Anyone who has read more than a few chapters of the Bible soon comes to realize that the Scriptures contain some things that are meant to be understood figuratively or symbolically rather than literally – as when Jesus said that he was a door (John 10:9). But sometimes it is not quite so easy to tell if the intended meaning of a word or passage is literal or figurative – how are we to know in such cases?
It is always an error to think that everything the Bible says is meant literally – or that it is all meant figuratively. The best underlying principle of interpretation is to take every word or passage in its normal literal sense unless we have an indication not to do so. Here are six simple rules to follow in applying this principle:
1. Genre: Words should be interpreted literally unless the literary type of the text suggests otherwise. When David wrote that “The Lord God is a sun and shield” (Psalm 84:11) or that the sun was like: “a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy” (Psalm 19:4-5) he was clearly speaking poetically and we interpret the words not literally but for the concepts they suggest. Prophecy must also often be interpreted symbolically as in the vision recorded in Daniel 5, where we find “a goat with a prominent horn between his eyes” who “came from the west” (Daniel 8:5), which clearly equates with ancient Macedonian Greece (vs. 21) and its king, Alexander the Great.
2. Context: Words or passages should be interpreted literally unless the immediate or wider context suggests otherwise. When Jesus spoke in parables he described himself in symbolic form, as a Cornerstone, a Door, a Vine, Bread, Light, and Water. The immediate context clearly shows these were parables, and we do not interpret them literally. In the same way, when we consider everything the Bible says, that larger context shows us, for example, that we should not think he meant it literally when Jesus said that we should “cut off our hand” if it offends us (Matthew 5:29–30).
3. Expression: The biblical writers used expressions and figures of speech in their ancient languages just as we do today. We may sometimes need the help of Bible translators to explain those expressions – as when Genesis 30:2 tells us “his nose burned,” meaning the man was angry. But often biblical expressions are similar or identical to ones we might use today – as when Revelation 7:1 speaks of “the four corners of the earth” and it would be foolish to think this was meant literally.
4. Impossibility: Words or passages should be interpreted literally unless such a meaning would imply an impossibility. For example, in the Old Testament we read “The cities are great, and walled up to heaven” (Deuteronomy 1:28), and in the New Testament “You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel” (Matthew 23:24). In such cases what is said would obviously be literally impossible and must be figurative.
5. Absurdity: Words or passages must be interpreted literally unless the result would imply an absurdity. When Jesus said “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up,” (John 11:11) this would not be an impossible situation, but it would be absurd to think Lazarus – who had been buried for days – was simply asleep.
6. Contradiction: Words or passages must be interpreted literally unless the sense would lead to a contradiction. This is often seen when someone says something sarcastically, while actually meaning the opposite – as when Job told his friends “Doubtless you are the only people who matter, and wisdom will die with you!” (Job 12:2).
Fortunately, the Bible often interprets its own symbols and figurative speech – just as in the book of Revelation we are told seven stars are symbols of seven angels (1:20), seven lamp stands represent seven churches (1:20), and bowls of incense represent the prayers of the saints (5:8). But when the Bible does not directly interpret its own language, we can most often figure out whether the intended meaning is a literal or figurative one by following the six simple rules given above.
*For more information on this and other aspects of effective Bible study, download our free e-book: Understanding the Bible: Three Steps to Enrich and Deepen Your Knowledge of the Scriptures, here.
There is an interesting verse in the biblical book of Ezra that every Christian can profit from: “ForEzra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel” (Ezra 7:10). This verse summarizes the attitude of the great leader who guided the Jewish people at the time of their return to Jerusalem from captivity in Babylon. It’s easy to read over the first word of the verse – “For” – but the preceding verse tells us how “the gracious hand of his God was on him” “for,” or because of, Ezra’s dedication to God – not as a reward for it, but because his dedication allowed God to use him fully.
The verse then tells us there were three specific parts to Ezra’s dedication: he devoted himself to studying God’s word, obeying God’s word, and teaching God’s word. This does not mean these were the only things he did, of course. Ezra was undoubtedly kept busy with the many problems and issues involved in relocating a large group of people in dangerous circumstances – but he had devoted himself to do these three things regardless of everything else going on in his life.
First, we are told that Ezra devoted himself to study of God’s law. Of course, “law” meant more than just the Ten Commandments and other actual laws – it included all of the Bible’s instruction. The Hebrew expression used of Ezra is that he devoted himself not just to read, but to “seek” the law of the Lord – to look for its guidance in an intense way. This is interesting because we find the same expression a number of times in the Old Testament where individuals were blessed when they were “seeking” God or his law.
Second, we are told that Ezra devoted himself to observance of the law. It is to the extent that we study the principles of God’s way of life with an intent to follow them that we seek God and follow him. That is why the Old Testament tells us that individuals like the godless king Rehoboam “did evil because he had not set his heart on seeking the LORD” (2 Chronicles 12:14), and good kings like Asa “commanded Judah to seek the LORD, the God of their ancestors, and to obey his laws and commands” (2 Chronicles 14:4).
