[review: Figures of Speech - part 1]
     Good morning on this Lord’s Day morning and welcome to the Berean Break.  My name is George Sinkie and it is such a privilege to have you with me this morning.  I want to remind you that these programs are available free of charge on cassette tape.  All you need to do is contact us and request them.  Normally there are six programs per tape, so in addition to the program you request, you will also be blessed with five other biblically sound lessons.  Last Sunday we began a study on figurative, or symbolic, language in the Bible, and we are going to continue that topic on today’s program.  Before we begin though, let’s have a prayer.

Great God in heaven, We thank You for this day in our lives.  And for the many blessings, You have given to us.  We also thank You for this new year, may we grow during this year especially that we may grow spiritually.  Thank You for Your word, Through which we can know You, And Your will, and Your plan for our salvation.  In Jesus’ Name !!!  AMEN !!

     Last week we began to look at the various figures of speech that God uses in the Bible.  We noted that it is important to recognize that God does use figures of speech because there are those religionists that deny this fact and then use these figurative passages to teach false doctrine.  Last week we considered six different figures, they were the metaphor, the simile, the hyperbole, the metonymy, the synecdoche, and the personification.  Today we will continue on with some other figures and again see how these are used by God within the inspired writings.
     The first figure we are going to consider today is the irony.  An irony is a statement that says the opposite of what is meant, this is done for emphasis or effect.  Sometimes deciding if a statement is a irony can be hard.  We need to look at the statement and consider it to be stating the truth.  If, when considered as a truth, the statement does not fit the context, or teaches something contrary to other passages then it should be understood as an irony.  Perhaps a couple of examples from the Bible will help us to understand this figure.  First turn over to 1 Corinthians 4:8, with me,

  8 You are already filled, you have already become rich, you have become kings without us; and I would indeed that you had become kings so that we also might reign with you.

     Were the Corinthians full?  Were they rich?  Were they kings?  NO, no, no.  They may have been acting like this but they were not really these things and Paul by inspiration uses irony to stress this point to them.  God uses this same effect just a little later in 1 Corinthians 4:10, Paul writes

  10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are prudent in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are distinguished, but we are without honor.

     In reality it was the Corinthians that were have the problems, therefore these are ironical statements.
     Another example is seen back in the Old Testament, in the book of 1 Kings chapter 22.  I want you to read the whole story, in verses 1-23, later, but right now we will only look at a few verses.  The king had already had about 400 prophets tell him to go to battle and that he would win.  But Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, still wasn’t sure about going and so the king of Israel sent for Micaiah son of Imlah.  We see in verse 13, that they wanted Micaiah, to basically be a “yes man.”  Listen to 1 Kings 22:13

  13 Then the messenger who went to summon Micaiah spoke to him saying, “Behold now, the words of the prophets are uniformly favorable to the king.  Please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably.”

     And that is exactly what Micaiah does in verse 15,

  15 When he came to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we refrain?”  And he answered him, “Go up and succeed, and the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.”

     But the king recognizes the irony that Micaiah is using and look at what he says in verse 16,

  16 Then the king said to him, “How many times must I adjure you to speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?”

     Micaiah had used irony, to be the “yes man” that the servants had wanted him to be.  But look at the impact that this irony had in stressing the point that Micaiah was making from God.
     The next figure of speech is probably the most widely known.  It is the parable.  A parable is a story, although not necessarily factual, it is true to life.  And within this story is a moral lesson or truth.  Parable have one main theme that they are trying to teach and the details in the story go together to support that one main theme.  There are at times problems with people trying to attach significance to points within a parable to things completely outside of the main theme, it is wrong to do this.  I would like to share with you several points that I came across for dealing with parables.  Some of these are good all round points for any type of study of the Bible, while others are more specific when dealing with parables.

  1. Determine the occasion of the parable.  What is the context?  Why was this parable told?
  2. Look for the indented meaning of the parable.  Again from the context what point is the speaker trying to make.
  3. Don’t impose any meaning beyond what is clearly stated or implied to the hearer by the speaker.
  4. Identify the central or focal theme of the parable.
  5. Interpret the parable in the context of the culture of Bible times, not according to today’s culture.  For example, several parables deal with shepherds.  Now suppose you’re thinking of a shepherd that used to drive his sheep with the pickup and if he wanted them to turn he would just pull over to that side and shoot his .30-.30 down along the side of them and that would make them turn.  Trying to understand the parables with this concept of a shepherd would bring you to the wrong understanding of these parables.
And
  6. do not establish doctrine based solely on parables.  Parables are designed to illustrate or exemplify doctrines.

     I wish we had the time right now to expand on each of these points but that will have to be the subject of some future Berean Break.
     The next figure of speech is the allegory.  And allegory is a description of one thing using the image of another.  Some writers have referred to an allegory as an extended metaphor.  Remember a metaphor compared two different things, but they are usually just short statements.  In one sense the allegory is like a parable in that it tells us a story.  But unlike a parable, the story and the meaning are often interwoven.  Another point of difference is that an allegory can have several main points within it.
     If you will turn over to Galatians 4:21-23, we can read an allegory in the Bible,

  21 Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law?
  22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman.
  23 But the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise.

     This is an easy allegory to pick out because Paul goes on and tells us it is an allegory.  Keep reading there in Galatians 4:24-31

  24 This is allegorically speaking: for these women are two covenants, one proceeding from Mount Sinai bearing children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar.
  25 Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children.
  26 But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother.
  27 For it is written, “Rejoice, barren woman who does not bear; Break forth and shout, you who are not in labor; For more are the children of the desolate Than of the one who has a husband.”
  28 And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise.
  29 But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also.
  30 But what does the Scripture say?  “Cast out the bondwoman and her son, For the son of the bondwoman shall not be an heir with the son of the free woman.”
  31 So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, but of the free woman.

     God has Paul use this allegory to teach some very clear messages.  The main theme is to rest upon the promises of God for your salvation, live your life by faith.  In this allegory, God teaches that it is wrong to live your life as a Jew, religiously.  He teaches that it is wrong to live your life according to the Ten Commandments because that is part of the Law.  He teaches that those who teach the doctrine of faith only salvation (which is trying to be saved based on a law of man) are wrong.  It is only when we submit ourselves to God and obey His will, that we are children of promise and heirs of the salvation based on promise.  Allegories are truly a powerful teaching method used by God.
     The next figure is the type.  A type is a prophetic symbol used by God.   Types are a foreshadowing of something to come. God shows us this in Hebrews 10:1,

  1 For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never by the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect those who draw near.

     The Mosaic Law, the Ten Commandments, and all the rest was a shadow of something in the future.  The real thing was Christ and the relationship we can have with God through Him.  As you read through the book of Hebrews sometimes, take special note of the number of times that God uses types.
     Our final figure is closely related to the type and it is a symbol.  This is where God uses one thing to represent another, but without the foreshadowing idea involved, as in the type.  Water, bread, and many other things are used as symbols of things throughout the Scriptures.  It is important that we not think that every time a word is used that it symbolizes what it may in one passage.  The same item may symbolize various things in different passages and it would be wrong to combined them.
     Today we have looked at the irony, parable, allegory, type, and symbol.  Each of these figures was used by God to convey His will.  And if we open our hearts to the will of God, each of these will help us to better understand God’s will for us.  If you have any questions or comments about this program or any Bible topic please contact us at the address or phone number given here in a moment.

[review: Figures of Speech - part 1]