means something else. thats why to some the bible is so confusing, let me refer you to something jesus said when he was asked about why he speaks in parables:"because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of god, but onto them it is not given", the metaphors is so that all wouldnt posses this knowledge. read (REV 10:7),the truth of god has been kept secret for a long time.

Answer 5

The bible is a religious book, not a science or historical book. So if you are applying the scientific method to revelation, it definitely won't make sense.

When asked this question my answer is both. You take the bible literally because the bible interrupts itself.

Every word in bible is examined according to how it used. A concordance (Strong's in my case) helps clarify what is being said; what is literally being said. Sometimes you have to look at the Hebrew or Greek word to make sure that the word is correct.

Here is an example from Romans 12:20-21
20On the contrary:
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."[e] 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

How is heap burning coals on his head overcoming evil with good? Paul is quoting [e] from Prov 25:21-22, so we know this is not from the 1st Century.
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;
if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
22 In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head,
and the LORD will reward you.

Why does God reward you by heaping burning coals on your enemy's head? God kills him after you gave him food and water?

The answer is in the village. A village would a single source of burning coal, and in the morning, the women would carry some of it to their homes. Women would carrying the coals on the head using a broken pottery jar. Cold morning, coals on the head. "Heaping firey coals on their head" means a warm feeling. This would be like placing a wet wash cloth on someone with a fever, the wet cloth a cool feeling.

Now read Paul verse Romans 12:20-21 (context all of Romans 12.) Metaphorical? Yes, “heap burning coals on his head” is a figure of speech.

Answer: Do not be trouble. Either something will make sense, or its meaning is lost (I have not found any lost meanings yet.). If you are patience, you will find meaning.

Answer 6

From my understanding the bible is written by many different people at many different "places" in their spiritual understanding.

Some of it is esoteric and some is exoteric, which means some is written from the Heart, and some is wirtten from the mind.
Dependent on where you are at, and I am not talking about the emotional heart here, then that is how you will "read" the bible.
It is a paradox, to seek with out love, or to seek with love.
All part of the undoing of the being.
Simliar to the "wisdom" held in symbols, but not the same.

Answer 7

The Apostle Paul wrote that without the Holy Spirit a person cannot understand the "Bible".

So the real question is, how do you get the Holy Spirit?

To answer your question bluntly. Jesus Christ as portrayed in the Gospels literally interprets the Old Testament Scriptures. The Apostles did the same thing.

So according to the central figure in the Bible, it is a literal book.

Answer 8

It is literal, metaphorical, and allegorical.

The truth is revealed by the Holy Spirit once a person has been born again.

There is enough of the bible that can be understood by one who is convicted of sin and seeking salvation from sin that will lead that person to Christ.

Answer 9

I think almost all of it is metaphorical. U can interpret it in so many different ways, which i love. If u interpret it literally, of course it wont make sence!

Answer 10

The bible is metaphorical. It is a guide to how to live as a good person. Interpret it as you will.

Answer 11

Metaphor is just an excuse to justify wrong and fabricated additions in bible..