How can I tell which parts of the Bible are literal and which are metaphorical?

Answer 1

It's called Pick'N'Mixism - you just ignore the bits that don't sit well with you,like when Jesus said to sell all your worldly goods and follow the bits you do like go forth and multiply.

Answer 2

If you have seen it done, can do it, if it is possible then it is true. If not, it is metaphorical.
EG: Do you know any virgins who gave birth? Have you seen water literally made into wine?
Do you think a loaf of bread would feed thousands?
Do you know anyone who survived in the belly of a whale?
It is either a lie or a metaphor.

Answer 3

hi Dany ; MY NAME IS MURRAY perhaps i can give u some help here since soo many here just want points and have no good answers to give you..
I lost all i was going to say a few minutes ago so i have to start over , i be brief for i have limited time.. , ,
EACH PERSON learns at a different rate but so many christians are spoon fed the wrong information leaving them empty and void and they give some good information just not precise, and so at times you are no better off the when u stated the question!! metaphor and parables are a lot alike and similar in the way they are presented .. .
you have to lok at the context of the story fully before and after .. some will tell you this and some will tell you that ; yes its important already to have accepted JESUS as your savior but just because u are a christian doesnt mean u have all the truth,,
MANY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF christians walk around with so little light they barely can see the truths in the bible . why? to many assumptions and again their pastors feed them little bits of truth mixed with a whole lot of error.. or jus t a little bit , when u mix error with truth it becomes clouded and u cant see clearly!!
In psalms 78 speaking of JESUS its written down how HE will teach in verses 2, and 3 .
HE WOULD speak dark sayings of old they had heard from their fathers but in a way that is present for them right now.. story tellers didnt come out and just say it for if they did it this way it wold go in one ear and out the other.. when u have to think about it thats when it means more to you and when it sinks in it usually is an experiance that is lasting...
ok in a metaphor and a parable you can understand what is being said wether or not its real or not by the context of the message... more times than not a metaphor is a way of going back in time to explain something in a way that although you were not their the curtains of time are drawn back , and things u didnt know are revealed. in isaiah and ezekial we have a metaphor of just who satan is and was using a man as an example mm remember a metaphor tells a story and although its true in its setting alone its a something or someone that is a represenative of the fact . . in isaiah ch 14 we have a story about luicifer, aka. satan devil, he is called son of the morning ,, hhehe! now how can someone actually be the son, of the morning?? //
now just before verse 12 we have the trees of lebanon rejoicing we all know tress cannot talk dont we??
I HAVE SAID THAT IN A PARABLE OR IN A METAPHOR its stated in the passage of what you are reading just what it is tha tis being said ,, read from begining to the end and not just one verse or two. so many fail to understand for they take it literally. .satan luicifer is real he was an angel but here the LORD is using thre king of babylon as an example .. READ THE FULL CHAPTER .. LETS MOVE ON TO EZEKIAL chap 28 now its similar in thought as isaiah describing a man but talking about luicifer read carefully and see no man was ever in heaven no man was ever in eden at this time in history. in verse 14 it states u were the annointed cherub ,a ceubub is an angel but he was not just an angel or any angel, it states he was a covering angel next to the throne of GOD HIMSELF,, bible truths prohecy parables and alagorys take time to sink in and undersatnd dont give up maybe if u like when i have time to fully look it up a can e-mail u a few things that u can have as a code to understand more easily . God bless.. I HAVE SOO MUCH information its hard for me to know just where to find it all..,, ;;;;;;;just want to say and add that martin was of help but epistles and revelation and such are not just for a time or certain groups of people . they are warnings for all THAT WILL LIVE GODLY most prophecies are not just in the old tetestament either for the 4 gospel accounts tell of jesus telling what will be at the end of the age . pauls writings like in 1n2 thesalonians also reveal the age we be living in just before JESUS RETRNS so remember GODS WORD is a light that ever shines to the end of time .

Answer 4

If you like it and agree with it, it's literal. If not, it's metaphorical.

