How Should We Interpret Scipture? : Literally…Allegorically?

One perhaps hotly debated topic in even Christian circles revolves around the topic of scriptural significance and meaning: Should the Bible be taken literally? Or is it an allegory? Or possibly a mix?

Where do you go when you want to find out more about the Bible? Sure, there are many textbooks and commentaries that have already been written which cover this topic in great detail. But have you ever stopped to consider…checking the Bible? After many ancient history finds in the middle east, have not many people, places and things been proven Biblically correct, after doubt for hundreds of years by ‘modern’ historians? Does this not mean that we must at least take some of the Bible literally?

Furthermore, are there not only examples, but clear examples for both allegorical and literal interpretation in the Bible? In regards to prophecy from the Old Testament to the New Testament…When foretelling the coming Messiah, were those prophecies allegorical or literal? When there was prophecy in the Old Testament, such as that as the statue described in Daniel chapter 2…were they not obvious word pictures? Was it not later interpreted and explained? Or when Jesus discusses tying a millstone around one’s neck, or gouging out an eye…do we not have similar phrases which we use which are not expected to be taken literally, but to make a point? Perhaps you have heard someone say something like, “I would rather eat a moldy piece of bread instead of clean my room”, or “I’m going to kick your butt/ I’m going to cream you!”. Are those to be taken literally? How do you distinguish the allegorical from the literal?

This may be a more complex problem in some situations and texts, but do we read too much into scripture at times, and start adding our own meanings? If so, why do we do it? When we have conversations with other people…when we read the works of people from 500 years ago…and when we read texts thousands of years ago, do we not all use both allegorical and literal writing? If so, is it usually difficult to distinguish the difference? Do we have great difficulty understanding and interpreting the words of people around us when differentiating between taking something literally or as an word picture? Perhaps most importantly: When we are reading the Bible, do we notice how people in the Bible regarded scripture and prophecy? Did they take it as a word picture, or as literal?

Perhaps especially in the case of prophecy: Do we tend to make most prophecy allegorical in order to categorize it as ‘too difficult’ to understand, so we may therefore take a ‘pass’ and tell ourselves we do not need to pay attention to a topic we will never understand anyway? Or are important things in scripture simply hard, if not impossible to understand?

Luke 11:5-13 describes Jesus teaching His disciples:

“5And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;

6For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?

7And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.

8I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.

9And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

10For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

11If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?

12Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

13If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?”

If you seek the Lord, and ask Him to reveal Himself and His truths to you, has He not promised to reveal unto you His words and their meanings?

What do you think?