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Is the Bible metaphorical?

NeilPye

The Heretic
I have a hard time believing the Bible, both Old and New Testament, because of some of the stories in it. Do any of you think the Bible could be mostly metaphorical? I really can't see the story of creation actually happening, or humans living well beyond 140 years of age.

Could the books of the Bible be metaphorical, designed to show how to live as a Jew or Christian?
 

Levite

Higher and Higher
I have a hard time believing the Bible, both Old and New Testament, because of some of the stories in it. Do any of you think the Bible could be mostly metaphorical? I really can't see the story of creation actually happening, or humans living well beyond 140 years of age.

Could the books of the Bible be metaphorical, designed to show how to live as a Jew or Christian?

At least from a Jewish perspective, not all of the Bible is intended to be taken literally. Different Jewish authorities would tell you that different parts are metaphorical, but there is a well-established principle of interpretation that says dibrah Torah ki'l'shon b'nai adam, which means "The Torah speaks in the way that people talk," which is to say that it uses idioms, metaphors, similies, and parables from time to time.

Most Modern Jewish scholars will tell you that Tanakh is supposed to be a moral and ethical source, a legal foundation, a folk history, and a manifestation of the covenant between God and Israel. But it is not a textbook, whether biology, history, or cosmology. Trying to use it as such is as ill-founded a notion as teaching calculus with Shakespeare.
 

DreadFish

Cosmic Vagabond
At least from a Jewish perspective, not all of the Bible is intended to be taken literally. Different Jewish authorities would tell you that different parts are metaphorical, but there is a well-established principle of interpretation that says dibrah Torah ki'l'shon b'nai adam, which means "The Torah speaks in the way that people talk," which is to say that it uses idioms, metaphors, similies, and parables from time to time.

Most Modern Jewish scholars will tell you that Tanakh is supposed to be a moral and ethical source, a legal foundation, a folk history, and a manifestation of the covenant between God and Israel. But it is not a textbook, whether biology, history, or cosmology. Trying to use it as such is as ill-founded a notion as teaching calculus with Shakespeare.

That sounds good to me, I would agree on that point. It pains me when so many people take it completely literally like a history book :( .


As my dad has said "It is a book of faith, not a history book".
 
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