How do you know what parts of the bible are metaphors and what is real?

Question

It just seems so confusing to me. Thanks.

Answer 1

Sorry, it's greek to me too

Answer 2

A very good question. In most cases, the writers used rather straightforward narrative, meaning just what they say (for example, King A was so many years old when he began to reign, reigned so many years, and he died, and his son King B . . .you get the idea).

In other cases, the speakers and writers used figures of speech. One way to identify this is that you'll find these mostly when people are speaking to God, as in the Psalms; or when God is speaking to the people, especially in the prophets. Let me give you one classic example: God said that Ephraim, another name for the 10 Northern Tribes of Israel, was a "cake not turned", meaning, a half-cooked pancake! Did that mean everybody in the Northern Kingdom became pancake batter? No! God was using a graphic picture to say they were only half-baked.

That was only one example but there are many more. When you find a passage that leaves you stumped, ask your pastor, Sunday school teacher, or other church leader first. That way you may stand a better chance of getting a straight answer than from some of the wise-crackers on this forum. Those of us who really believe the Bible would be glad to answer honest questions about God's Word. A Merry Christmas to you and your family!

Answer 3

I'm going to start off by telling you I'm Jewish, so when I'm speaking of the Bible, I am referring to the Jewish Bible, the Hebrew Scriptures called Tanakh. The name of the Jewish Bible is an acronym for the three sections called Torah, Neviim and Ketuviim. Torah is the first five books, the Pentateuch or books of Moses. Neviim = Prophets, Ketuviim = Writings.

Please try to recall that the books of Moses are from about 3500 years ago. Humans had a very different level of knowledge of the processes of the world around them. Their paradigm was based on their knowledge, just as ours is today.

Even 200 years ago most people did not know things called 'germs" ( bacteria and viruses ) caused disease, so what they sincerely believed to be true about some things, we may now know is not.

Knowing this fact does not make them liars if there is something "wrong" ( the sun revolving around the earth, the earth a flat circular disc supported by the pillars of heaven with layers of domes of heaven and waters overhead )

Humans also penned the Torah. The ONLY things the Bible itself claims are written by God are the tablets of stone given to Moses at Sinai and the handwriting on the wall in front of Nebuchadnezzar...all else was filtered through a human brain that had never even seen a steam engine.

Knowing that some things in the Torah that the ancients believed sincerely to be true are wrong doesn't mean God lied in Torah or that every aspect of what is written is invalid.

I see many people claim the creation story and the story of the flood in Genesis are "metaphor". I don't see it that way. I see that they believed it to be true based on their perspective and world view. I don't believe the entire earth was covered by a deluge anytime in the last 7000 years, but there were probably many region destroying massive floods somewhere near the "fertile crescent" of the Middle East during that time. Egypt and China borh have archaeologic record showing histories going back that far without any world wide flood mentioned.

The value of the stories in the Bible are to learn of their self-concepts in relation to the world around them and of their developing realationship with God as individuals directly and collectively as the nation people Israel. The Bible is primarily the story of the Jews yet from Genesis forward, the Righteous Gentile is also blessed and shown to be just as capable of direct contact, blessing, repentance and atonement. There was even a court of Gentiles at the Temple.


There is myth, parable, psalm, and commandment along with history.

There is both personal revelation and, one of the central defining points for Israel..the collective Divine revelation by the ENTIRE nation at Sinai ( not like Cecil B. DeMille's version, but you'd know this if you read the Bible, right?)

In my opinion, if a belief is valid..it can withstand any testing or challenge put before it.

If a belief is threatened or negated by physical objective data..it's a belief that seriously needs reconsidering based on the reality before you.

The God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Torah did not forbid being challenged and asked..Abraham argued with God and Jacob fought with an angel..thus having his name changed to Israel.

Israel is the name of the eternal covenant people and it means " struggle with God"..we contend with God and test and challenge our faith to make sure that what we believe and and follow is something that we sincerely want to live as an example in light unto the nations

How do you know what is real and what is not real? You apply to the Bible the same standard you apply in every other area of your life to determine what is real and what is not real.


For Jews, because the covenant is said well over a dozen times to be eternal..and the prophets declare that since there has been and shall always remain at least a remnant who remain faithful to the eternal covenant..it does not cease until heaven and earth pass away.

The existence of Jewish people who remain faithful to the covenant despite more then 2000 years to do away with it, is evidence that those many declarations were true.
Shalom :)

Answer 4

as we grow up "IN CHRIST mind and spirit and bodily" we evenutally SEE IT..for the holy Spirit is our Teacher. quoted from 1,2 john.
I wouldn't get all hung up about it, though. a child can only understand what he can, when he is a child..and when a child is a kid..he is smarter..when he is a teenager he is smarter..when he is a young adult..he get smarter..when he is middle age he is smarter..when he is an elder..he is smarter.
it is the very same way..spiritually.
and understanding. if you've gave an example of what text you're stuck on..surely you'll get some ansnwers
possbility??? of 2 or more kinds.
WHY?? depending on maturity level in the spirit. at first you see the words..black and white. or red and white. 5 years later you read it again..you see somehting else.>WHY? cause some key words that are not just WORDS but you got some symbolic of that word in you.
example GOD is LOVE, LIGHT and TRUTH.
so when you come across "GOD" put in..LOVE>>TRUTH LIGHT..and surely you'll geet a higher understanding.

Answer 5

One needs to find a valid interpretive authority. An authority that speaks in concert with the Apostles and the early Church. One which can look back in an unbroken line to what the Apostles taught. An authority that has Christ's promise of the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and that it will stand against all onslaughts.

That valid authority to interpret is today known as the Catholic Church. Listen to her, and hear the voices of Christ and His Apostles. That guidance will help you understand.

Answer 6

Here's a link to an article in today's "Jewish Post." This is the part that stood out for me: "...The Prophets and the Writings contain sacred literature, but tradition does not claim Sinaitic origin for them. Second, Jews don't "believe" in the Torah, we try to live by it as it is interpreted and applied. The whole point of Halacha (Law) is to spell out what it means - for example, to honor one's parents, or to observe the Sabbath, or what constitutes "murder" as in "Thou shalt not murder" (note to those who can't read "The Bible" in the original language: It's "murder," not "kill")."

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?apage=1&cid=1196847286148&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
.

Answer 7

It is confusing because it is so amazingly profound and mysterious! God made it that way because He is so amazingly profound. But He helps us all to understand it as we walk with Him. It is written in Luke 24:45, speaking of the disciples, "Then [Jesus] opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures." He does the same for us today!

Don't listen to anyone who says Jesus needs an interpreter to speak to you...He will speak to you directly.

Answer 8

Read the Bible in context, just like you read the daily newspaper or if you read a novel.

That means read each book as a whole unit.

Stop reading it verse by verse, rather read it book by book.

Pastor Art

Answer 9

Ity's confusing to them too, thats why they have so many different versions of that silly book
They will tell you anything to make you believe, resist them for they are totally evil, thay cant answer the question, cause they dont know themselves

Answer 10

Its all real so says God. The bible is the "infallible word of God" so it must all be real.