On Biblical Literalism

On Biblical Literalism This paper will delve into the troublesome area of how to comprehend the truths of the Bible; some of which the Apostle Peter referred to as “hard to understand” (2 Peter 3:15, 16). Some were written in obvious symbolism, some as verbatim instruction, and some as principles to guide us in our lives. Certain translations have felt it beneficial to include books not deemed traditionally canonical, while others have refrained from including any works around which suspicion loomed. When it comes to our personal view of what is contained in our version of the Holy Scriptures, how can we be certain of the nature of particular passages? The Jewish Scriptures When we look at the books that compose what Paul referred to as “the old testament,” (2 Cor. 3:14, Catholic Douay-Reims) their inclusion changes based on which canon is used. The Protestant and Jewish versions of the Hebrew Bible contain virtually the same content, though they differ in terms of the divisional placement and numbering systems. The Catholic Latin Vulgate’s Old Testament, however, is composed of forty-six books.1 Regardless of which version we choose to use in our studies, the canon on the whole is a vivid depiction of Jewish heritage and worship. It is a group of books revered by all Abrahamic faiths as divinely-inspired. The view that it is inspired material, however, doesn’t inform us as to the manner in which we should utilize it in our daily lives and worship. A brief exploration into the first few chapters of Genesis clearly shows us that some of it is narrative exposition, while some is commonly viewed as literal and factual reporting. From the outset, the creation of the physical universe is documented as having occurred over a period of six “days,” and being further divided into evening and morning. Yet, very few religions teach that these were literal twenty-four hour cycles, as science has consistently proven beyond a doubt that this planet is much older; on the magnitude of billions of years rather than hours and days. This is quite reasonable since we often use the term “day” when referring to an era, a generation, a lifetime, etc. Genesis 1:3, 4: “3 And God proceeded to say: ‘Let light come to be.’ Then there came to be light. 4 After that God saw that the light was good, and God brought about a division between the light and the darkness.” Verse three is clearly exposition, since we know that the “light” that illuminates our planet comes from the Sun. Similarly, verse four leaves out the fact that the subsequent division God created between day and night is caused by planetary rotation, a scientific concept likely unknown to Moses at the time of its writing.

1 The Muratorian Fragment, c. 170 A.D.: “Hermas wrote The Shepherd very recently, in our times, in the city of Rome, while bishop Pius, his

brother, was occupying the chair of the church of the city of Rome. And therefore it ought indeed to be read; but it cannot be read publicly to the people in church either among the Prophets, whose number is complete or among the Apostles, for it is after their time.”

Genesis 1:14-16: “14 And God went on to say: “Let luminaries come to be in the expanse of the heavens to make a division between the day and the night; and they must serve as signs and for seasons and for days and years. 15 And they must serve as luminaries in the expanse of the heavens to shine upon the earth.” And it came to be so. 16 And God proceeded to make the two great luminaries, the greater luminary for dominating the day and the lesser luminary for dominating the night, and also the stars.” These luminaries were said to be created during the fourth day, yet for the vegetation of the third day to sprout forth, there must have already been sunlight. Without it, nothing on earth can grow or even survive. The second chapter of Genesis jumbles the order of creation so that mankind shows up before the animals, even before the Garden of Eden. Yet, science tells us that animals and vegetation both came hundreds of millions, even billions, of years before we humans arrived. Genesis 3:22 states that the fruit of the Tree of Life would lead to Adam and Eve’s immortality. Is this to be taken literally or figuratively? Did there ever exist a tree producing a fruit of which its very fibers possessed the nutritive properties of lending eternal life to those partaking of it? How do we know? Genesis 6:5, 6: “5 Consequently Jehovah saw that the badness of man was abundant in the earth and every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only bad all the time. 6 And Jehovah felt regrets that he had made men in the earth, and he felt hurt at his heart.” Is it possible that the Almighty God of the Universe ever actually felt “regret” over anything he personally did? Can we even begin to comprehend the fact that Jehovah ever made a mistake? Clearly this passage is telling us that His regret was not over the creation of man, but of man’s misuse of free will to commit gross sin on such a massive scale. This passage is obviously narrative, not literal. Genesis 6:17, 18: “17 And as for me, here I am bringing the deluge of waters upon the earth to bring to ruin all flesh in which the force of life is active from under the heavens. Everything that is in the earth will expire. 18 And I do establish my covenant with you; and you must go into the ark, you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you.” Some religions teach that Noah went out and preached in an effort to get others to follow him into the ark. Yet, this verse tells us that God made the covenant solely with Noah and his family. There is no mention of reservation or inclusion of anyone else. Obviously, they had been judged by Him. So, why do some continue to portray Noah as some sort of pre-Christian evangelizer with hopes of saving souls? Also, if “everything that is in the earth will expire” why did the creatures in the sea survive? Do they not have the “force of life”? Are they not “under the heavens”? Genesis 8:22, ASV: “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” A simple reading of the text above allows for the scientific view that this planet will some day meet its demise. Yet, many religions teach that this planet will last forever. Why would Moses use the phrase “while the earth remains” if it was intended to remain forever? Perhaps it was a narrative tool used for the flow of paragraph. Or could it be taken literally?

