Living by the Book/Living by the Book Workbook Set (111 page)
Read Living by the Book/Living by the Book Workbook Set Online
Authors: Howard G. Hendricks,William D. Hendricks
Tags: #Religion, #Christian Life, #Spiritual Growth, #Biblical Reference, #General
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When we come upon figurative language in Scripture, there are a number of things to remember. Here are ten principles taken from chapter 36 of
Living By the Book
as reminders of how to deal with figurative language.
| Use the literal sense unless there is some good reason not to. |
| Use the figurative sense when the passage tells you to do so. |
| Use the figurative sense if a literal meaning is impossible or absurd. |
| Use the figurative sense if a literal meaning would involve something immoral. |
| Use the figurative sense if the expression is an obvious figure of speech. |
| Use the figurative sense if a literal interpretation goes contrary to the context and scope of the passage. |
| Use the figurative sense if a literal interpretation goes contrary to the general character and style of the book. |
| Use the figurative sense if a literal interpretation goes contrary to the plan and purpose of the author. |
| Use the figurative sense if a literal interpretation involves a contradiction of other Scripture. |
| Use the figurative sense if a literal interpretation would involve a contradiction in doctrine. |
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TODAY’S PASSAGE:
Judges 9:9–15
TIME COMMITMENT:
20 minutes
“The issue here is figurative language. We’re all familiar with figures of speech. We use them all the time: ‘I could have died of embarrassment.’ ‘I guess I’ll have to face the music.’ ‘So-and-so is as mad as a hornet.’ ‘He was bored to tears.’ ‘Don’t let the cat out of the bag.’ ‘She has a green thumb.’ The biblical writers and characters were no different. They laced their material with vivid images, and peculiar ways of speaking” (p. 264).
W
hen you think of parables in the Bible, perhaps Jesus’ stories come to mind immediately. Yet He was merely using a literary form that had already existed for centuries.
Read Judges 9:9–15. If you heard this story out of context, what do you think it might mean?
