It will not, however, affect one tiny bit the question of whether the text has a literal meaning because–mark this–every biblical text has a literal meaning. Many people are stunned to hear this. That is because many people think a "literal meaning" can only be conveyed by literal language. They make the mistake of assuming that an author who uses metaphor, fiction, hyperbole, or various other figures of speech does not have a literal meaning. Thus, for instance, if I say "my heart is broken", some people mistakenly imagine that I "meant nothing literally." But, of course, I do. I literally mean I am deeply grieved and I am expressing that grief via a metaphor. Likewise, if I say "I stood in line for a million years" I am using an exaggeration to communicate another literal meaning: I waited a long time. Indeed, more often than not, metaphor is exactly the right vehicle for conveying a literal meaning and is far better than nonfigurative language. The shortest distance between two minds is a figure of speech. -- Making Senses of Scripture. Mark Shea
About This Quote

The shortest distance between two minds is a figure of speech - making senses of Scripture. To show that the Bible is God's Word, it must be possible to interpret its text without relying on fallible human reason. For any passage to be taken as literal truth, it must be possible to produce a rational explanation that makes sense of the text without admitting that its author had any intention of teaching anything that was not true. And yet, most people who claim to hold to the authority of the Bible are convinced there is nothing figurative in it at all.

They think that if something can be interpreted figuratively it cannot be taken as literal truth. Even those who do not claim the Bible to be the Word of God are similarly convinced there are no figurative statements in it. All attempts to find a rational explanation for any text are immediately met with the reminder that every biblical author was essentially limited by his natural abilities and background knowledge.

Yet, they are still convinced he had no intention of teaching anything untrue and so his statements must be taken as literal fact. This article examines four common misinterpretations and shows their fallacious nature: (1) The idea that every "literal" statement must have a rational explanation; (2) The notion that everything in Scripture must have a literal meaning; (3) The assumption that every Biblical author was limited by his natural abilities and background knowledge; and (4) The idea that an "allusion" or "figurative statement" is just as good as a "literal one."

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