As is generally the case with most subjects the tendency is for the pendulum to swing too far to right or too far to the left. In this instance we have those on the right hand who insist on the literal interpretation of all scripture and those on the left who tend to spiritualize everything.
Now although it’s true that the majority of the bible is to be taken literally nevertheless there are many prophetic statements, passages, chapters, and whole books which are highly symbolic, allegorical and or figurative in nature (for example, the Song of Solomon, most of Ezekiel and Revelation as well as our Lord’s parables), and as such they are to be interpreted. Attempting to force a literal interpretation on something which is clearly seen to be symbolic only leads to error and confusion.
The bible as God’s revelation was written for man, but specifically for the Church, the people of God thus the majority of its teachings especially those pertaining to the “deep things” of the Word of God, viz., “times and the seasons”, prophecy and etc. were deliberately concealed in highly figurative and or symbolic language in order that they might be kept hidden, not only from the worldly wise (the worldly church), but likewise from the Lord’s own people, until the “due time” for their disclosure should come.
The key to understanding Scripture is knowing when something is to be interpreted literally or symbolically viz. as a symbolic picture of something else. Now most of us are aware of what it means to interpret the scriptures literally. That is we are to take them just as they are stated. What is said is what is meant, there’s no mystery or hidden meaning.
An example of this would be,
“… ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, wherever they have gone, and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land; and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king over them all; they shall no longer be two nations, nor shall they ever be divided into two kingdoms again.” (Ezek 37:21, 22)
An example of a symbolic picture would be the following texts taken from Acts 15:16, Luke 1:32, and Ezek. 37:24.
"After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle [house] of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up." "And the Lord shall give him the throne of his father David." "And David, my servant, shall be king over them."
Many, who see something in these promises, suppose that the statements should be taken literally, but that is not the case.
“While the literalness of the promised return of Israel to their own land, and the rebuilding of Jerusalem upon her own heaps, cannot be questioned, we may be equally confident that by the house and throne of David, not the literal stones, timbers, etc., are meant. The re-establishment of the house of David refers to the re-establishment of royalty and dominion in the hands of some of David's posterity.
Christ Jesus is the promised descendant of David's house, and the heir of his throne; and when his authority begins to be established, that will be the beginning of the raising up (permanent establishment) of the formerly temporary house or tabernacle of David, which was overthrown, and which for many centuries has lain in the dust. So, likewise, the "throne of David," upon which Messiah will sit, refers not to the wood and gold and ivory bench upon which David sat, but to the dignity, power and authority of office which he exercised. That authority, office or throne, which David occupied for some years, is to be filled on a much grander scale by Jehovah's Anointed, our Lord Jesus.”
But what does it mean to spiritualize scripture?
Is it wrong to do so?
It depends on what you mean by spiritualizing scripture.
The following is the definition of spiritualizing scripture as explained on the website walkwiththeword.org:
“To spiritualize the text is to apply a method of interpretation that implies that the true meaning of the text is hidden, and that the text means something other than what it appears to say on the surface. Similar to allegorization, spiritualizing the text states there is a mystical, hidden meaning to the text, something that goes beyond the literal-historical meaning, and that is the true and only correct interpretation of the text. It is a mystical approach to interpreting God’s Word.”
To say that there are not any text in the bible in which the true meaning is hidden, in which “the text means something other than what it appears to say on the surface”, i.e. the thing said is not actually the thing meant would totally negate just about every parable our Lord ever spoke (which were in essence cryptic allegories) as well as most of Ezekiel and Revelation.
Understand we are NOT speaking of MYSTICISM: which is merely some vague speculation or belief in mysteries without any sound basis, no what we speak of are those hidden truths which are only discernable by those begotten of the Lord’s spirit, and of these only those who are mature who by reason of use have had their senses exercised i.e. who through patient study of the Scriptures comparing spiritual things with spiritual things have become established in the truth. (Heb 5:14)
As it is written:
“We speak wisdom (spiritual wisdom, the truth) among them that are mature (those who are developed spiritually, i.e. spirit begotten): yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the rulers of this world (the popular leaders and teachers), that come to naught: But we speak the wisdom of God (which is not of this world, but comes from above) in a mystery (secretively), [even] the hidden [plan] which God ordained before the world for our glory: Which none of the rulers (the chief ones, ecclesiastical or civil) of this world know: for had they known [it], (God’s true plans and purposes), they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” (1 Cor 2:6-8)
There is a distinctive difference between 1) spiritualizing scripture in the sense of modifying (i.e. twisting) the scriptures to make them mean whatever YOU want them to mean and 2) spiritualizing scripture in the sense of viewing them from a spiritual perspective as only the spirit begotten are capable.