Third, Ezra’s devotion was not to some kind of spiritual self-improvement program where his own righteousness was his ultimate goal. We read that he was equally devoted to making God’s way of life available and understandable to others. Such an approach does not have to center on physical teaching as it may have done in his case, but can include helping others see God’s way through our own lives and actions – the keeping of God’s way – as well as through traditional teaching means where these are appropriate.
While it can be profitable to think about any of these areas of spiritual life individually, the biggest take-away from what we are told about Ezra’s dedication to God is that it involved all three. The lesson there may seem obvious, but we should not ignore it. It is not enough to simply study the Bible occasionally or even frequently. It is not enough to study and also to keep the Bible’s principles in our lives. Ezra’s example shows we only really fulfill God’s purpose in our lives when we do all three. It is only when we continually learn more of God’s way, continually apply it in our lives, and continually share it with others – in whatever way we have opportunity and ability – that God can use us to the full.
Without any one of these activities the others don’t really work. Study without application is meaningless. Application without sharing is limiting and self-centered. Application or sharing without study is limited and often superficial. It is only when all three aspects of learn it, live it, and give it, are present that the cycle of spiritual living operates as it should.
Finally, when we talk about Ezra’s study, application, and sharing of God’s way, we must realize that he by no means intended to do all this by his own power. It is perhaps significant that the book of Ezra shows this great leader – whose name is an abbreviation of the Hebrew Azaryahu “God helps” – contains a good number of instances of Ezra’s recognition of the need of God’s help in many aspects of life (Ezra 8:21; etc.). We too should seek God’s help in study, application, and sharing of the truth. Only then will we be spiritually successful, like Ezra, in learning, living, and giving, God’s way.
If you are looking for a truly worthwhile goal to set for this new year, consider taking one of the many Bible courses that are available online. A good number, such as those available from Cornerstone Bible Courses, are completely free. Cornerstone’s carefully prepared non-denominational and non-commercial courses provide in-depth information on the Bible – without advertisements or other distractions – to those who cannot attend Bible school or seminary, or who simply want to understand the Bible at a deeper level in their own personal study. Significantly, all course materials – including e-textbooks – are provided for free and there are no charges of any kind. If desired, an optional final exam can be taken online and a personalized certificate of completion is provided for all passing grades. You can download a free course and study materials today from the CornerstoneCourses.org site, here.
And the Cornerstone courses are not the only Bible courses available online. The Online Bible College Association is a new and growing association that provides an excellent service by listing worthwhile Bible courses they have personally checked to ensure they are not scams, and provide quality, trustworthy material. A number of the courses they list are free. You can visit their helpful site and check it occasionally for new additions, here.
There are now a good many websites competing for your online Bible study time. Most publishers of individual translations have a dedicated site for their own Bible version, and there are numerous sites which compare multiple translations and offer other study helps. Which site is best? To some extent, the answer depends on your needs and study preferences, and each site has its own strong points – so comparing the options makes sense. In making our own comparison we found that most of the sites we looked at can be helpful and are providing a valuable service, but we did find that some sites are more useful than others. This article compares five sites (all of them free to use) that we consider to be among the best. There are certainly other good sites – such as the fine Blue Letter Bible – which may be perfect for your needs, but the ones we list have the most translations and features. We look at them in reverse order – saving what we consider the best for last …
#5: Bible Study Tools has a limited number of other-than-English language translations available – but it includes most major English versions and allows side by side comparison of verses or chapters in different versions, which not all sites do. It has a type of “interlinear” Hebrew and Greek text with individual words linked to Strong’s concordance entries, but although the English linkage is word by word, those with no knowledge of the biblical languages may find this feature difficult to use. The site has a selection of devotionals, basic commentaries, Bible dictionaries and other resources, and also has a “My Bible” feature which allows users to add and save notes to scriptures and to highlight, bookmark, and categorize verses with tags. Overall, this is a fine, simple to use site.
#4:StudyLight.org has an excellent selection of translations (though not always listed in alphabetical order), including many in foreign languages and with Aramaic, Hebrew, Greek and Latin texts of the Old and New Testaments. StudyLight claims to have more Bible commentaries, encyclopedias, dictionaries, lexicons and original language tools than any other site on the internet, and the selection is extensive. It also includes the complete text of many important background works such as those of Josephus and the writings of the Early Church Fathers. The site’s “interlinear” version is like that of the Bible Study Tools site with word-by-word translations, but is a little clearer. The site is often excellent for deeper study, but is limited by the inability to compare different translations side by side.
