Allegory

Sisyphus · Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 8:04 pm Post subject: Allegory

Since this came up in another recent thread I thought it might be worth exploring further in it's own right. I also realise that taken literally, in some ways Bobby’s statements could be astonishing to a certain Christian mind.
I would ask therefore of those who feel inclined to contribute to this thread that it be understood that no fundamentals of faith are being attacked and that the ideas that may come up are the ideas and understandings of the person offering them and should be respected as a point of view if nothing else.

For what it’s worth, I offer the following as a small part of my understanding on the subject.

I find myself having to offer support to Bobby.

Allegory is a form of literature in which elements of the narrative represent something other than what they appear on the surface. Characters often embody specific moral of ethical elements. The key to allegory is that most of the elements of the story represent something.
In a parable, there is normally one central point, and many of the characters and elements of the story are simply props to help carry that one theme to a conclusion. In allegory, almost every element is made to carry some weight.

"The Bible should not be read allegorically."

This statement, or the equivalent, may be commonly heard in evangelical, fundamental, or charismatic churches.
Conservative Christians believe the Bible is factually, historically true: that it must be read and understood literally, and not spiritualized into an allegory.
Though this sounds very pious and orthodox, there's one small flaw in this position -- it seems no one told the apostles, or Jesus! For all the writers of the New Testament, and Jesus Himself in the Gospel accounts, when referring to the Old Testament, do so primarily as spiritual allegory.
According to Webster's dictionary, an allegory is "The representation of abstract ideas or principles by characters, figures, or events in narrative, dramatic, or pictorial form." If we look in the New Testament, we find that the normal and usual interpretation of Old Testament Scripture is allegorical in nature.

We may go straight through the Gospel of Matthew (which is the New Testament book richest in Old Testament citations) and tick off one allegorical reference after another. I shall just sight two:

1. "You shall call his name Emmanuel" (Matthew 1:23, referring to Isaiah 7:14). This is not a literal reference to Jesus' name, but a figurative reference to His nature. The allegorical nature of this prophecy is even more clearly seen in Isaiah 7:15, where the destruction of Judah's enemies represents the downfall of Satan and his cohorts through the death and resurrection of Christ.
2. "Out of Egypt I have called my son" (Matthew 2:15, referring to Hosea 11:1). Here an allegorical comparison is made between the Exodus and the circumstances of Jesus' infancy, showing that Jesus is the one who will bring His people out of bondage.

Paul in particular is extremely creative in his allegorical treatment of the Old Testament. His description of the story of Hagar and Sarah is an allegory for the old and new covenants (this is the only place in the Bible that the word "allegory" is used explicitly). Paul's other interpretations are no less allegorical. He takes Genesis 2:24, "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh", and applies it PRIMARILY to Christ's marriage to the Church, then SECONDARILY to human marriage.
As another example, Paul takes the Law's permission for widows to marry, and applies it to our death to the law and remarriage by faith to the resurrected Christ (Romans 7).

Finally, take a look at Jesus' own allegorical use of the Scriptures. Recall Jesus' famous statement as recorded by John: "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man shall be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in Him should have everlasting life" (John 3:14). In this brief statement, the episode of Israel's rescue from the fiery serpents is unveiled as an allegorical representation of our eternal salvation through Jesus' death.
In effect, all of the Old Testament Scriptures comprise a living allegory. Jesus summed them up by saying, "These testify of Me" (John 5:39). But may be seen, the testimony of the Scriptures is not through direct, literal reference, but rather through dramatic or pictorial representation of events in a narrative form.

The Bible is nothing if not an allegory. But it is an allegory with a difference. It is a living allegory, acted out through real people and genuine events rather than invented characters and imagined plots. It is God's novel, written originally in flesh and blood and only later set down with paper and ink.

Equally, the writers of the Old Testament used allegory regularly to make a point, create a scenario or to provide representation of abstract ideas or principles by characters, figures, or events in a narrative form.

A parable is a legitimate tool used in the New Testament and Old Testament to teach a specific point to the reader or hearer of the word.
Allegory is a legitimate tool for a seeker to utilise to see the truth in Gods word.
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".... love thy neighbour as thyself." is the hardest thing I have ever done....

Covenanter · Joined: 28 Aug 2006 Posts: 1446

That is a fascinating study, Sisyphus.

Who would have considered the descendants of the slave-wife Hagar, to represent the descendants of Sarah through the promised seed, Isaac, who continued to cleave to the Old Covenant & rejected their Messiah?

Hebrews is full of allegory, as the writer explains the significance of the priesthood & the tabernacle as they represent Christ. John underlines this as he writes, "And the Word became flesh, and did tabernacle among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as of an only begotten of a father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14, Young.)

The dip/sprinkle cleansing rituals are shown to be allegories for baptism - the cleansing blood of Christ. (Heb. 9)

We must however be careful not to allegorize beyond Scripture. We must be guided by Scripture, & not go beyond Scripture.
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May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will ... (Hebrews 13:20-21)

bobbyc · Joined: 23 Sep 2006 Posts: 1367

Sisyphus, thank you for the support offered and for your post as a whole. I fully agree with your quote from "evangelicals, fundamentalists or charismatics" because where the Bible is plainly dealing with real events those events are to be read factually. Where I (and other 'allegorisers') find other Christians falling out with us is when there is an insistence that a particular passage is undeniably factual or undeniably allegorical. The other danger is that it can become too easy to label people and then use the labels negatively. Also it can become the case where those who wear a certain label are expected to hold very specific views on particular issues. It is relatively easy to make a case that all evangelical Christians in America support the Republican Party and hold traditional and expected right wing views on such issues as abortion, marriage, euthanasia, homosexuality, gun law, capital punishment etc. Fortunately the existence of men such as Jim Wallis and Tony Campolo prove otherwise. Thanks too to Covenanter. Both of you have striven to make the point that allegory is not in itself a bad thing and a hallmark of a 'false' believer.

keepingthefaith · Guest

bobbyc · Joined: 23 Sep 2006 Posts: 1367

Two questions then Anne.
1) Assuming agreement over the issues you highlighted should those agreeing Christians therefore vote Republican (or Conservative in the UK)?
2) Why do some Christians (including some evangelicals) not condemn homosexuality?

You see the dangers of creating or attempting to conform to stereotypes?

keepingthefaith · Guest

1)I don't vote bobby I don't believe in it.
2) I have never met a bible believing Christian who does not condone homosexualty. I'm sorry.

Sisyphus · Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 11:29 pm Post subject:

bobbyc · Joined: 23 Sep 2006 Posts: 1367

For a short sighted old slaphead you're pretty bright aren't you Sisyphus? Icon_laugh

keepingthefaith · Guest

Elaine · Joined: 20 Jun 2006 Posts: 1712 Location: Derbyshire

As far as I am aware, whether we call it allegory, myth, history or whatever,
there is a biblical reason as to why sodomy is so called.
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God put me on this earth to do a number of things.
Right now I'm so far behind I'll live forever!!!!!

-theophilus- · Joined: 24 Sep 2006 Posts: 562

Sisyphus · Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 6:19 am Post subject:

Sisyphus · Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 6:29 am Post subject:

Covenanter · Joined: 28 Aug 2006 Posts: 1446

keepingthefaith · Guest

very guilty of trying to be intellectual and making a right idiot of myself Icon_laugh