METAPHOR AND MEANING

A look at some image-rich language

 

Probably more appropriate for older youth

 

Background

 

            Much of the Bible is written in metaphor and vivid imagery to get across a message.  There are Christians who interpret the Bible very literally (e.g. God created the universe in seven 24 hours days.  More liberal scholars and churches see the truth behind the metaphor or story, understanding that the Bible was written by human beings using the techniques of storytelling to convey a larger message.  The people who wrote the Bible did so with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to show deeper meaning. They were not writing “history” as we understand it in the post 19th century western European way.  The writers were not into “getting the facts right”, they were into using symbols, images, and parts of other stories to help the hearers and readers understand their experience of God’s work in human existence.  This Bible study activity invites participants to look at and appreciate the rich use of image and metaphor in the scriptures. 

 

Political Metaphor

 

            Ezekiel and Revelation are both books that use amazing and fasntastic imagery to show the glory of the Divine.  Both Ezekiel and the writer of Revelation, John of Patmos, lived in very disorienting times when their people were being persecuted.  Ezekiel was Jewish and lived at the time of the Babylonian captivity, when Babylon crushed and occupied Israel and forced the population to leave their homeland and live in Babylon where they could be tightly controlled (6th century B.C.E.[1]).  Ezekiel used the wild imagery in his vision to assure his readers that God was still in charge, even though the world that they knew was in ruins.

 

            John of Patmos, the writer of Revelation was a Christian at the end of the first Century C.E.[2] when the Emperor of Rome was being particularly nasty to anyone who did not bow down to him and call him “Lord and God”.  This effected both the Jews and the Christians who refused to worship the Emperor.  John uses all kinds of codes and symbols to encourage his fellow Christians in the belief that the Rome will fall (Rome being the “Whore of Babylon”) and that Christ will be victorious over the evil power of the Roman Empire.  Of course, John of Patmos couldn’t just come out and write “Down with Rome” or “The Roman Emperor Sucks”; that would bring on even more persecution.  So he wrote in code. 

 

 

Sexual Metaphor

 

            Song of Songs, also known as Song of Solomon, is not about the glory of the divine.  It is a sensual celebration of earthly human attraction and love.  Some Christian scholars have been uncomfortable with the blatant sexuality of the book and tried to pass it off as a metaphor for the union between Christ and the church.  But since it was written long before Jesus was born or the church existed, I think it’s safer to go with the Jewish interpretation of it simply being a wonderful affirmation of human sexuality.  It is very heterosexual.  For a great story of same-gender love read about David and Jonathan in 1st Samuel chapter 20, although their relationship isn’t as clear in most English translations as it is in the original Hebrew.

 

 

Imagining the literal

 

            Divide the participants into four groups and ask each group to read one of the following passages:

 

·       Ezekiel’s vision: Ezekiel chapter 1

·       The beautiful bride: Song of Songs chapter 7:1-5

·       The handsome bridegroom: Song of Songs chapter 5:10-16

·       The Resurrected Christ: Revelation 1:12-16

 

Give each group a piece of newsprint and markers and invite them to make a group drawing of the images in their passage portraying them in the most literal way possible.

 

When they are finished, have each group show and explain their drawing to the other groups.

 

 

Personal interpretation

           

The writer of Ezekiel was trying to convey the majesty and glory surrounding God The writer of Revelation, John of Patmos, was trying to convey the majesty and glory of the Risen Christ.  The writer of Song of Songs was trying to convey the desirability and glory of the lovers.  All the writers used metaphor to convey their points.  Did the woman in Song of Songs really have twin gazelles for breasts?  Is God really surrounded by chariots with eyes?  Probably not, but the images convey the Bride’s attractiveness and God’s glory with multi-layered messages and rich meaning.

 

Give each person a blank piece of paper and pens.  Invite them to choose one of the passages and describe with words or pictures their version of:

 

·       God’s glory

·       A woman’s attractiveness

·       A man’s attractiveness

·       The Glory of the Risen Christ

           

When they are finished, invite them to share their interpretation if they want to.

[1] B.C.E: “before the common era,” the term used by Jews and other non-Christians to refer to what we describe as “B.C, before Christ.”

[2] CE: “common era”, the term used by non-Christians to refer to what we describe as “A.D, anno Domini,” in Latin meaning “the year of our Lord.”

Deepening Faith:  Youth Ministry Resources and Some Miscellaneous Advice

Rev. Lizann Bassham, Front Porch Spirit Press

Copyright © 2001