Literal vs Allegorical: The Right Way to Read the Bible

0:00 Introduction: Did Jesus Take the Bible Literally?
0:44 Viewer Question: Can We Allegorize Stories Like Jonah or Noah?
1:54 What is Allegorical Interpretation?
2:40 The Danger of Avoiding the Literal Interpretation
3:05 Jesus and the Apostles Viewed Old Testament Events as History
3:50 Jesus Confirms the Jonah Narrative
4:28 Noah's Ark: A Literal Judgment and Typology
5:43 The Right Way vs. The "Best" Way to Interpret Scripture
6:00 Identifying Biblical Indicators for Symbolism
7:43 The Problem with Subjective Allegory

Related Sermons
God's Holy Word: https://youtu.be/Wxa2Mz1eZt0
Sign-Seekers: https://youtu.be/LlDbDOMGFbk
Stay Awake: https://youtu.be/UO3quEyFUPI
The Sign of Jonah - Part 1: https://youtu.be/HDlMXQfKfJc
The Sign of Jonah - Part 2: https://youtu.be/eN0_Se_yPNI
Faith in the Life of Noah: https://youtu.be/UnFf9f1PZs8
Mockers - Part 1: https://youtu.be/rsvj7aHYz6A
The Book of Jonah - 5 Sermons: https://bit.ly/3CHzN6q

Is the story of Jonah just a fish tale? Was Noah’s ark for real? Did the global flood actually happen, or is it merely a myth? This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell and host Dr. Josh Philpot dive deep into the essential topic of literal vs allegorical interpretation of the Bible and the narratives within. They address a listener's question about a friend who rejects the historicity of accounts like Jonah and the whale and Noah and the ark. This friend views these narratives as symbolic rather than actual events that took place in space and time. Many people today, even some who claim to be Christians, struggle with the miraculous events found in the Old Testament. They prefer to view these accounts as fables or purely symbolic stories meant to convey spiritual truths rather than actual historical facts. Is this an acceptable way to approach biblical interpretation? Can we pick and choose which parts of Scripture are real history and deem others as merely allegorical? Where does this leave us regarding the reliability of God's Word? Join Dr. Caldwell and Dr. Philpot as they discuss why the Bible is literal regarding history and how this impacts our faith.

Dr. Philpot opens the discussion by defining the difference between the literal grammatical-historical method and the allegorical method of reading and understanding the Bible. He points out that modern readers often use allegory or symbolism as a means to explain away biblical events they have never seen with their own eyes. Because we do not see people swallowed by giant fish or the entire world deluged by water today, skepticism creeps in. However, Dr. Caldwell asserts that the literal approach is not just the best method, but it is the right way for how to read the Bible. To depart from a literal interpretation of the Bible regarding historical narratives is to depart from the authority of God Himself. The question we must ask is not whether these events fit our modern scientific understanding, but how the Lord Jesus Christ understood them.

When we look at Jesus and Jonah or Jesus and the flood, we see that Christ treated them as real, historical realities. So is Jonah and the whale real? Jesus understood it to be a straightforward narrative of a real event. He used Jonah's three days in the belly of the fish as a direct historical sign pointing to His own forthcoming literal bodily resurrection. If Jonah is a myth, the sign of Christ's resurrection is weakened. Dr. Caldwell argues that we must read the Bible the way Jesus and the Apostles read it. They viewed Genesis 6 and the account of Jonah as biblical truth, not fables, but as real historical events. A literal hermeneutic method of reading and understanding is the right way to do Old Testament interpretation. It is how Jesus and the Apostles after Him interpreted them and applied them. If Jesus believed these were real events, who are we to say otherwise?

But what about symbols? Is there no place for biblical typology? Dr. Caldwell clarifies that reading the Bible literally does not mean ignoring figures of speech or types. However, valid typology is not based on human imagination or subjective feelings. It is based on divine authority. We know Adam is a type of Christ because the New Testament explicitly tells us so. We know the flood pictures judgment and salvation because Scripture makes that connection. Proper scripture interpretation requires us to let the authors of the Bible determine the meaning. Is the Bible literal? Yes, in its intent. When the Bible uses a type, it provides the indicators within the text itself.

Dr. Caldwell warns that hermeneutics based on personal feelings or spiritualizing the text strips the Bible of its power. We want to stand on the Word of God, not our thoughts about the Word of God. When we treat the story of Noah and the ark or the narrative of Jonah as mere myths, we place ourselves above the text rather than under its authority.