Genesis 9:6: “Anyone shedding man’s blood, by man will his own blood be shed, for in God’s image he made man.” This verse has never been followed as a technical law, not even by Jehovah himself in His dealings with man. It would be impossible, as those responsible for killing the convicted murderer would themselves be guilty of “shedding man’s blood.” So this verse is another taken universally as tongue-in-cheek, rightly interpreted as “anyone shedding an innocent man’s blood.” Genesis 9:22: “Later Ham the father of Ca´naan saw his father’s nakedness and went telling it to his two brothers outside.” Notice that Ham is the one who committed the wrong against Noah, yet it is Ham’s son, Canaan, who is subsequently cursed by Noah. Many come to the conclusion that Canaan bore some culpability in what his father did, yet this is not what is stated. Still, it was the land of his descendants that the Jews invaded after their exodus out of Egypt. Genesis 11:6: “After that Jehovah said: ‘Look! They are one people and there is one language for them all, and this is what they start to do. Why, now there is nothing that they may have in mind to do that will be unattainable for them.’” Allowing for a single language, is man really capable of accomplishing anything they put their mind to? Do we have within us the capability to conquer diseases such as AIDS or cancer? Or is this another exaggeration used for driving home the point of man’s ability to unify? 2 Chronicles 36:23: “All the kingdoms of the earth Jehovah the God of the heavens has given me.” The above is a quotation of Cyrus King of the Medes and Persians. Do we take is as literal? What do these verses prove? It proves that the Bible is full, from beginning to end, of passages meant to be viewed as symbolic. It was not Jehovah’s intention for us to use it as a historical or scientific manual. Some accounts are given multiple times and in reverse order, some are given as summations, some are given as dreams and visions, and some are merely given from a particular perspective, such as was the case when Joshua asked for the “sun to stand still.” We know today that nothing in the universe actually stands still. And as this planet revolves around the sun while rotating on its axis, it would have been more scientifically accurate for Joshua to say, “Let the earth stand still.” However, should he have phrased it that way, would those around him understand its meaning? The Christian Scriptures Even more so than the books that make up the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament is composed of dozens of cases which use principles Christians should strive to live by. Its twenty-seven books are largely the result of Paul’s tireless efforts in spreading his new faith. Also included are the Gospels, an early history of the apostles by Luke, and an assortment of letters by Peter, John, and Jude. The question persists, how much of what we read in the Greek Scriptures is to be taken literally? Do we take Jesus statement literally when he said it would be easier for a camel to enter the eye

