parable, metaphor, hyperbole

[marie glen]

In the world of today, we have all range of belief concerning the bible. We believers know Jesus often spoke in parable and there are parables in the Old Testament as well.

And metaphor also is often used, for instance - plucking your (evil) eye out is not meant to be taken literally..

And in Isaiah 55:12, "trees clapping their hands and mountains singing" doesn't mean Isaiah thought trees will actually clap their hands - they don't have hands, lol, and it would be silly to think the mountains will sing with voices. Instead, it's merely a very poetic way to say great joy is going to result when God's people return to Him. - His people returning to Him, however, is literal (imo). It's mentioned many (many) times.

"Plucking ones eye out, not literal, but metaphor.. yet the literal meaning is, hey dude, it's better a millstone be tied around your neck and you are thrown into the sea, than you harm one of these little ones!

So, I've been thinking.. does all metaphor have a literal?

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I've also noticed in atheist and new age circles, just about all the Bible is thought to be metaphor -  creation, God, Son of God, virgin birth/immaculate conception - (though they have no trouble with the immaculate conception of nothing exploded and became everything.. now there's a biG one.. or the one of life coming from nonlife; organic from inorganic, which has never eve been seen of course, because it does not happen - yet much of the world thinks that s "literal".

And the parting of the Red Sea.. the resurrection.. all believed to be metaphor..

I love a good metaphor -  the little dogs that eat the crumbs from the master's table.. In that verse, metaphor for gentiles.. yet literal that He came only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel - more metaphor :laughing7: (people if lost, still are not literally sheep).

An abyss - metaphor for deep darkness, how low can the carnal character go? it's a virtual abyss.. Or is there a literal abyss? Or bottomless pit.. (Forgetting for the moment that the grave was referred to as a pit, which is both metaphor and literal? A grave sometimes being a hole in the ground.)

"Your eyes are deep as the ocean" is a simile.

"..the ocean of your eyes.." is a metaphor.

Hyperbole - "I am so hungry I could eat a horse" (exaggeration to stress a point).

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"Pilgrim's Progress" is an allegory as is "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe"
"In an allegory, the characters often symbolize a concept or idea from real life. An allegory is a type of extended metaphor. The story or poem is used to draw..."

The Father and Jesus are not allegories! I had to say that, as I have read ppl say they are metaphor.. {It's so good to know truth will remain standing should all else fall.. Which we know it will fall.. being built on sand, and not on the Rock.. Sand of course being metaphor... but the fall..?

Which is why it's confusing to me, when I hear (or read) someone say the Book of Revelation is metaphor. Well, of course, most do not believe there will be a literal monster/beast governing the world just previous to Jesus' return - [some believe Jesus' return is not literal. I feel kind of sorry for them] - or loud locusts swarming over mankind for five months..

:Chinscratch: so why do so many think the lof is absolutely literal? In the presence of the Lord for ever and ever, no less..

It's all very intriguing! ...But I have to run, hubby and I's favorite show is starting :laughing7:

God bless all!

[Ross]

Paul makes a clear point, only once, about using an allegory;

Gal 4;24 " This may be interpreted allegorically, for these women represent two covenants."

There are indeed many religions which use the "metaphorically speaking" phrase to "claim" spiritual insight.
Interesting how so many of those metaphors are recorded historically resulting in hysterical behaviour.
I.M.O this is part of hiding away the information which the Jews were recording as their designated role, and which they will then teach to mankind during the correction process.

I have an uncle who swears by one of these "new Age" leaders who claimed to visit heaven and see angelic beings. This leader claimed to communicate with God and see the whole chain of command in the heavens. Reckoned he visited heaven for 20 years and even predicted when he was going to die. This all happened in the 1700's and this guy even claimed the return of Christ had already happened. Because this is appealing to the mind my Uncle claims this chap "must" be right. That is how sinister this sort of lie can be- affects the soul and distracts from the real Christ. And this is but one of the many claiming to "know" Christ.

Determining the metaphor from the literal, I.M.O is when we are being correctly guided by the truth- each at our appointed time and pace. Some of the animal symbolism should be the indication of metaphor.
Paul in 1 Cor 15  elaborates about some of the specific symbolism and types of the different powers, or types of glory.
Christ gave many in His parable, but I.M.O this was deliberate, with revelation coming from Him to the disciples alone, and even that was after His resurrection for many of them.
We speak in symbols and metaphors in our daily conversations, as you pointed out. Unfortunately some take this the wrong way when they are on a different wave length. Can even cause wars/arguments.
Could well be why Paul says he would rather use 5 words which are understandable, than many which are in tongues.

I.M.O all of this is so that the "mystery" and all knowledge needed to be hidden in Christ so that no man can boast and so that our position can "LITERALLY" only be In Christ.

