Herman Who?

1
Herman Who?
2
Figurative Language

• Figurative language is so common, it is used
  without a 2nd thought
• She is as pretty as a picture Im caught between
  a rock and a hard place My cup is running over

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Avoiding Making the Figurative Literal

• When a child hears it and takes it literally, the
  result can be very disturbing
• If you do that one more time, you are going to be
  in hot water
• We must be careful to understand the figurative
  language of the Bible lest we become confused as
  to the Lords intent

4
A Simile

• An explicitly stated comparison using the words
  like or as
• The Psalmist says the blessed man who delights in
  Gods law is like a tree planted by the rivers
  of water (Psalm 13)
• Jesus said, Behold, I send you out as lambs
  among wolves (Luke 103)
• He will separate them one from another, as a
  shepherd divides his sheep from the goats
  (Matthew 2532)
• God promised Abraham, I will multiply your
  descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the
  sand which is on the sea shore (Genesis 2217)

5
A Metaphor

• It uses comparison by direct assertion in which
  one thing is described in terms of another
• God told Jeremiah that he made him a fortified
  city, and an iron pillar, and bronze walls
  against the whole land (118)
• The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want
  (Psalm 231)
• Jesus told his disciples, Take, eat this is My
  body (Matthew 2626), since he was bodily
  present at the time of that statement, we know he
  meant the bread metaphorically represented his
  body

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Synecdoche

• A figure of speech in which a part is used to
  stand for the whole, or a whole for the part
• In John 316, the world particularly is
  concerned with all men in the world
• In Genesis 4627, soul stands for the person
• One condition of salvation may be mentioned in
  place of all conditions (Acts 1631 1 Peter
  321)
• A plural may be put for the singular (Genesis
  1929 217 467)
• A definite number may be put for the indefinite
  (Psalm 5010 1 Corinthians 1419)

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Hyperbole

• Deliberate exaggeration for emphasis
• The 10 spies said they were grasshoppers in their
  own eyes when compared to the sons of Anak
  (Numbers 1333 Deuteronomy 128)
• John said there were many other things Jesus did,
  which if they were written one by one, I suppose
  that even the world itself could not contain the
  books that would be written (2125)
• Paul describes himself as less than the least of
  all saints (Ephesians 38)
• Paul described himself as the chief, or greatest,
  of sinners (1 Timothy 115)

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Interrogation

• Uses questions to plainly declare for, or
  against, a certain point, in other words, no real
  answer is desired
• Nicodemus used it to point out that the law did
  not allow a man to be condemned without a hearing
  (John 750-51)
• Paul used it to declare himself a free man, an
  apostle, one who had seen Jesus and one of the
  teachers who started the work at Corinth (1
  Corinthians 91)
• Paul also used it to show that Jesus name is the
  only one we should wear and he is the only man we
  should follow (1 Corinthians 113)

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Euphemism

• An agreeable expression which is substituted for
  something delicate, offensive, or unpleasant
• In Genesis 41, it says Adam knew his wife and
  she bore a son
• Acts 760 says Stephen fell asleep, instead of
  saying he died
• Paul used similar wording in talking about
  brothers in Thessalonica who had died (1
  Thessalonians 413)

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Parable

• A story with facts that are true to life which is
  used to illustrate spiritual truths
• In the Greek, para beside and ballein to
  throw, hence to throw along beside for the
  purpose of comparison
• Dungan observed 4 basic purposes of parables
  (Matthew 1310-17 2 Samuel 121-14)
• To conceal the truth
• To reveal the truth
• To embalm the truth
• To cause men to assent to the truth before they
  realize such truth will expose their guilt

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Rule 1 Let the Author Interpret Figurative
Language for You

• Jesus interprets the parable of the sower in Luke
  84-15
• Ezekiel 371-10 tells of a valley full of dry
  bones
• The prophet went on to explain that the valley of
  dry bones represented Israel and her lost hope,
  which God was going to restore and put life back
  into

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Rule 2 Look for the Meaning as Explained by
Other Inspired Men

• Isaiah tells of a virgin that would conceive,
  bear a son and call his name Immanuel
• Matthew 118-23 explains that this foretold the
  virgin birth of Jesus Christ
• Peter explains that the events of the day of
  Pentecost in Acts 21-21 are a fulfillment of
  Joel 228-32

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Rule 3 Let Clear Teaching on the Same Subject
Guide Our Understanding of Less Clear

• Psalm 419 says, Even my own familiar friend in
  whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up
  his heel against me.
• Peter told the others David foresaw the betrayal
  of Jesus by Judas (Acts 115-18)

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Rule 4 Be Careful Not to Make an Analogy Say
Too Much

• Our heavenly Father should not be considered an
  unjust judge because of the parable meant to
  teach persistence in prayer (Luke 181-8)
• We must also realize that figures can be used to
  represent different things
• Jesus is called the Word (John 1), but not
  every use of word refers to him