of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom? (Mark 10:24, 25, NIV) Yet many of the early Christians were wealthy. Did that mean that it was impossible for them to gain eternal life, or was Jesus using powerful imagery to make a point? When Jesus stated, “I tell YOU that many from eastern parts and western parts will come and recline at the table with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of the heavens,” (Matthew 8:11) why does the Society claim that this is to be viewed as figurative? What in the context would make them come to that conclusion? When Jesus discussed divorce, he gave the command that “what God has joined together, let man not separate.” (Mark 10:9, NIV) He never stated that adultery could be used to dissolve a marriage. Yet, Paul later stated that if two mates separate, they should either remain unmarried or get back together. (1 Corinthians 7:10) Was Paul contradicting what Jesus said, or was he clarifying it? Jesus put it across as a command, while Paul worded it as a suggestion. Jesus even went so far on one occasion as to tell his followers that “if thy right eye causeth thee to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from thee.” (Matthew 5:29, ASV) Was Jesus encouraging selfmutilation, or was he driving home the point that we should strive to fight our tendencies in favor of gaining the crown of life? When the leaders of the Jerusalem congregation stated that the eating of meat sacrificed to idols was an abomination (Acts 15:28, 29), why did Paul later tell the Galatians that it was a conscience matter for each person to make for himself? When Paul commanded women not to braid their hair or wear jewelry, why do so many Christians view his words as pertaining to moderation? When Paul stated that women should learn in silence, and are not permitted to speak, why do so many Christians view his words as exaggerations rather than commands? (1 Corinthians chapter 14) When Paul stated that those who practice “fits of anger” and “fornication” will not inherit the kingdom, why do so many Christians put more emphasis on one than the other? Did Paul make a distinction as to one being more sinful than the other? The book of Revelation seems to perennially top the list of biblical writings both least understood and most illogically interpreted. The very first verse informs the reader that its contents were given to John by Christ using “signs.” Still, the world is full of interpretive commentaries that rigidly attach literalism to its message. One of the most outstanding cases of interpretive literalism is the number 144,000, mentioned twice; first in Revelation 7, then in chapter 14. In contrast, the book uses the phrase “four angels” four times, “twenty-four elders” five times, and “four living creatures” eleven times. Yet these latter numbers are universally understood to have symbolic significance. Why would a number mentioned only twice in a such a vision-filled book2 be literally interpreted while others are

2 Revelation 1:1

treated much more figuratively? And why, if it is viewed literally, do those same interpreters view its linkage with Israel as figurative? Jesus explained to his disciples what to expect when the “end of the system of things” came upon them. (Matt. 24) Peter stated at Pentecost 33, that they were living in the last days. Paul later stated that “the ends of the systems of things [has] arrived.” (1 Cor. 10:11) If these scriptures were taken literally, then the end times would already have come and gone with the destruction of Jerusalem. However, due to what John wrote down in Revelation, Christians over the past two thousand years continually looked for signs of this event in their future, usually in their own lives. The purpose for this paper is to determine what makes some people view specific passages as figurative or as powerful imagery, when others are taken as literal commands from God Himself? Who makes the determination? If our religion is ultimately the arbiter between what is divinely-inspired command and principle, then why did Jesus expose his religious leaders for their hypocrisy? What were the Boreans doing double-checking Paul’s statements for accuracy, and why did he commend them for being noble? If we are to view the interpretations of our religion as “law” why did the murmuring in Acts result in a change of direction for the leadership? If everything that comes from our religious leaders is deemed as coming from God, why did Paul warn Christians to be alert to teachings beyond what was then viewed as the Gospel? Why did John instruct the brothers to “test the inspired expressions to see whether they originate with God”? The February 1, 1931 Watchtower stated: “This book [Light] within itself conclusively proves that God directed its presentation, and that its human author was not employing his own judgement and wisdom in its preparation. No human creature could have written Light unless the holy spirit of God operated on his mind, actuated his thoughts, and guided its utterances. It matters not whether Jehovah individually inspired the volume or had his representative Jesus do it. The evidence is that the work is of the Lord… The wisdom therein is beyond human. It is divine.” The May 1, 1957 Watchtower stated: “If we are to walk in the light of truth we must recognize not only Jehovah God as our Father but his organization as our mother.” The following month, in the June 15 Watchtower, it was declared: “It is vital that we appreciate [Jehovah’s channel of communication] and respond to the directions of the ‘slave’ as we would to the voice of God.” If religions are accurate in their portrayal of their unique theology as ‘God’s voice’ why are there so many contradictions and fluctuations in their core beliefs? So, if one finds a discrepancy between what the Society publishes and what is found in the Bible, which should we support? Paul describes the power of God’s Word in Hebrews 4:12, 13: “For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature that is not manifest in his sight.” (ASV) Psalms