[eaglesway]

IMO a metaphor is a way of using a symbol to expose a particular perspective of a truth, and that truth must at some point be literal and spiritual to be true. I have always operated by the rule that one way to test the interpretation of a metaphor is to cross check it with the whole context of scripture. Usually, when I have misinterpreted a metaphor, it was because I did not have a wide enough and spiritual enough perspective(unfamiliar with scriptures that applied to the mystery).

For instance, some people see the lake of fire as a metaphor for eternal hell, because they have not had the "eyes of their hearts enlightened" to the scriptures in Eph 1, Col. 1, Romans 8, 1 Cor 15, etc.

But I think metaphors, parables, allegories, etc. are almost always seen through a deeper grasp of scripture- which comes by the Spirit.

For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints, 16do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; 17that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him Eph 1


Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, 15and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, 16as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. 2 Pet 3

Jesus replied, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God." Mt 22.29

They knew a lot of scriptures, but they did not know the scriptures as the living and abuiding word of God, quick and active, sharper than any two edged sword.

[rosered]

Beautiful John ,   :dsunny:

I do also believe   the Power of God  has divided the   waters / voices   from above and below ..

Being born again from above has   the seed / incorruptible  Word /TRUTH planted in their hearts  ,   It is the true vine in the earth  , The Lord Jesus  Christ , without Him we can do nothing at all , but clang If any  speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love,  have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.   As just noise  :sigh:

  John 3:31
The One who comes from above is above all. The one who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks as one from the earth. The One who comes from heaven is above all.

John 17:14
I have given them Your word and the world has hated them; for they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

John 17:16
They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

1 John 4:5
They are of the world. That is why they speak from the world's perspective, and the world listens to them.


The power of Gods Wisdom is spoken in   the Love of God [Jesus  is  our  everything ]    to heal   the broken hearted  and poor in spirit .
It is a terrible thing to reject such   a gift of grace from  God  ,   given freely  to  start by faith in Him   & complete  our  salvation  to the end ,    for keeping your own  wisdom , we are to loose our heads  knowledge  / beheaded for Christ  as He becomes our new Head and authority , mind of Christ   Rev 20  keeping in obedience  His commandments .And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands.


The Lesson of the Lamp
(Mark 4:21-25)

16No one lights a lamp and covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he sets it on a lampstand, so those who enter can see the light. 17For there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing concealed that will not be known and illuminated.
[ JESUS IS THE LIGHT of the World  and exposes  every  heart ] judging in righteousness what is in them .

18Pay attention, therefore, to how you listen. Whoever has will be given more, but whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken away from him."

Being careful how we handle the Word of Life  , like a branch severed  from the vine  ,  falling from grace ,  can be cut off   and  ready for the fire   , or  pruned /cut back  in order   to bear more  fruit   

Sounds like a just judgment  in the chastening of the Lord .

Jesus the True Vine
1I am the true vine, and My Father is the keeper of the vineyard. 2He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, and every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes to make it even more fruitful. 3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you....

Psalm 92:14
They will still yield fruit in old age; They shall be full of sap and very green,

Daniel 11:35
"Some of those who have insight will fall, in order to refine, purge and make them pure until the end time; because it is still to come at the appointed time.

Matthew 3:10
The ax lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

Matthew 7:19
Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

Matthew 15:13
But Jesus replied, "Every plant that My Heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by its roots.

  Taken away   what they   thought they had .

The Bible is full of expressions    and  instruction  , considerations

  We cannot become like   the lawyers  , the woes of Matt 23  ,   they squabble over  every jot and tittle of the Law  and how
the Word  is  to be spoken and understood , while themselves are  stumbling  blindly    by the Stumbling  Block /The Lord Jesus Christ /Truth  and way of Life   only to   come short of   entering   though the door   and hinder those whom  would  come  if  only they would obey     the  VOICE  of many waters from above  and  live also .


And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.

10 Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ.

11   The greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

13 "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.


  Jesus Christ is the Love and Wisdom of God expressed   to convey (a thought or feeling) in words or by gestures and conduct.

  Taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ

   Paul   says 2 Corinthians 10:5
5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ

6And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, as soon as your obedience is complete.

7You are looking at outward appearances.

If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should remind himself that we belong to Christ just as much as he does.

8For even if I boast somewhat excessively about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than tearing you down, I will not be ashamed.

It is always a heart condition , we serve  in the love of God though Jesus Christ  humbly  as much as  is given to us  or love of the world /pride of life  , we cannot serve both   righteously , morally with reference to the principles of right and wrong behavior.  Building one another up in the Love of God  , not to destroy ones faith  in God in what God can and cannot do with His own things .
  We are to rejoice in the Lord for all He is doing  , salvation is of God  and whom so ever He calls to  do HIS  desire  though our Lord Jesus CHRIST  . THE WORD of Truth judges  everything  by the Spirit of  Truth  /Life   it is what everything is compared too or  broken against.


  This is the two edged Sword/Word of Truth  to me  as far as  I can understand it at this time .