Posted on 03/18/2024 5:34:35 PM PDT by grumpa
Some things Christians believe are curious to me. For example, many conservative evangelical Christians, the group which I generally consider myself to be a part, proudly say, “We take the Bible literally.” Indeed, they use this statement as a test for orthodoxy. Well, here are few questions I’d like to ask them:
• When Jesus said that He is the vine (John 15:5), did He mean that He is a plant?
• Is God literally a rock (2 Samuel 22:3; Psalm 18:2, etc.)?
• Should we literally hate our mother and father so that we can be Jesus’ disciple (Luke 14:26)?
• If your eye causes you to sin, should you literally pluck it out, as Jesus said (Mark 9:47)?
• Must we sell everything we have and give it to the poor in order to inherit eternal life (Luke 18:18-22)?
• Is it necessary to literally eat Christ’s body in order to have life (John 6:53)?
• Did the mountains and the hills really break into song and the trees clap their hands (Isaiah 55:12)?
• Is it literally true that serpents and scorpions cannot harm Christians (Luke 10:19)?
• Would the moon literally turn to blood before the Day of the Lord (Joel 2:31)?
• When God judged Babylon, an event in actual history, did the stars and sun literally stop giving their light (Isaiah 13:10) and the heavens literally tremble (Isaiah 13:13)? When God judged Edom, did the sky literally roll up like a scroll (Isaiah 34:4)? When God judged Israel, according to Micah 1:2-16, did the mountains literally melt and the valleys split? When God judged Egypt, did He literally come riding on a cloud (Isaiah 19:1)? Read these passages and numerous others like them in the Bible (for example, Isaiah 24:23; Ezekiel 32:7; Amos 5:20; 8:9; Zephaniah 1:15)
This is especially pertinent to Bible prophecy. In light of the last bullet point above, consider what do you think of Matthew 24:29-31 which describes Jesus’ Parousia (“Second Coming”) with similar language: sun will be darkened, stars falling from heaven, Jesus riding on a cloud, etc. This is what theologians call “Hebraic apocalyptic language.” It is poetic language usually used when YHWH (or Jesus) judged people or nations.
It is a rational inference that given the non-literal nature of the similar Old Testament passages, that similar New Testament passages are also non-literal. Such New Testament passages are about Jesus coming “in judgment” against apostate old covenant Israel in AD 70―similar to how YHWH came in judgment in the Old Testament―and not about a literal bodily appearance. This is reinforced by the numerous time statements that limit the Second Coming to the first century.
Some Christians may insist that, indeed, even these passages are to be understood “literally.” But certainly at least some of these are examples of how the Bible uses a variety of language techniques to describe real things in NON-literal language.
I have a conservative view of the Bible and believe that it is the inspired Word of God in its entirety—and that it communicates a literal sense even when it employs non-literal genres. But that does not mean that every word or phrase was meant to be taken in a wooden literal sense. The fact is that nobody is a consistent literalist, nor should anyone be!
In our everyday language, we use figures of speech so often that we do not even think about them. We sing metaphorically “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” We say things like “I could eat a horse,” “cat got your tongue,” “the four corners of the earth,” “the sky is falling,” “coming apart at the seams,” “he has a yellow streak down his back,” etc. We use hundreds of such idioms that are not literal, but people in our culture understand exactly what is meant.
The Bible too uses a variety of literary devices. It uses parables, poetry, hyperbole, allegories, metaphors, and many other figures of speech. In particular, it is common in the Bible to use astronomical language to describe important prophetic events. These events are often when God “came down” in judgment against the Jews or their enemies.
Hebraic terminology may be unfamiliar to us but was clearly understood by first-century Jews. Certain events prophesied in the Bible in Hebraic apocalyptic language we know for certain have already been fulfilled, such as God’s judgments upon Babylon and Edom (above).
Are there times when we should understand the Bible literally? Of course! But, should we really interpret the Bible “literally” in every instance? Of course not. It is more faithful to Scripture to interpret each passage the way it was INTENDED in its context and understood by its original audience.
Theologians call this “audience relevance.” An example is Matthew 24:34 where Jesus spoke of the timing of certain prophesied events: “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.” Here Jesus is speaking to his disciples who asked a question in response to Jesus predicting the destruction of the temple and the close of the old covenant age―at his Parousia: “Tell us, when will things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and the close of the age?” (Matthew 24:3) Many Christians today futurize “this generation” to mean some future generation. But clearly Jesus’ disciples would have understood that the things Jesus predicted would happen while some of those living in the first century were still alive.
Another important interpretive technique is using “Scripture to interpret Scripture.” For example, related to Matthew 24 is the statement Jesus made in Matthew 16:27-28― “For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming his kingdom.” This passage demands that Jesus’ Parousia would occur while some of those living in the first century were still alive―Scripture interpreting Scripture.
One can attempt to explain these things away. But this is so clear and so powerful that if Jesus failed to return when He said He would, Jesus is reduced to a false prophet and Christianity falls―as opponents of Christianity charge. Either Jesus was a false prophet, or else many Christians have a mistaken understanding of the nature of the Second Coming. A correct understanding of biblical language proves the critics of Jesus wrong. He did come in the nature and timing that He predicted.
I’m fully aware that this is new information for some. But what’s at stake is the authority of Jesus and the inerrancy of the biblical writers. At my website I have several articles going into more depth about the timing and nature of the Second Coming. I hope you find these articles helpful:
Like gravity?
Yet, if you were to be plopped down in the middle of this group, could you survive without their help?
We do not know just exactly who started this, but by golly - SOMEONE must have!
Lincoln also warned us to not believe everything we read on the internet.
Well . . . that’s an online Bible.
My advice is to stay off roads named Damascus Drive, or Street, or Way...
I know, I know you need no advice... so be it.
My advice is to stay off roads named Damascus Drive, or Street, or Way...
I know, I know you need no advice... so be it.
"But what’s at stake is the authority of Jesus and the inerrancy of the biblical writers."
I disagree.
I do not believe that the authority of Jesus is as stake. And, regarding "inerrancy of the biblical writers," there are conflicts in writing formations, that "experts," historians, and "scholars" notice and are in disagreement about, and sometimes protest each other's views.
Way back when, Luke and other people who were able, were effectively compilers (I forget the name of the hobby/trade). They would notice a story that had been passed around, and they would endeavor to write down that story for posterity.
The New Testament was developed in stages of writing down, the stories. Some parts written in Aramaic, some parts written in Hebrew, and some parts written in Greek. Some writing by Matthew, John, and Peter who knew Jesus personally.
Some stories were later removed.
In general, the Bible was a work in progress for many years . . . on up to when some fellows got together at Nicea, and Pope Constantine sort of nudged them to work toward editing what they had, into a final form.
Since then (Nicea), some tweaks occurred, and a few close facsimiles or versions were also made.
In all that assembly of the Bible: The word of God endured.
Oh yes, VP Al Gore’s invention, right?
You read the bible and believe Jesus had, literally, a flock of sheep. As opposed to those of us who know He was talking about people.
The bible is inspired by God, or “God Breathed”. No where does it say it was dictated and written down verbatim.
:)
The difference is that journalists foolishly neglect the premise that objective truth is supreme.
But your jurisdiction to state belief is limited to your own.
I meant to say your jurisdiction to claim knowledge is limited to your own.
But what’s been revealed in our conversation is that you don’t believe nothing created everything. Therefore, you must believe something created everything.
No. I said it is not knowable now and might not be for a very long time if ever.
Please don’t put words in my mouth.
Maybe nothing created everything?
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