Answer 5

That's what the Holy Spirit is for - but you must be born again before you will be filled with the Spirit - until then, the Bible is of no use to you, I'm sorry.

It is a parable for the saved, not a textbook for the damned.

Answer 6

If you are a true believer then you know you do not have to ask God is real and the Bible will let you know that...My Dear

Answer 7

Common sense.

Answer 8

There are no rules - it depends on how liberal or traditionalist your church is. If you are truly concerned, book a meeting with your local priest to discuss your issues.

Answer 9

any specific parts?
sorry yudavill - not a good argument really - have you ever seen Julius Caesar?

Answer 10

Different literary genres (kinds of literature) are interpreted in different ways, so the first question to ask is: “To which category of literature does the text you are interpreting belong? Below are brief descriptions of the different genres found in the Bible:

Historical Narratives. These describe actual historical events from God’s perspective. They tell us what God is like (His character and nature), what God likes/dislikes, how He deals with people who obey and honour Him, and how he deals with those who disobey and hate Him. Narratives give us principles and lessons, not commands, patterns or laws. Historical Narratives are found in Genesis, Exodus, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1-2 Samuel, 1-2 Kings, 1-2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther. In the New Testament, they can be found in parts of the Gospels, and the book of Acts.

Poetry and Songs. These are expressions of emotion to God. They allow us to express to God our feelings of happiness, joy, trust, hope, security, as well as feelings of discouragement, guilt, suffering, fear, anger, despair and repentance. They also assist us in expressing our love and appreciation for God or our need for forgiveness. Poetry and Songs allow us to relate to God on our own level. They show us how to communicate with God and how to honour and worship Him. In the Old Testament, these writings are found primarily in the Psalms and Song of Songs.

Legal Writings. These writings indicate God’s high moral standard, His idea of justice, principles of common sense government, principles of common sense health and safety, and His pattern and order for acceptable worship. These laws are NOT directly applicable to Christians today i.e. they are not meant to be legalistic instructions and commands to Christians. Such legal writings can be found in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.

Wisdom/Wise Sayings. These writings indicate God’s view of wisdom as opposed to man’s view of wisdom. They contain wise sayings, and practical advice on how to live life and avoid trouble and hardship. Wisdom literature can be found primarily in Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Job.

Prophecy. Prophecy is God’s message to a particular person, a particular group of people and sometimes to all humanity. It is not necessarily foretelling the future – in fact the vast majority of prophecy in the Bible speaks of the present. Prophecy is found primarily in the Old Testament, from Isaiah to Malachi.

Teachings of Jesus. These are direct statements of truth from Jesus concerning the nature and character of God the kingdom of God/Heaven, what God expects of us, principles of righteous living, and the ways in which Jesus fulfils the OT prophecies. They are not exhaustive ‘DOs and DON’Ts,’ but rather, serve as examples and paradigms (patterns) from which we can derive underlying principles to apply in other situations. These teachings are found in parts of the Gospels i.e. Matthew – John.

Parables. Parables are stories with a punch-line. Parables are not so much illustrative, but rather, provocative. They are designed to draw people in and hit them with something unexpected, in the same way a joke does. Most parables have only one message or central idea, and even if multiple messages are present, one of them will be the chief idea. Note also that they are not perfect analogies! Parables are also found in parts of the Gospels.

Letters. These are generally occasional documents i.e. they were written with a clear purpose to a well identified audience. However, some letters (called epistles) were written to a larger people group. The letter/epistle writer presents arguments to correct, rebuke, defend, instruct, praise and encourage their readers. Letters/epistles form the vast majority of the New Testament from Romans to Jude.

Apocalypse. This includes the book of Revelation, and also large parts of Ezekiel and Daniel. Revelation is a vision of warning and encouragement to the early church as it was going through immense persecution.
Regard for literary devices

"Various forms of Hebrew poetry, simile, metaphor, and hyperbole need to be recognized if the reader is to understand the passage's meaning."