Have you ever tried to...
Illustration
Have you ever tried to explain a joke?
In order for a joke to work, it must be obvious. It must have a point that the hearers catch right away. Once the moment is past it is too late.
Much of the writing in the scriptures is symbolic. It is not intended to be taken literally. But seldom does the writer come right out and say, "This is symbolic, figurative, metaphorical." It should be obvious that something more than the literal meaning is intended. It should not have to be explained.
The Gospel of John has its own unique way of making it obvious that the meaning of something is spiritual/symbolic rather than literal. It shows people taking something literally, in the story, precisely to point out how ridiculous it would be to take the statement literally. Jesus says he will destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days; only a numbskull would take it literally and not realize that he is referring to the "temple" of his own body, and to the resurrection after three days. Jesus tells Nicodemus that he must be born again; only a numbskull would think that he meant we should go back into our mother's womb again. Jesus says we are to "eat his flesh and drink his blood"; only a numbskull would think he was talking cannibalism. The spiritual meaning takes precedence over the literal meaning! The symbolic meaning is much more than the literal meaning!
In order for a joke to work, it must be obvious. It must have a point that the hearers catch right away. Once the moment is past it is too late.
Much of the writing in the scriptures is symbolic. It is not intended to be taken literally. But seldom does the writer come right out and say, "This is symbolic, figurative, metaphorical." It should be obvious that something more than the literal meaning is intended. It should not have to be explained.
The Gospel of John has its own unique way of making it obvious that the meaning of something is spiritual/symbolic rather than literal. It shows people taking something literally, in the story, precisely to point out how ridiculous it would be to take the statement literally. Jesus says he will destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days; only a numbskull would take it literally and not realize that he is referring to the "temple" of his own body, and to the resurrection after three days. Jesus tells Nicodemus that he must be born again; only a numbskull would think that he meant we should go back into our mother's womb again. Jesus says we are to "eat his flesh and drink his blood"; only a numbskull would think he was talking cannibalism. The spiritual meaning takes precedence over the literal meaning! The symbolic meaning is much more than the literal meaning!
