Searcher of Light
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For centuries there has been debates about various scripture passages concerning their literal and figurative readings. Some passages are fairly clear cut. Others are open to debate, such as Revelation, Daniel, Genesis, and various other passages. How is literal or figurative intrepretation determined? For instance, Revelation is often viewed to be entirely literal, entirely figurative, or, as i see it, a combination of both. What determines what parts of it are literal or figurative?
To clarify the 2 words to be examined:
literal[size=-1]actual: being or reflecting the essential or genuine character of something; "her actual motive"; "a literal solitude like a desert"- G.K.Chesterton; "a genuine dilemma"
without interpretation or embellishment; "a literal depiction of the scene before him"
limited to the explicit meaning of a word or text; "a literal translation"
<li>avoiding embellishment or exaggeration (used for emphasis); "it's the literal truth"
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn[/size]
figurative
[size=-1](used of the meanings of words or text) not literal; using figures of speech; "figurative language"
<li>figural: consisting of or forming human or animal figures; "a figural design"; "the figurative art of the humanistic tradition"- Herbert Read
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn[/size]
Is any scripture literal or does it all contain embellishment?
I define figurative and literal scripture based on historical styles and context of the wording and the time period it was written. For example. I view Revelation as mostly figurative. The literal reading of the book concerning the End is illogical:
1) chapter 1 speaks that what was written in the book was to shortly come to pass. When Jesus said the same about the destruction of the temple, it id shortly come to pass - within a few years.
2) when read in context of the apoclyptic writing tradition of time, such as Daniel and other works found in the Dead Sea Scrolls, the figurative nature of the language becomes apparent.
3) in a prophectic level, Revelation completes itself when a person studies the history of the Roman empire up to its collapse.
4) literally reading Revelation would contradict what Jesus stated about the End- that is will come as a thief in the night. in other words it will happen without warning. Literally reading Revelation would suggest the world would have ample warning and signs.
To clarify the 2 words to be examined:
literal[size=-1]actual: being or reflecting the essential or genuine character of something; "her actual motive"; "a literal solitude like a desert"- G.K.Chesterton; "a genuine dilemma"
without interpretation or embellishment; "a literal depiction of the scene before him"
limited to the explicit meaning of a word or text; "a literal translation"
<li>avoiding embellishment or exaggeration (used for emphasis); "it's the literal truth"
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn[/size]
figurative
[size=-1](used of the meanings of words or text) not literal; using figures of speech; "figurative language"
<li>figural: consisting of or forming human or animal figures; "a figural design"; "the figurative art of the humanistic tradition"- Herbert Read
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn[/size]
Is any scripture literal or does it all contain embellishment?
I define figurative and literal scripture based on historical styles and context of the wording and the time period it was written. For example. I view Revelation as mostly figurative. The literal reading of the book concerning the End is illogical:
1) chapter 1 speaks that what was written in the book was to shortly come to pass. When Jesus said the same about the destruction of the temple, it id shortly come to pass - within a few years.
2) when read in context of the apoclyptic writing tradition of time, such as Daniel and other works found in the Dead Sea Scrolls, the figurative nature of the language becomes apparent.
3) in a prophectic level, Revelation completes itself when a person studies the history of the Roman empire up to its collapse.
4) literally reading Revelation would contradict what Jesus stated about the End- that is will come as a thief in the night. in other words it will happen without warning. Literally reading Revelation would suggest the world would have ample warning and signs.