And indeed, the human mind was designed to appreciate the beauty of intricate literary connections and be excited by the fulfillment of such patterns. This passage does not connect textually to the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11–32, obviously. [7] Philip Barton Payne, “Allegory” in The Evangelical Dictionary of Theology (ed. [14] And here’s another good definition from a leading expert on the topic, Roy Zuck: In Augustine’s rendering, there is a man (Adam) traveling a road. For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. to 50 A.D.), used allegorical interpretations of the Scripture extensively Matt Slick defining allegorization: To allegorize means to use a symbol as representing a more complex idea. No one knows just when the interpretation of lit. Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? It’s an intriguing example of allegorical interpretation. But on the other hand, in our age of right commitments to Christ-centered preaching and a right understanding that all the Scriptures do point to the gospel of Jesus Christ, it’s easy to be sympathetic to Augustine’s goal.4 The gospel should be preached! On Philo: Siegfried, Philo von Alexandria, Jena, 1875, and the list of references on p. 162; A particular form of allegorical interpretation is the typological, according to which the key figures, main… Read More; use in. Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. The Samaritan takes him to the inn (or the Church) where two denarii (the promises of this life and the life to come) are paid to the innkeeper (the Apostle Paul), to take care of the man.1, It’s an intriguing example of allegorical interpretation. It’s thought to have emerged because aspects of the Old Testament would be difficult to apply sensibly without seeing a fulfillment in the gospel.5 One major problem with the terminology from this period is that allegory is often used interchangeably with parable and typology and can refer to any sort of metaphorical or analogical correspondence. Give Today. Robert Kinney is the Director of Ministries at the Simeon Trust, a ministry for training preachers. On Historical Trajectory (Preachers Talk, Ep. The Scriptures have no less than 2,350 verses having to do with money and money management. (True allegory contains its interpretation, as "I am the true vine," John 15:1–8, but this is ignored in the allegorical interpretation.) 2 (trans. Therefore one could either use a currently available myth andallegorize it, or on… There is a difference between an allegorical interpretation (the way you read the Bible) and the genre of allegory. It focused primarily on drawing connections between Jesus Christ (or others) and the stories of the Old Testament. Protestants generally wish to reject the allegorical method, but when faced with clear examples of the Apostles engaging in that very method, their response is usually to say: "Well, the Apostles were inspired to do it, but no one else is." 3 (trans. Even after considering both the source of a connection between a text and the gospel (passage or preacher?) Interestingly, Rabbinic Jewish interpretation of Scripture also sees Scripture as having a Four-fold sense, which has many similarities. In doing the hard work of uncovering a biblical theological theme of that meal, we can then legitimately connect to the Passover meal celebrated by our Lord. Leipsic, 1795. Doth God take care for oxen? So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free. With such a broad definition—one that can encompass legitimate typologies and exegetically sound ways of reading as well as more fanciful reading—other nuances must be considered. Allegorical interpretation, sometimes called allegorizing, is interpretation of texts that treats them as allegorical, whether or not their author intended them to be allegories. John Whiteford’s News, Comments, & Reflections. © 1999-2018 OrthoChristian.comWhen reposting our material a link to OrthoChristian.com is required. Both parties, he complained, 'Greeks as well as Christians, tread the same erroneous path. Even through the Reformation, these terms are broadly indistinguishable. If a passage anticipates a future fulfillment (whether in the immediate literary and historical context or an ultimate fulfillment in the Messiah, for example), it’s essential to trace how the passage is ultimately fulfilled. Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. Allegorical interpretation is an important part of that history. John Whiteford addresses specifically the sense of allegorical interpretation which is employed both in the New Testament and in Patristic Tradition, although it is often rejected by many Christians today in the various western traditions. Yet that story of a lost son who is loved and welcomed back by his father, having experienced something of an exile, can provide a remarkably affective illustration. Offering counsel on a wide-range of questions from actual readers like you! For example, Isaiah 43:1–7 teaches that God does not abandon his children. Is the author giving us a textual reason to connect these two meals? Augustine developed a dual hermeneutic. For this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. There are also many non-literary allegorical symbols in the Bible that are brought to life through tradition and ritual. allegorical approach in the area of Bible prophecy. In short, we need to be clear and precise in our communication. [10] David R. Helm addresses this concern of dehistoricizing texts in his chapter on Theological Reflection in David Helm, Expositional Preaching: How We Speak God’s Word Today (Wheaton, Crossway, 2014), 61-86. We must not present something as an interpretation that isn’t intended by the author. W.A. In fact, God uses remarkably intimate language to articulate his love for his people and his commitment to bring them home. Protestants have reacted negatively to the allegorical method because it was used to such great excess in the west, especially during the medieval period. Well, you use Scripture like some kind of story and make it mean whatever you want. Illustrations, of course, are not only endearing stories about pets or the harrowing tales of hiking with the wrong boots. Allegorical interpretation sees the OT as allegorical. Is there precedent for making this theological connection? Do the hard work of exegesis, particularly finding the structure of the passage and seeing it in its literary and historical context. How far is too far? It’s difficult to know where to draw the line. In short, the question we have to be able to clearly answer is whether the connections are coming from the passage, in which case we can responsibly practice biblical theology, or from our own minds—however theologically reasonable, in which case we should be cautious. David R. Helm defines it similarly as “empowered preaching that rightfully submits the shape and emphasis of the sermon to the shape and emphasis of a biblical text.” David R. Helm, Expositional Preaching: How We Speak God’s Word Today (Wheaton, Crossway, 2014), 13. D.A. Hezekiah had messed up pretty badly a few chapters earlier by welcoming an envoy from Babylon. You may unsubscribe at any time. Another example is found in 1 Corinthians 9:9-10: For it is written in the law of Moses, thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. To see this reading of Scripture in action, you can read through the Canon of St. Andrew of Crete that is prayed during Lent in the Orthodox Church. One of the most significant challenges to considering allegory is a problem of definitions. Finally, Bryan Chapell offers this definition: “An expository sermon takes its topic, main points, and subpoints from a text.2 In an expository message, a preacher makes a commitment to explain what a particular text means by using the spiritual principles it supports as the points of the message.” Bryan Chapell, Christ-Centered Preaching: Redeeming the Expository Sermon, Second Edition (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1994), 131. Is there anything in any of the New Testament passages describing the Lord’s Supper that point us back to this passage in 1 Samuel 28? Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. Saints. During antiquity and through the Middle Ages, allegorical interpretation was one of a few ways of reading Scripture (along with literal, moral, and anagogical interpretation). Is there a theme, typology, trajectory, or other biblical-theological connection that can be made legitimately? The single best way to do this is to see how a subsequent passage (usually in the New Testament) refers back to your passage.9 If textual connections cannot be drawn, then we have to consider that the source could be the preacher and not the passage. For Geffcken, in any case, allegorical interpretation betrayed a deeper con-fusion about texts. The first spiritual sense is the allegorical sense, by which we understand the events recorded in the Bible by recognizing how they point to Christ. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. The allegorical method of biblical interpretation assumes that biblical stories should be interpreted by seeking the ‘spiritual’ meaning to which the literal sense points. However, if you read the commentaries of the great Fathers of the Church, you find it used in a way that is far more balanced. Consider how other parts of the Bible (typically New Testament connections) handle the content of your text. The allegorical sense of Scripture does not negate the literal sense—it is another level of meaning in the text. We can also use the Bible to illustrate the Bible. In my previous post on allegorical interpretation, I wrote about Philo of Alexandria, a Jewish interpreter who lived during the time of Jesus (d. A.D. 50). 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