Bible Question:
Boy, This really got off on the wrong track. I believe events described in the Bible are reality, one hundered percent.I'm not trying to debate that and that's not what I meant by the question. Let me try to make it more clear. As all Bible scholars would agree, information in scripture is often presented in an allegorical fashion, such as Jesus using parables to teach a lesson, rather than just stating the purpose out straight. Much other information in the Bible is also allegorical, such as the picture of a bride representing God's people and the groomm representing Christ. My question is this: "Why does God choose to present information in scripture through the use of allegory?" I'd like some feedback I can share with my Bible study group. Thanks, Carrie Husarcik |
Bible Answer: Christ spoke as to why he spoke in parables. Matt 13:13 (KJV) Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. Read a parable, doesn't it create a picture in your mind as you read. Alot of the "allegory" helps to make the Word more living and real. The Word has a lot of figures of speech to do that very thing. The phrase "heap coals of fire on his head" to overcome evil with good, was a common idiom to the people of Biblical times, it brought home for them the lesson of overcoming evil with good, it gave them a mind picture to make the lesson living and real. Notice your own words when you said "the picture of a bride" representing God's people, there is no literal picture there, but the words have created a mind picture, it makes the lesson living and real. Does this help? In His Love, |