Bible Study Do you take the Bible literally?

[mdougie]

Not literal. Well Genesis and Revelation are not literal. They are fantastical tales that on their face did not and could not have happened as presented while knowing how the world really works.

That doesn't detract from the value and truth of the Bible in any way.

 

[P31Woman]

Not literal. Well Genesis and Revelation are not literal. They are fantastical tales that on their face did not and could not have happened as presented while knowing how the world really works.

That doesn't detract from the value and truth of the Bible in any way.

Jesus spoke of the literal events that occured in Genesis.

 

[P31Woman]

New to the forums, so sorry if this post is in the wrong spot!

But yeah, are you supposed to take the Bible literally

Just to clarify most of us use what is called the literal method of interpeting scripture not the allegorical method or letterism.

Don Closson writes,


"If we use Jesus as our model for interpreting Scripture we find that He treated the historical narratives as facts. Old Testament characters and events are talked about as if they actually existed and happened. When making applications from the Old Testament text, Jesus used the normal, rather than allegorical meaning, of the passage. Jesus condemned the Scribes and Pharisees for replacing the original intent of the Scriptures with their own traditions. Jesus took a literal approach to interpretation which took into account the literary type of the passage.
Paul tells Timothy that he is to do his "best to present himself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth." Having the right method of interpretation is a critical precursor to accomplishing this admonition. "

If you are interested in this subject I recommend Roy Zuck, Basic Bible Interpretation: A Practical Guide to Discovering Biblical Truth

 

[cct]

Do you take the Bible literally?

The spirit moves us and uses what we read in the Bible to guide and teach us, the Bible is God`s tool book for us, God will use it how it needs to be used for our own individual interpretation at the time!

 

[thisnumbersdisconnected]

Not literal. Well Genesis and Revelation are not literal.

Please qualify these as your opinions, because they are not universally held views in Christianity.

They are fantastical tales that on their face did not and could not have happened as presented while knowing how the world really works.]/quote]Actually, God can do anything He chooses to do, and I'm pretty certain the account in Genesis and Revelation was/is exactly how He did/will do things.

That doesn't detract from the value and truth of the Bible in any way.

And again, that would be your opinion. Many of us feel that such a view does, in fact, detract from the power and majesty of God. I'm not trying to pick a fight. I'm stating this for the record for those who are new to the Bible and might be confused by your viewpoint.

 

[sourberry]

New to the forums, so sorry if this post is in the wrong spot!

But yeah, are you supposed to take the Bible literally

I think yes, you do need to take bible literally.

You need to remember that even so the text of the Scriptures reached us in a prestine condition, the meaning of words did not. You do need to take bible literaly, and I think you do need Holly Spirit help to understand what it says.

With Love,
sourberry

 

[jesus4life]

DEFINITELY!! SPIRITUALLY literally.


GOD BLESS US ALL, EYES ON JESUS, and EARS TO THE HOLY SPIRIT DAY and NIGHT,

MARK 12:29-31

 

[Narwhalist]

The Bible should always be taken literally. However, one must identify whether the literal message is being presented via a metaphor, a hyperbole, or some other way. Even the metaphors, hyperboles and all other ways of expressing yourself have a literal meaning.

 

[King James]

Agreed. Whether it is written plainly or in a riddle, eventually you want to get to a concrete literal meaning. Otherwise, what's the point. Otherwise you might as well just walk around and say, nothing is everything and everything is nothing all day to all that pass by you.

 

[Brother Mike]

I take the bible literal. No weapon formed against you shall prosper, sounds pretty clear to me.

Mike.

 

[JohnD]

2 Peter 1:20-21 (NASB95)
20 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation,
21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.


The point is to understand what the Bible means, or more to the point what God means to convey to us through his word the Bible.



At times it is literal, at times figurative, at times symbolic, at times parabolic. It is up to the Holy Spirit who Authored the Bible (through the writing prophets) to interpret the meaning...


John 16:13 (NASB95)
13 “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.

 

[Rollo Tamasi]

I basically take the Bible literally.
But if a passage doesn't make sense, I will look for a figurative or symbolic meaning behind it.

