Monday/Tuesday Topic for November
Okay, so it's kinda hard to decide on a topic for this time of year. Something that won't get all segmented and broken up from all the school breaks and at the same time helps us all think about the season we're moving into (you know, Christmas!) So finally I landed on this idea. The New Testament (appearantly) only uses 4 metaphors to describe God. A metaphor is a picture or a symbol - something we know well- that describes something we don't know as well; or maybe it gives that something a new look, or concept or whatever. So (I read it somehwhere, didn't think this up on my own) that the NT only uses 4 to describe God. I thought that might be important since it doesn't use very many. Tell me what you think those metaphors might be, what they might be describing about God and why only so few?
posted by The Carters at 3:22 PM
29 Comments:
Wow, why didnt I think of that? Of all the things I thought up, just not the right one I guess. Anyways, go for it Chris!
i have no clue what the 4 metaphors might be. and i have no clue why there is only 4. you always think of the best topics Chris, cuz it's not the same old story we've been hearing over and over since we were 3. well done.
Ricky you had some great ideas, and I'm doing some research as we speak on the topic of ... after the holidays we'll look at it. And thanks Amanda, I do try to be different.
I thought I list the four metaphors in this comment and see if anyone reads all the way through the comments:
-God is Spirit
-God is light
-God is love
-God is an all consuming fire
Any ideas now?
ok i'm still kind of stumped, but I'm trying to get there. Keep it up.
ha ha i guessed right, one of the metaphors i was thinking about was that God is light. BUT the NT also uses "God is the salt of the world" in Matthew, so that would make it 5.
i think for future reference (not necessarily any time soon)it would be fun to kind of go through the chapter of Revelation. just a thought...
Actually, Amanda, the Bible says that "you" are the salt of the earth, not God. (Matthew 5:13). good try though! And I'll think about the Revelation idea...
Amanda got me thinking, so if you can find another metaphor the NT uses about God let me know in the blog. Remember a metaphor can't use the words "like" or "as", that would be a simile.
dang it, i thought i was smart for a second, oh well. i'll try and keep my eye out for metaphors. i hate similies, metaphors are way better.
i don't know if you would consider this a metaphor, but in John Jesus says "I am the good shepard." yes? no? maybe?
Good job, Amanda, maybe it's obly God that is described by the 4 metaphors and Jesus has His own descriptors. I'll check it out!
Geeeeeeezzzzz, Amanda, besides Chris, we are the only ones who actally post a message. We should start telling people to do the same.
if you consider "I am the Good Shepard" a metaphor then theirs a whole lot more. like, "I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last," and "I am the Way the Truth and the Life" and a grip load more that i can remember.
who's ashalee??
ha ha cool
Hey Ashley (Aashalee, Ashlie, Aeschiliyee...) glad you found us. On the topic of ghosts, no I don't believe in ghosts. At least I don't if you define ghosts in the "someone who dies and now came back to haunt/remain/bother/comfort (whatever) the living. 1 Corinthians is pretty clear about 'being away from the body is to be with christ'. In other words, once you're dead, that's it. you're not comming back. however, I do believe that demons exist and are active in our world. I also believe that demons can interact with peole and influence them or even possess non-Christians. What do you think?
Also, thanks for saying that I'm not usually boring, I appreciate that. I also don't know what to call what I do when I "speaky".
Ashley, 2 good Q's. 1 Samuel 28 is actually a pretty funny story. I do belive that this is the dead Samuel who came back to talk with the "medium". However this is the only time this ever happens in scripture and is surrounded by some important details. First, Saul was supposed to have removed all the 'mediums'(v.3) in an attempt to get right with God again. Then instead of trusting God with the battle, he was afraid (v.5), then he tries to solve the problem himself by going to find the very thing he supposeddly got rid of... yet he knew where to find her. I think God says, "Okay, you want to play around like that? watch this!". Even the 'medium' is freaked out that she sees Samuel... almost like she's never seen a ghost before, except that was her career, wasn't it? Maybe she'd been a fraud up to that point and now even she's freaked out that the dead Samuel shows up. On top of all of that, He give Saul a message from God. I'd say this is a one time event.
The specific on Ester: I don't think it is an allegory. I've heard that theory before and it has some problems. One problem is the very question you ask, "If Ester is allegory, then what other books are too? Genesis? Matthew? Then if books are allegorical, what about the events in the books? Are they allegorical too? Queen marrying king to save people? A God who creates the world? A Jesus who dies on the cross?"
See the problem?!?
Frankly I tend to think that the books of the Bible that are historical (Samuel, Kings, Chronicles, Ester, Ruth, Acts, and a lot more) are just that- History. I think claiming the "allegorical" excuse is just an easy way out of dealing with some textual criticism. I'd say the best approach is to take the Bible literally until it proves otherwise. For example, if a section calls itself a vision then it's not necessarily literal... it's a vision. If Jesus calls it a parable, then it's a story- not necessarily a true event that happened at some point.
The Ester event has some specifics not compatible with "allegory". For example it names a king in a specific time period, a real nation, a specific event with names of major and minor characters, etc.
Make sense?
Ok I'm not reading all of that.
Chris, it makes perfect sense. i've read the passage before but never really thought about it. you explain everything and make perfect sense out of... i wish i could do that.
I'm glad my explanations make sense, Amanda, especially in the short blog version... I usually talk way more!
Ashley... as far as Angels go
1. Yes they exist
2. Seriphim (and Cheribum) are "types" of angels.
3. They were created by God
Now, how do I know all that and why should you believe it? I suggest getting a bible concordanance (it a book that lists every time the Bible uses a word- you probably knew that already) and look up Angels. Then do some reading. If you don't want to buy the book, go to www.crosswalk.com (it's linked from this homepage) and use their Bible Study Tools section: Concordance. Search 'all versions' of the Bible for Angels and tell me what you learn.
i had a question but now i can't remember it......oh yeah. in the pasaage where it says "if your enemy is hungry feed him and if he is thirsty give him something to drink. and by doing this you will be heaping burning coals on his head." oe something like that. the heaping buning coals part, i'm sure it had some great significance back in the day but today people don't go around throwing burning stuff on peoples heads. what did that mean back then?
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that's what i said but chris said that the metaphors were talking about Jesus, not God. but they're like the same thing. anyway, Chris, are you ever going to answer my question? also, how come a lot of the stuff in the Bible is the number 7. i know it's supposed to represent God's wholeness and perfectness, and righteousness, and stuff but why 7? and how come all the other (most) stuff is 12? 2 questions i've had for a long time but never thought about. i don't think very often.
Sorry I was offline for awhile, let me start with Amanda: the verse about "coal dumping" is in Romans 12:20 (with a reference to Proverbs 25:22). The best understanding I ever heard about this was that in OT & some NT times the way people would show their sorrow/mourning/repentance was to put ash (the dust from burnt coals) on their head. The more ash, the sorrier they were. So maybe it's saying if you don't get revenge on your enemies, that example of kindness will cause them to repent. Check out the verses and tell me what you think! As far as the numbers go, let me do some workon that and I'll tell you what I can find out in 7-12 days!
Now to Ashley... I'll tackle your thoughts in the blog titled "Random Questions and Musings"... see ya there!
Hi!does this count.....
hi jamie!
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