Although this begins like an English lesson, it is not! Prompted by a visit with my sibling, I wanted to share these thoughts; however, to make my point, I may remind you of a time in your English class when you studied comparisons. There were two kinds of comparisons used. Remember? Similes and metaphors. What was the difference?
Similes emphasize a similarity of two things by saying they are similar: “You are smart as a fox.” Metaphors emphasize a similarity of two things by saying they are the same: “You are a fox.”
Similes use “like” or “as,” but metaphors do not.
Have you ever thought about how many metaphors are in the Scriptures? My favorite from the Bible is “God’s feathers.” That is because of the story Betsy Garrett told about being so terrified that when she wanted to pray, she could not form her prayer, so she tried to quote Psalm 91:4 “He will cover you with His feathers; under His wings you will find refuge.”. All she could say was “feathers, feathers, feathers!”
Her story made an impact on me. I remember near-misses, sudden blessings, gifts and dreams coming true, and other times I just knew it was God taking care of me. This verse became my favorite, and whenever I see a feather, I think of God, who is still taking care of me.
Jesus used metaphors to teach spiritual truths in relatable ways. He was the master of the metaphor! Remember the Seven I AMs? Those statements are metaphors: I am the bread, light, door, good shepherd, resurrection and life; way, truth and life; and vine.
When Jesus used them, it allowed him to say complex things in a fairly simple way. Metaphors do not just say one thing; instead, they offer a kind of overflow of additional suggestions.
For example, when Jesus told his disciples that he was a vine and that they were branches, he was making more than one simple point. A vine and its branches have a relationship that changes and grows. It is like when you plant a small seed, like cucumber, and soon the plant is spreading out in all directions. Using the word “vine” tells us that our lives with Jesus are not stationary.
In April, my great niece Andrea and I planted a Carolina Jasmine in my back yard next to an arbor. Now it has grown up and around the arbor, and will soon show its yellow flowers to everyone. That is, if it stays in the good soil and has plenty of sun and rain. The vine implies it has a sense of connectivity, so long as it stays connected to what it needs. That is how we know we do not do works of our own power, like teaching, sewing, cooking, whatever. We get our strength from God. The vine and the branch are one until the branch is cut off.
One metaphor can have multiple meanings. We should take time to unpack all the possibilities they offer. What a speaker says in a sentence may take a while to study and understand. God’s metaphors remind us that His truth is something we live with and should continue to explore as we grow.
A metaphor we should take seriously is the one Paul used in I Corinthians 3:16. “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” That is a metaphor we need to remember always.
Mom showed me this verse early on, and advised me not to smoke or drink because my body was a temple where God lived! That impressed me so that as a teenager it kept me from doing a lot of things I may have done otherwise.
A simile that is sometimes misquoted as a metaphor is used in I Peter 5:8. “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” This is not a metaphor. The devil only acts like a lion, but Peter does not say that Satan is a lion. We are warned to be watchful, respect his danger, recognize his hypocrisy, and resist him by knowing the Word. Never underestimate his ability, but remember that God has much more power than Satan ever did.
Maybe one of the most important metaphors is in Matthew 26:26-28. “As they were seated, Jesus took the bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, ‘Take, eat; this is my body.’ And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink of it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.'”
We know this is a metaphor and not really his actual body or blood, but it helps us understand how he has given his all for us, His very life! And in return, we should give our all to Him.
Matthew 5:13 – 14 “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trodden under foot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid.”
These metaphors represent the impact we are meant to have in the world. That is why it matters so much that we do the good works God gives us to do. Otherwise, we are not useful as salt and light. I have heard that salt makes one thirsty. As salt, we should live so that people who see us have a thirst for God and ask us about Him and our joy in the Lord!
These are wonderful metaphors, helpful to us in our Christian growth.
Metaphors are also a way of communicating something difficult to understand by using something easy to understand. It takes characteristics of one thing and gives it to another. This is important! The Bible uses them in parables, proverbs, poetry, and in prophecy.
David used a lot of them in the psalms! Most famous is the one in Psalm 23:1. “The Lord is my shepherd.” Think about it. God is being compared with a shepherd and since you know God is not literally a shepherd, you know that David is using metaphorical language. You could enlarge that one word to reflect how those who let the Lord be their shepherd are completely dependent on Him and He provides completely for his people.
A metaphor also compares something you don’t know with something you do know, like something abstract with something concrete.
