Many people say that the bible is the 'literal' word of god, that the earth was created in six 'literal' days etc... is there a scripture anywhere in the bible that makes reference to its literalness? Or is this just a claim of people who would like this to be the case?
2007-10-31 03:53:37 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Jed: obviously people take it literally, my question concerns why they do this if the bible itself does not state this.
2007-10-31 04:11:10 · update #1
Jed: so in your writing you never use metaphor? If you do, do you not distinguish it from the rest of your writing? How does one reading the bible know the difference if the bible does not distinguish?
2007-10-31 04:14:42 · update #2
Earth Angel: the problem comes when people attempt to interpret what they think is "literal" and what is "metaphorical". I suspect this has much to do with why there are so many sects of christianity.
2007-10-31 04:19:36 · update #3
The word "Bible" isn't in the Bible, so that hardly proves anything. The word "literal" means "by the letter." In other words, as intended. Context generally provides the understanding as to whether something is to be taken in a wooden literal sense, or is to be understood as a literal truth in figurrative terms. Jesus said, "I am the door" but reason and context makes it certian that he did not mean he was a 4x6 oak panel with a peep hole and knob. But he is literally the only entrance to salvation, heaven, etc. Creation was a literal event, and it is described with literal features, but good Christians disagree with whether it literally happened in 6 twenty-four hour days, or if the literalness lies simply in the sixness, that six periods of much longer time could be meant. This is where we have to have latitude, but we would always want to say the Bible is literal. What is the alternative, make believe? Not to be taken as true? Not to be trusted in what it conveys? Keep the meaning of literal where it should be, and that is that the text is always literally true, but context dictates if it is truth conveyed in figures.
2007-10-31 04:11:06 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have a King James Version of the Holy Bible, and the word "literal" is not in there. I think they mean that it is the "inspired" Word of God as is stated in the following scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16 - "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness."
2007-10-31 11:02:40 · answer #2 · answered by Virginia B (John 16:33) 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To answer your question literally (ha ha), no. Literal is a French word and so would not be found in the Bible. It was originally used to contrast knowledge coming from the Bible (literal meaning, "from letters") versus mystical knowledge, or knowledge coming from spiritual experience.
2007-10-31 11:02:35 · answer #3 · answered by toromos 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
2 Cor. 2:13 gives the key to understanding the Bible. "Which things we also speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth; but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with things spiritual." Actually, almost the entire book is Paul's rant against interpreting scriptures literally like the Jews did, causing them to misunderstand the references to Christ. Their claim was that Jesus did not fulfill the Jewish scriptures outwardly, LITERALLY,which was true. However, he did inwardly, SPIRITUALLY, and they did not recognize it. Is there a lesson in this for modern people? After all, God is not after our body, our flesh, but after our heart, our spirit, our soul. Essentially, the Bible is a spiritual, not a literal message.
2007-10-31 10:59:16 · answer #4 · answered by jaicee 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Many words are not in the Bible.
But consider the views shown in the Bible how people understood the scriptures...they took it literally.
2007-10-31 10:57:28 · answer #5 · answered by Jed 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I do a lot of writing for teaching resources.
I rarely use the the word "literal", but that does not mean that my texts should not be taken literally.
The Bible is multi-faceted.
It is history, poetry, chronology, prophecy, and lessons for practical living.
All of it can be taken in a literal sense.
2007-10-31 11:01:33 · answer #6 · answered by Bob L 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
no. close, but no.the Bible was originally written in "Amharic", and there is no translation for "Literal". the closest would probably be "meaningfull". hope this helped. God-Bless. 1st Sgt., 7th Special Forces, (Ret.) Vietnam 67-70
2007-10-31 11:07:06 · answer #7 · answered by KatVic 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