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Now although it’s true that the majority of the bible is to be taken literally nevertheless there are many prophetic statements, passages, chapters, and whole books which are highly symbolic, allegorical and or figurative in nature (for example, the Song of Solomon, most of Ezekiel and Revelation as well as our Lord’s parables), and as such they are to be interpreted. Attempting to force a literal interpretation on something which is clearly seen to be symbolic only leads to error and confusion.
The bible as God’s revelation was written for man, but specifically for the Church, the people of God thus the majority of its teachings especially those pertaining to the “deep things” of the Word of God, viz., “times and the seasons”, prophecy and etc. were deliberately concealed in highly figurative and or symbolic language in order that they might be kept hidden, not only from the worldly wise (the worldly church), but likewise from the Lord’s own people, until the “due time” for their disclosure should come.
The key to understanding Scripture is knowing when something is to be interpreted literally or symbolically viz. as a symbolic picture of something else. Now most of us are aware of what it means to interpret the scriptures literally. That is we are to take them just as they are stated. What is said is what is meant, there’s no mystery or hidden meaning.
An example of this would be,
“… ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, wherever they have gone, and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land; and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king over them all; they shall no longer be two nations, nor shall they ever be divided into two kingdoms again.” (Ezek 37:21, 22)
An example of a symbolic picture would be the following texts taken from Acts 15:16, Luke 1:32, and Ezek. 37:24.
"After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle [house] of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up." "And the Lord shall give him the throne of his father David." "And David, my servant, shall be king over them."
Many, who see something in these promises, suppose that the statements should be taken literally, but that is not the case.
“While the literalness of the promised return of Israel to their own land, and the rebuilding of Jerusalem upon her own heaps, cannot be questioned, we may be equally confident that by the house and throne of David, not the literal stones, timbers, etc., are meant. The re-establishment of the house of David refers to the re-establishment of royalty and dominion in the hands of some of David's posterity.
Christ Jesus is the promised descendant of David's house, and the heir of his throne; and when his authority begins to be established, that will be the beginning of the raising up (permanent establishment) of the formerly temporary house or tabernacle of David, which was overthrown, and which for many centuries has lain in the dust. So, likewise, the "throne of David," upon which Messiah will sit, refers not to the wood and gold and ivory bench upon which David sat, but to the dignity, power and authority of office which he exercised. That authority, office or throne, which David occupied for some years, is to be filled on a much grander scale by Jehovah's Anointed, our Lord Jesus.”
But what does it mean to spiritualize scripture?
Is it wrong to do so?
It depends on what you mean by spiritualizing scripture.
The following is the definition of spiritualizing scripture as explained on the website walkwiththeword.org:
“To spiritualize the text is to apply a method of interpretation that implies that the true meaning of the text is hidden, and that the text means something other than what it appears to say on the surface. Similar to allegorization, spiritualizing the text states there is a mystical, hidden meaning to the text, something that goes beyond the literal-historical meaning, and that is the true and only correct interpretation of the text. It is a mystical approach to interpreting God’s Word.”
To say that there are not any text in the bible in which the true meaning is hidden, in which “the text means something other than what it appears to say on the surface”, i.e. the thing said is not actually the thing meant would totally negate just about every parable our Lord ever spoke (which were in essence cryptic allegories) as well as most of Ezekiel and Revelation.
Understand we are NOT speaking of MYSTICISM: which is merely some vague speculation or belief in mysteries without any sound basis, no what we speak of are those hidden truths which are only discernable by those begotten of the Lord’s spirit, and of these only those who are mature who by reason of use have had their senses exercised i.e. who through patient study of the Scriptures comparing spiritual things with spiritual things have become established in the truth. (Heb 5:14)
As it is written:
“We speak wisdom (spiritual wisdom, the truth) among them that are mature (those who are developed spiritually, i.e. spirit begotten): yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the rulers of this world (the popular leaders and teachers), that come to naught: But we speak the wisdom of God (which is not of this world, but comes from above) in a mystery (secretively), [even] the hidden [plan] which God ordained before the world for our glory: Which none of the rulers (the chief ones, ecclesiastical or civil) of this world know: for had they known [it], (God’s true plans and purposes), they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” (1 Cor 2:6-8)
There is a distinctive difference between 1) spiritualizing scripture in the sense of modifying (i.e. twisting) the scriptures to make them mean whatever YOU want them to mean and 2) spiritualizing scripture in the sense of viewing them from a spiritual perspective as only the spirit begotten are capable.
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