Figurative Language In The Bible --- Its Purpose And Use

In the Bible, God often expresses a truth in its usual sense (literal). However, He frequently uses a symbol, a story, or another more descriptive means (figurative). For example, it is literally true that God cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). And yet, how this truth is beautifully expressed with so much more impact in Psalm 23 with all its lovely figures of speech. The Bible student might ask, “Why use the figurative, when the literal is so plain?” Because figurative language can add beauty and real adornment to plain truth; and it can illustrate and explain a truth more vividly thus making a more lasting impression on the mind and heart.

The real purpose of figurative language is not to teach new truth, but to illustrate and graphically portray truth taught elsewhere in scripture. Figurative language must always be in harmony with any “literal” facts. It will then help to make the truth vitally interesting and more easily remembered. Let us ask ourselves, “How do we determine whether a passage is figurative?”

1) When It Involves An Impossibility Or An Absurdity — Using Luke 9:60 as an example, the absurdity of a physically dead man going out and burying another dead man, indicates that we must understand it as “figurative language” in order for this verse to make sense.

2) When It Involves A Contradiction Or Inconsistency — Again, Jesus said, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die” (John 11:25-26 KJV). If this is all “literal” then Jesus is contradicting himself.

3) When It Involves An Immoral Conclusion — A good example is Jesus’ command to “cut off” one’s hand or foot, or pluck out one’s eyes if such causes one to stumble (Matthew 18:8-9). God’s Word teaches that it is a sin to mutilate the body (Deuteronomy 14:1; Leviticus 19:28; Leviticus 21:5; Jeremiah 16:6; cf. Jeremiah 41:5; Jeremiah 47:5). It would therefore not only be morally wrong, but physically impossible to carry out this command ”literally." Would not a person look “strange” if he were to amputate each member of his body the first time it caused him to sin? The Lord is simply using a figure of speech teaching a basic principle in regard to temptation.

4) When It Is Otherwise Implied By The Context Of The Passage — After carefully reading the entire section of thought wherein such a passage is found, one can often ascertain from the general sense whether it is to be taken as “literal” or “figurative.”

5) When It Is Otherwise Stated — The writer may come right out and “say” it is a figure of speech. Jesus boldly stood in Jerusalem and declared if they destroyed this temple He would raise it up in three days. Now “this temple” was not Herod’s temple where the people worshiped, but He was using figurative language, foretelling the resurrection of His body — the writer says so (John 2:18-21).

6) When It Is More Apt To be Figurative For The Reason Of Sheer Common Sense — When Jesus promised to give the woman of Samaria “living water” (John 4:10-15), He was using highly figurative language to dramatically show this woman of sin and frustration, what He really could do for her life.

Understanding the use of figurative language in God’s Word will help the Bible student from getting confused and coming to an improper interpretation concerning a passage (or passages) of Scripture.

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets

Source: W. Robert Palmer, “How To Understand The Bible” (Joplin, MO: College Press Publishing Company, 1980), 89-90.