 

[aggiefan47]

yes

 

[JLB]

I'm on the fence myself. I think the core messages of the Bible--like the 10 Commandments, the virgin birth and crucifixion of Jesus, etc.--need to be taken literally. And when you're getting a direct command--like when God says don't commit murder or don't covet or Paul is saying (under divine guidance) that one should abstain from sexual immorality--then those need to be taken literally. Taking it literally in those instances is the only way to grasp what Christianity really is; otherwise, you end up molding Christianity (and God) into what you want it to be.

Great answer.


Jesus said -

44 Then He said to them, "These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me." Luke 24:44

All of the Old Testament literally happened as was recorded, however those people and those incidents also portray Christ.

These are called shadows and types.

A good example would be the Passover -

They literally sacrificed a literal lamb as God commanded, however this was a "shadow" of what Jesus would do for us on the cross to take away the sin of the world. Read Exodus 12

Likewise Paul taught us in 1 Corinthians 10 -

1 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, 2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. 5 But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. 6 Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. 7 And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play." 8 Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; 9 nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; 10 nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 1 Corinthians 10:1-11

All the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms are filled with these.

The literal things that happened to those in the Old Testament, paint a spiritual principal for us today.

Aaron was a type of Christ as High Priest.

David was a type of Christ as King.

Peter uses Noah and the flood as a type of Baptism -

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20 who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. 21 There is also an anti-type which now saves us--baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 1 Peter 3:18-21

So the scriptures are both literal and prophetic [allegorical] in nature.


18 It is good that you grasp one thing and also not let go of the other ; for the one who fears God comes forth with both of them. Ecclesiastes 7:18 NASV

When studying the old testament this way, take hold of both the literal and the prophetic type that it teaches.


JLB

 

[Elijah674]

New to the forums, so sorry if this post is in the wrong spot!

But yeah, are you supposed to take the Bible literally

The 66 Bks. needs to be studied as a whole. It (they) explain theirself. Matt. 4:4 & 2 Tim. 3:16 + Isa, 28:10 has one going from the start to the end & compiling verses per the subject. (like Rev. 12's serpent as satan in Gen. 3)

First off God as our creator (maker) has everything from day one on that is pertaining to Salvation, with His Conditions for us to follow. That means He requires Total Surrender to be saved (John 3:3-8) & then He will supply us with that power to mature! Phil. 4:13 + 2 Cor. 12:9. Maturity is both the up + downs, but requiring continuing UPS by Christs power! See Heb. 12:4-8.

And what is not literal? it is in the Bible & will also be found explained [IF] one really BELIEVES God. But YES Obad. 1:16 is ETERNALLY to be taken literal! (as in Mal. 4:1-4)

--Elijah

Hey young'in, this is still as I see it!;)

--Elijah

 

[Sinthesis]

I think if one is unsure if what he is reading is literal or allegorical, then one should use critical thinking and view it both ways for studys sake. If this were literal, what would that mean or imply? If it we allegorical how then should we take it...and so forth. In this way, we can gain insight to potential truths. We must be careful to not read scripture with tunnel vision.

That's how I see it, and why I like the KJV, because the language is off just enought that I'm always questioning exactly what it is I've read.

 

[Donnyboy]

If that is true, which parts? Who gets to decide which parts to take literally and which ones not to?

 

[jasoncran]

If that is true, which parts? Who gets to decide which parts to take literally and which ones not to?

ok. well let me ask you this. how does God have physical arms and legs and hands when he is a spirit?
or how does a horse be ridden on a cloud?

 

[Pizzaguy]

If that is true, which parts? Who gets to decide which parts to take literally and which ones not to?

You do.

"If your eye offends you, pluck it out..."

Are YOU going to take that literally? What was He trying to teach here?






Hint: He was NOT trying to teach that self-mutilation is the path to pleasing God.

 

[josefnospam]

Yes Ever single story and historical fact is true, but unless we see Jesus Christ in each passage we are missing the focus of the Bible. Some of the stories are HARD to grasp like the floating ax head that swam. 2 Kings 6:5 and 6

The scriptures are historically accurate but if all we see is the historical account we miss the spiritial account which is ALWAYS about the Lord. And if we miss something about the Lord we are left wondering about and discussing history. The Bible is about the spirit of God, the Lord Jesus, from cover to cover. Difficult at times and if anyone says they know everything about every Scripture they are fooled.