#3: Bible.com (the You Version site) claims over three thousand total versions in well over a thousand languages. We didn’t count to check, but the list has every translation we have ever seen and many more. Even seldom heard of translations such as Cook Islands Maori (in addition to New Zealand Maori!) are included, and some versions are available in audio format. You can save highlighted verses, tabs and notes. The site also offers a good number of reading plans and devotionals ranging from 7 days to a year. A mobile app is offered as well as a way to be involved in live discussions of sermons, Bible studies and questions (you can schedule your own discussion event). These are all good features, though the core aspect of the site – the translation interface – is limited in terms of search and commentary features and only allows side-by-side view for comparison of two versions at one time. The “Recently Used” tab is helpful, however, in allowing the user to go back and forth between versions. We did not find any way to work with the Hebrew or Greek texts on this site.
#2: BibleGatewayis a solid pick. It is not only the most visited Bible site in the world (with astronomical usage statistics), but it also has a great many useful features. The site has hundreds of available translations and while it may not have quite as many as Bible.com, it has more than most of us would ever need in all major languages (for example, seventeen Spanish translations alone). At this time it has limited study tools in the biblical languages available only with paid subscription. It also takes a little extra clicking and scrolling to get to commentaries and some other features compared to some other sites, and the advertising can be a little heavy sometimes. But despite these minor points BibleGateway has many useful features. It has audio capability and is available for desktop use and as a smartphone app, and registered users (free) can insert and save highlights, notes, tabs, etc., as they study. BibleGateway’s search capabilities are unparalleled, and its ability to pull up instances of a given word or phrase from any or all parts of the Bible – in as many translations as one wishes – is also tremendous for deeper comparative study.
#1: Bible Hubis our current top pick for fast and effective study. It has as a quick link bar at the top of the screen for selecting major translations, which some may find more convenient than repeatedly scrolling through drop down menus. The range of translations is relatively limited compared to some other sites, but a major plus of Bible Hub is its fine parallel Bible feature which compares any verse in over thirty major translations. It gives the option to instantly click up to the whole chapter when context is needed. A selection of entries from major commentaries is available for each verse, and like StudyLight.org, Bible Hub has true word-for word interlinear versions of the Hebrew and Greek texts as well as a number of other features, but we think one of its best characteristics is the time-saving ability to see multiple translations of the same verse – and commentaries on it – together on the same page without repetitive menu surfing. Overall, this is an excellent site and combining it with the search capabilities of BibleGateway and the enormous number of translations available on Bible.com when needed provides everything one could normally want for effective online Bible study.
Each of the four gospels contains information on the life of Jesus that the others do not. But almost half of what we read in the Gospel of Luke is not found in any of the other three gospels. If it were not for Luke, we would not have much that we know about the life of Jesus, or many of his most famous teachings – such as the parables of the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son, and many others. Luke contains so much unique material that it is worth especially careful study – and this e-book opens up the third gospel in unique ways to show you just how much you have been missing! Download your free copy here.
We are all familiar with the apostle Paul’s words to Timothy: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17). This short passage is a classic example of how taking Bible verses out of context can limit our understanding of the overall message of the word of God. It is a passage that most Christians have seen quoted dozens if not hundreds of times and as such it becomes a kind of biblical “definition” of what the Bible is for.
The Scriptures are, of course, good for all these things – teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness – but we should not forget that they are not just about these things. In fact, none of them is the main point of the Bible (as Paul himself shows us).
When we view the Bible only in these terms, consciously or unconsciously, we tend to see the Bible as being relevant primarily to ourselves – what it can teach us about us and how we need to live, improve, and grow. It is always good to remember that we are not the subject of the Bible, but that God is. The Bible is not just the revelation from God, it is primarily the revelation about God.
In fact, if we look at Paul’s words in context, we see the real focus of the Scriptures is emphasized in the very verse directly before our “Bible definition” passage: “the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15). In other words, the main point of the Scriptures is that they lead us to see God and to come to faith in his Son. As Paul put it in Romans: “faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ” (Romans 10:17). God has revealed himself through his word, the Bible, and his Word, his Son (John 1:1).
Looking back at our “definition” passage in 2 Timothy, we see that Paul follows those words by immediately speaking of “God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead” (2 Timothy 4:1). So the “teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training” aspects of the Scriptures that we tend to think of as being so central to what the Bible is about are actually subsumed within what the Bible is telling us about God and Jesus Christ.
The Bible is ultimately the word of God about God. It is about him, his nature, righteousness, faithfulness, mercy, and love. Secondarily, it is about God’s works of creation, provision, judgment, deliverance, and his promised kingdom. It is about his covenant, and his promises, and his way of life. As such, it is indeed good for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training, but above all it is about God.
This is not simply an academic point – it has direct consequences for our study and understanding of the word of God. Our personal study should always ask the question “What does this verse show about God?” as well as – and often instead of – “How can I apply this verse?” When we study primarily to see what the Bible is telling us about ourselves and others, we can miss the even deeper, and in many ways more important, message about God.
Studying for personal application rather than just simply reading the biblical narrative as stories about distant people is important, but it should not replace a primary focus of studying the word of God to see God more clearly and then to seek his help to change to become more like him. If we study only for personal application, it can become a self-focusing pitfall; but if we study primarily to see God, our study of his word can be continually elevating.
Recent Comments