119:105 states: “Your word is a lamp to my foot and a light to my roadway.” 1 Timothy 3:16, 17 declares the Bible to be “inspired and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight.” Yet, the Society claims for itself such power. The October 1, 1967 Watchtower states that ‘through them alone spiritual instruction is to come.’ The July 1, 1973 Watchtower states: “Jehovah’s organization alone, in all the earth, is directed by God’s holy spirit or active force. (Zach. 4:6) Only this organization functions for Jehovah’s purpose and to his praise. To it alone God’s Sacred Word, the Bible, is not a sealed book.” The November 15, 1992 Watchtower stated: “We will be impelled to serve Jehovah loyally with his organization if we remember that there is nowhere else to go to for eternal life.” Has this view of the Society pervaded its followers’ thinking? The July 1, 1937 Watchtower cited a letter written to Rutherford: “I find myself believing the Watchtower to be Jehovah’s mouthpiece upon the earth ever since its first publication in 1879.” The June 1, 1984 Watchtower quoted a Witness as saying: “Jehovah’s visible organization is a tremendously dependable source. Never once has it misled me in any way.” Another is quoted in the November 15, 1992 Watchtower: “If one thing has been most important to me, it has been the matter of keeping close to God’s visible organization… How else can one get Jehovah’s favor and blessing?” These brothers are by no means alone in their reverence of the Society and its writings. It is a religion where even logical doubts are shelved, yielding to the ‘inspiration’ of the organization. I have personally known many Witnesses who view every word the Society prints (or states from the platform) as the direct communication of God’s will, as “law” for those who hear it. These ones who unwittingly replace the Bible’s clear-cut direction with human reasoning, however, are like the brothers Paul spoke of who were “tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine.” (Eph. 4:14, NAS) In doing so, they have “placed their trust in nobles, in the son of earthling man, to whom no salvation belongs.” (Ps. 146:3) What would make rational people do this? Especially, in light of Joel’s proclamation: “And after that it must occur that I shall pour out my spirit on every sort of flesh, and YOUR sons and YOUR daughters will certainly prophesy. As for YOUR old men, dreams they will dream. As for YOUR young men, visions they will see. And even on the menservants and on the maidservants in those days I shall pour out my spirit.” (Joel 2:28, 29) What is the timing for this outpouring of holy spirit on all followers of Jehovah? Verse 31 says that it will be “before the coming of the great and fear-inspiring day of Jehovah.” In other words, in the very days the Society claims we live. The sad truth is that everything man touches is susceptible to corruption; God’s nation on earth, Israel, the first century Christian congregations, the evolution of Christianity thereafter, and even our particular religion today.

A sobering example of this is found at 1 Kings 13, where a prophet of God is tricked into disobedience by another of God’s representatives. The result: He lost his life. Why, if he was only following the direction of God’s prophet, was he killed by Jehovah? It was because, in doing so, he replaced what he knew to be divine direction with human reasoning. The lesson: Regardless of where ‘truth’ comes from, if it is in opposition to God’s Word we shun it. Our life could very well depend on it.