Defintions
A sentence of the formS is P
is figurative if there is a contradiction of what is taken literally and what is seen(quoted from Steven Nemes)
- Your room is a pigsty
- It is raining cats and dogs
- I am sweating buckets
- Time is a thief.
A sacrament is:
An outward sign of an inward grace, instituted by Christ.
(St. Augustine)
A sign of a holy thing - (instituted by Christ?)
(Zwingly):
- Sign of cross is a sign, a reminder - not a sacrament
- Ligting a candle can be a representation of a prayer - not a sacrament
A metaphor is a figure of speech
A metaphor says one thing is another to make a point, even though everyone knows it’s not literally true.
Examples on Prayer by George Herbert
- The soul in paraphrase
- The heart in pilgrimage
- Engine against the Almighty
- God’s breath in man returning to his birth
- does not contain the thing it refers to
- does not change reality
- is purely figurative
A symbol is a sign that stands for something
It is an object, action, or mark that represents a deeper reality.
Examples:
- A wedding ring → symbolizes marriage
- A flag → symbolizes a nation
- A cross → symbolizes Christianity
- A diploma → symbolizes qualificatio
- A passport → your citizenship
- Laying on of Hands????
It is believed to transmit the Spirit or authority.
A ceremony (ritual??)
Ceremonies include symbols and metaphors and rituals....
- A Wedding includes rings and promises and love and ...
- The Eucharist 'meal' includes readings and eating and love and ....
Metaphors for Jesus - by Jesus
Living Water
John 7:37-39
37: On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.
38: Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'"
39: Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
John 7:37-39
Explanation given: Water = Spirit
John 4:10
10: Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water."
John 4:5-43
Bread
John 6:33
33: For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
John 6:32-47
It is written in the Prophets, 'And they will all be taught by God.'
Light
John 8:12
12: Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
John 8:12-17
John 12:35-36
35: So Jesus said to them, "The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.
36: While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light." When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them.
John 12:35-37, 44-46
Vine
John 15:1
1: "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.
John 15:1-8
Door
John 10:9
9: I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.
John 10:9-10
Good Shepherd
John 10:11
11: I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
John 10:11-15
Eternality
John 6:54
54: Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.
John 6 34-
John 17:3
3: And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
John 17
Eucharist
Steven Nemes distinction
Passover is a ritual reenactment of a historical event made personal
Eucharist is a ritual reenactment of what Jesus did for us
Resurrection
John 11:25
25: Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,
John 11:11-44
Life
John 14:6
6: Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 14:1-10
John 1:4
4: In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
John 1:1-5
Metaphors for Jesus - New Testament
Word
John 1:1
1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:1-5; John 1:11-14
The Word spoke words
The words Jesus spoke addressed the inner man, that, that is hidden
God is interested in the interior of a person
Men do not speak words like this
A substantial metaphor or much more than a metaphor
Lamb
John 1:36
36: and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!"
John 1:30-37
1 Corinthians 5:7
7: Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.
1 Corinthians 5
Summary
- Water -> Spirit
- light
- bread->being taught by God
- vine->abide
- door-> respond
July 2026