SUBJECT:  Bible

QUESTION:  Is the Bible to be taken literally or is the Bible part allegory?

ANSWER:

This is a most interesting question.  Both suppositions are true and both require an explanation.

1) Bible to be taken literally?

Yes, the Bible is to be taken literally, BUT, and this is a big BUT, one must know what is being said in any one verse, context and/or concept.  One must find and know what is being said before making that which is "taken" a part of their life.

Part of the reason for this is part two of the question.

2) Is the Bible part allegory?

Yes it is.  Let us look at what "allegory" means:

al·le·go·ry [áll? gàwree] (plural al·le·go·ries) noun

1.symbolic work: a work in which the characters and events are to be understood as representing other things and symbolically expressing a deeper, often spiritual, moral, or political meaning

2.symbolic expression of meaning in story: the symbolic expression of a deeper meaning through a story or scene acted out by human, animal, or mythical characters
•the poet’s use of allegory

3.genre: allegories considered as a literary or artistic genre

4.symbolic representation: a symbolic representation of something

Encarta® World English Dictionary

This definition hits the meaning pretty well.  God often speaks in symbolic text, so we will get the point.  Remember as I say this, that one must have the Holy Spirit in them or working with them (prior to baptism and the receiving of the Holy Spirit) (See 1 Corinthians 2:14).  With the Holy Spirit in one, he or she can understand the symbolic text and get the factual point or true concept.  Often, God writes a truth in plain text and then backs it up with a parable (perfection in symbolic writing).

Example:  Matthew 25:1-13 The Parable of the Ten Virgins.

This short parable has a lot to say about the firstfruits God has called prior to the return of Christ.  Some might tell you that the only meaning of the parable is to be ready, as we see 5 virgins failing to be ready when the Bridegroom came for the marriage supper.  It does not take a genius to see that the Bridegroom is Christ and the call to the marriage supper is His return to this earth.

So who are the bridesmaids?  Well we can tell from the analogy of the oil and the lamps that we are talking about firstfruit Christians with the Holy Spirit, for oil is used in many places in the Bible to represent the Holy Spirit.

What is happening to the foolish virgins?  They have allowed the oil in their lamps to go down to dangerous levels.  This is analogous to falling from the Salvation process to which one is called and the way to Salvation.  The Bible, itself, says....

1 Thessalonians 5:19
Quench not the Spirit.

 

This is exactly what happened to these firstfruit bridesmaids.

When is this going to happen?  Look in the context to find the answer.  This context of Matthew 24 and 25 begins with a question.  Notice Matthew 24:3

Matthew 24:3
And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

 

This discourse (Jesus answering the question) does not end until Matthew 26:1, so we know that all of the text in Matthew 24 and 25 are answering that specific question.

The disciples are specifically asking what will happen in that short period of time prior to His return.  Therefore, the parable is speaking of firstfruit Christians in the last few years prior to Christ's return.  The foolish virgins represent those who will be fallen away from the Salvation Process just prior to His return.  They will still think they are in it and they will probably still be attending Sabbath services each week.  They find out at the moment of the return of Christ, the Bridegroom.  For the foolish virgins in the parable, they get the door shut in their face by the Bridegroom and He says to them, I know you not (verses 10 and 12). 

What happens to the real firstfruits?  As I stated earlier, God also speaks in straight talk.  Jesus gave them the straight talk just before the parable.  It is in verses 45 through 51 of  Chapter 24.  In my particular Bible, it uses headings for certain portions of the scripture.  For verses 45-51, the heading is...

"The Faithful and the Unfaithful Servants"

Matthew 24:45-51
45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?

46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.

48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;

49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;

50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,

51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The parable says foolish virgins.  The straight talk says evil servants.  Notice how these firstfruits fall away.

He says that Christ delays His coming...verse 47.

He smites his fellow servants...verse 48.

He eats and drinks with the drunken (meaning that he goes back to the ways of the world, including sin)---verse 48

He is not aware of the return of Christ...verse 50

What happens to these firstfruits that fall away? 

Luke 9:62
And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

Did Jesus say anything in Matthew 24 about this?

Matthew 24:46-47
46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.

 

Matthew 24:13
But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

 

What happens to the real firstfruits who fall away?

 
It is in that portion of straight talk:

Matthew 24:51
And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

 

So, we see a prime example of how the Bible is written.  The allegory (the parable) is a means for us to better understand the straight talk of the Bible.  We can take that LITERALLY.  We can take the straight talk literally and we can take the straight talk the allegory is alluding to, also literally.

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