Literal vs. figurative in the Bible

True meanings are of the spirit[edit]

The true circumcision was of spirit[edit]

"This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you."

(Genesis 17:10-14)

“Real circumcision is a matter of the heart, spiritual and not literal”

(Romans 2:29)

“...For we are the true circumcision, who worship God in spirit.”

(Philippians 3:3)

Man without Spirit does not accept things that come from the Spirit[edit]

“This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught us by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

(1 Corinthians 2:13-14)

Paul's letters contain some things that are hard to understand[edit]

“Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.”

(2 Peter 3:16)

Christ interpreted Old Testament spiritually in prophecy with no literal fulfillment[edit]

Despite John the Baptist denying being Elijah, Christ said he was[edit]

"See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes."

(Malachi 4:5)

"They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”

"He said, “I am not.”

"“Are you the Prophet?”

"He answered, “No.”"

(John 1:21)

"Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist."

(Matthew 17:11-13)

Although Messiah was to come from an unknown place, Jesus acknowledged Nazareth was known literally to the people[edit]

""Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.

“Come and see,” said Philip."

(John 1:46)

"But we know where this man is from; when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.”

"Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. I am not here on my own authority, but he who sent me is true. You do not know him, but I know him because I am from him and he sent me.”

(John 7:27-29)

While the Jews expected the Messiah to remain forever without death, Jesus confirmed He would be "lifted up" thereby showing the nature of His death[edit]

"And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.

"The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law that the Messiah will remain forever, so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?”

"Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.”"

(John 12:32-36)

The Apostles interpreted Old Testament spiritually in prophecy with no literal fulfillment[edit]

John son of Zechariah calling in the wilderness did not literally see every mountain and hill made low, etc. as foretold in Isaiah[edit]

"during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:

"“A voice of one calling in the wilderness, "‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.

"Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low.

"The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth.

"And all people will see God’s salvation.’” [Isaiah 40:3-5]

(Luke 3:2-6)

Peter's reference to Joel being fulfilled did not literally see blood and fire and billows of smoke, etc.[edit]

"Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

"“‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.

"Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.

"Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.

"I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke.

"The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.

"And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’[Joel 2:28-32]

(Acts 2:14-21)

Paul interprets literal account of veil over Moses' face as symbolic of veiled minds[edit]

"When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. But whenever he entered the Lord’s presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the Lord."

(Exodus 34:33-35)

“...not like Moses who put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not see the end of the fading splendor...for to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds, but when a man turns to the Lord the veil is removed.”

(2 Corinthians 3:13-16)

Jesus was not literally of the expected lineage of David as Joseph was not Jesus' father (nor was Mary His mother indicated as such in the Bible)[edit]

"The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne"

(Psalms 132:11)

"This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham:

"Abraham was the father of Isaac,

"Isaac the father of Jacob,

"...

"Matthan the father of Jacob,

"and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah.

"Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah."

(Matthew 1:1-17)

"Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph,

"the son of Heli, the son of Matthat,

"...

"the son of Seth, the son of Adam,

"the son of God."

(Luke 3:23–38)

Messiah’s name was to be Immanuel, but Matthew indicates He was named Jesus[edit]

"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.[Immanuel means God with us]"

(Isaiah 7:14)

“Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet saying, ‘Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.’

(Matthew 1:23)

... and he (Joseph) called his name Jesus.

(Matthew 1:25)

Messiah was to sit on the throne of David and re-establish the glory of the Jews, but Jesus' throne was not literal[edit]

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

"Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end.

"He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom,

"establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.

"The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this."

(Isaiah 9:6-7)

"and I will bring my people Israel back from exile.

"“They will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit.

"I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them,”

"says the Lord your God."

(Amos 9:14-15)

"“Fellow Israelites, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay. God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,

"“‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand

"until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’

"“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”

(Acts 2:29–36)

Messiah was to carry a sword and defeat enemies of God’s Chosen People, but Jesus only had a sword of the Spirit which triumphed over all[edit]

"For with fire and with his sword the Lord will execute judgment on all people, and many will be those slain by the Lord."

(Isaiah 66:16)

"Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

(Ephesians 6:17)

Peter indicates in Acts that the prophecy of sun being turned into darkness, etc. came to pass, despite no record of eclipse or moon becoming blood[edit]

"And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come."

(Joel 2:31)

“But Peter, ... said unto them ... For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel ... I shall pour out my Spirit upon all flesh ... And I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

(Acts 2:14-21)

Luke indicates prophecy about every maintain being brought low was fulfilled by Jesus' coming even though not literally true[edit]

"Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low..."

"The Glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."

(Isaiah 40:4-5)

“As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet ...Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low ... and all flesh shall see the salvation of God...”

(Luke 3:4-6)

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