Someone has said that the number one thing people say to a preacher after his sermon is “Oh I see it now!” Do you? This is a metaphor. “Knowing” is abstract. You cannot see what I said, but by making “seeing” equal to “knowing,” you understand better what “knowing” means. God has graciously chosen to reveal truth to us using metaphors. That doesn’t mean all of the Bible is metaphor, though. It is also very literal.
Another series of metaphors concerns God’s Word, the Bible. Here are some examples.
Hebrews 4:12-13 “For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And before him no creature is hidden, but all are open and laid bare to the eyes of him with whom we have to do.” What’s the metaphor there? The Bible is a sword that pierces.
James 1:23-24 “For if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man who observes his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.” What’s the metaphor there? The Bible is a mirror that reveals.
I Peter 1:23 “You have been born anew, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding Word of God.” The metaphor? The Bible is a seed that reproduces.
I Peter 2:2 “Like newborn babes, long for the pure spiritual Milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation.” The metaphor? The Bible is milk that nourishes. Long for it! That is an action word!
Psalm 119:105 We can sing this one: “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” The metaphor? God’s Word, the Bible, is a lamp that shines. I have heard that a lamp shines just around your feet, showing the next step to take, while a light shines down the path ahead. Like the lamp and the light, the Bible tells us both what to do today and how to prepare for the future!
Jeremiah 23:29a “Is not my Word fire, says the Lord?” The metaphor? The Bible is a fire that consumes.
Jeremiah 23:29b “and a hammer which breaks the rock in pieces?” The metaphor? God’s Word is a hammer that shatters the enemy.
All of these refer to our Bibles, which show that we can be pierced, revealed, reproducing, nourishing, shining, etc! We live in a very dark world, and it is becoming darker by the moment. There are many dangers that threaten the safety of all who travel that narrow path that leads to life and many have suffered disasters. We need the light to shine the way so we can see the dangers in our way.
Jesus used metaphors and parables for our salvation and to communicate a broader spiritual point. They link different ideas that normally don’t connect.
Since it’s impossible for the human mind to understand many heavenly concepts, Jesus used earthly examples and began it by saying , “it’s like this:” Death and dying are difficult things to talk about sometimes. We use different words to soften the blow.
At funerals, we hear about the city of God in Rev. 21; a time to live and a time to die, different seasons in Ecc. 3; our dying and rising with Christ in the baptismal waters in Romans 6; no troubled hearts because of the dwelling places of John 14; Psalm 121’s hills that bring God’s help; the bright crystal river of life in Rev. 22, and Psalm 23 and our shepherd God. The church turns to these in the face of death, because metaphors have power. They create faith and sustain the faithful. They provide a way to speak human words about the divine reality of God. Sometimes we struggle with the ability to speak about God. All we have is our human speech ,so metaphors help us talk about faith. Biblical language has the power to describe reality in a different way. It gives us great comfort at funerals and facing death.
On my doorstep is a big rock. On that rock is printed these words: “He only is my rock and my salvation, he is my defense; I shall not be moved.” Psalm 62:6
Obviously, this is about God. Also obviously, God is not a rock, but it gives us something to think about. Rocks are hard to break, useful as a weapon, and something we can count on. The psalmist tells us several things about God, using one word, “rock.” That is the metaphor: God is solid rock!
I have been comparing God and Jesus Christ and the Bible to things to make a point about them. One word, a metaphor, often leads to many more. Think of a word, a metaphor, that describes you and gives off many other ideas.
Let me give you some examples. My sister-in-love said she was a candle. This little light of hers shines, and I know that it gives off light, love, and hope. My brother tells me that he is a middleman for God. That metaphor describes him perfectly. God has blessed him and so he blesses others. My friend says she is water. Sometimes she is a calm pool, other times she is a whirlpool of anxiety!
I like to call myself a lighthouse. My beacon beckons my family and friends, and I pray they feel comfortable coming to me for help, all kinds of help, advice, financial, and spiritual. I get the oil to keep my light burning from reading God’s Word, studying it, and talking to Him about it and about other things. I try to let my light shine out to others, even though my personality would rather keep me inside and quiet!
When you read your Bible from now on, I hope that you will keep an eye out for a metaphor and try to enlarge on the one word and see how far you can expand it. Think about how it helps you as you study what the scriptures are revealing to you.
May God renew the joy of our salvation and the love for His Word as we prepare for His return!
Joyce Broyles is a Retired Library Teacher and lives in Jennings, LA.