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Sep 5, 2024 · The Bible uses metaphor to help us make connections that allow us to understand deeper truths. Jesus often used metaphors to make statements about Himself, as in the examples below: Jesus said, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35).
- A Sword that Pierces. For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
- A Mirror that Reveals. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror – James 1:23. Once the heart is opened up by the sword of the Spirit, now the mirror of the Word is held up.
- A Seed that Reproduces. for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.
- Milk that Nourishes. like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation. – 1 Peter 2:2. You are to be always craving the Word of God like a baby craves milk.
- God Is A Potter
- The Lord Is My Shepherd
- Jesus Is Light
- God Is The Alpha and Omega
- Jesus Is A Vine
- Jesus Is The Bread of Life
- God Is A Rock, A Shield and A Fortress
- The Lord Is A Sun and A Shield
- God Is The Father
- God Is An Artist
In this metaphor, god is seen as a potter moulding the world. The key idea here is that we’re all made by god. Just like a potter uses his hands to mould pots from clay, god moulded us. And just as a potter’s hand-made pots are fashioned and cast by a potter with their own unique personalities, god gave us personalities that he hand-selected for us...
In this metaphor, god is seen as a shepherd and we are his sheep. This one recurs a lot in Christianity. A shepherd will make sure their sheep are all safe and healthy. He will lead them to where they need to go and care for them. Similarly, God will make sure we’re all healthy and okay. He will also need to make sure we go in the right direction, ...
We often use phrases that refer to Jesus as ‘light’. In all of these references (e.g. the lord as the sun, brightness, etc.), the writers are referencing the cultural idea of light being good and dark being bad. I talk about this in detail in my light metaphorsarticle. So, to say that Jesus is light is to say that he is the ‘good thing’ that needs ...
For this metaphor, you need to know that Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet and Omega is the last letter of the Greek Alphabet. So, Revelations is really saying that God is everything. He is the answer to all questions and is your guide for life (and death) from beginning to end.
In this metaphor, Jesus sees himself as a vine, while we are the branches growing from the vine. The idea here is that branches from a vine cannot live without the vine itself. So, we must stay close to Jesus in order to thrive. It also highlights how we come from God and are made by god, just as vines are needed in order to make branches. Finally,...
Here, Jesus is bread. This means that he is the thing that gives us what we need – food an nourishment. He follows-up with “he who comes to me will not hunger”, meaning that if you believe in God, you will get what you need in life. He will provide for you.
Here are three metaphors in once! First, god is a rock. As discussed in my rock metaphorsarticle, we often use rocks as metaphors when we want to refer to things that are strong, solid, and will not fail on us. So, here, we can see that Psalm 18:2 is saying that God will always be there for you. Second, god is a fortress. This means that you will b...
I just discussed above the idea of God as a shield – like a shield, god can protect you from attacks from evil. As for ‘sun’, we see regularly that people refer to god as ‘the light’, and of course the greatest of all lights is the sun. So, this metaphor reinforces the idea that god is goodness (light) and the opposite of evil (darkness). You shoul...
We will often refer to God as our father. Here, we’re not saying that God is Jesus’s father (which is, arguable, a little more literal). Rather, we’re saying he’s your father and my father. How can that be so, if we already have a father? This is a metaphorical statement which refers to God as someone who created us. Just as we are created by our f...
We will often be out and about in nature, look upon the beauty we see, and marvel at God’s creation. He created something incredibly beautiful. You could even say that nature is a work of art painted by the hand of god! He’s the greatest artist – greater than Michelangelo. This has similarities to the metaphor earlier of God as Potter because both ...
- Proverbs 13:14. The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life. In our first example, teaching is compared to a fountain, but not just any fountain. The fountain of life is a common metaphor that suggests a continuing source of sustenance and life.
- Isaiah 64:8. But now, O Lord, You are our Father, We are the clay, and You our potter; And all of us are the work of Your hand. In this metaphor, God is compared to a potter who molds clay.
- Psalms 23:1. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. Here is a commonly alluded to a metaphor from one of the most famous passages in The Bible. God is compared to a shepherd, someone whose duty it is to look after and care for his sheep.
- John 6:35. Jesus said to them, ‘i am the bread of life; he who comes to me will not hunger, and he who believes in me will never thirst.’ In this metaphor, Jesus compares himself to bread.
Mar 7, 2018 · God is commonly referred to as a rock, as in this example. • Psalm 18:2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
Feb 16, 2022 · In the Western tradition, many phrases and terms from the Bible are utilized as allegory, metaphors, idioms, or simply to describe the characteristics of a known person or event. They have become an essential element of literature and descriptions of everyday life situations.
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Apr 24, 2023 · Learn more about the significance of Bible metaphors in understanding the word of God as well as the helpful ways to break down these metaphors.
