Part 2 - Literal or Symbolic?

This Article is part of a multi-part Study Series called Introduction to Dispensational Understanding.

The literal interpretation of the Bible means it is taken literally and that it means what it says. The Bible sometimes includes allegory in order to expand the truth behind what it says. The problem is that when we do not understand or believe the literal Bible words then we try to spiritualize the Bible, where and when it need not be and is not intended to be. Jesus' parables are of a different class; they are always spoken of as such, being given with the interpretation by Jesus.

Some have accepted the Catholic church view that the church today is the new or "spiritual Israel," (see RC Catechism 676), thus supplanting Israel's place in the eternal plan of God. This is patently untrue. God will keep His word literally to Israel in "the fullness of times."

This is the source of great error for most Christians.

Example: When we allegorize the Book of James, considering wrongly that it is written to the Church in this day of grace, we make an error that only leads to apparent serious contradictions. The book of James, speaking of the requirement of "works" for righteousness, is in great conflict with the writings of the Apostle to the Gentiles, Paul, who speaks of "pure (100%) grace" (Rom 11:6).

"And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace..." (Romans 11:6)

The contradiction that appears between James and Paul is gone if the believer would simply take the word for what it says – James is writing not to the church, which is Christ's body, but rather to the Diaspora, lost people of Israel.. Note the first verse of James.

James 1:1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. Thus the matter is immediately cleared up. James is not writing to the Christian members of the Church, which is His body, as presented by the Apostle Paul in his 14 epistles that make up the core of our Christ8ian faith and understanding of Christ grace work done for us and in us as believers. James was writing to the Diaspora, the dispersed "twelve tribes" of Israel, not to you or me. We cannot say it is to the Church, which is His body, because we know that, according to Paul, there are no more Jews or Gentiles as they makeup the Church, which is the body of Christ. Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

In our Bible study it would always help us to apply four key questioning when we interpret any particular Scripture. If we are to rightly divide and apply the Scripture we must closely look at the Scripture to determine the answer to these four questions.

  1. To whom it is written? … either, "1Cor 10:32 …The Jew, the Gentile, or the Church of God"
  2. Concerning what specifically? … "Acts 2:16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;

Note what was spoken by Peter at Pentecost and after, addressing the Jews, three times Acts 2:22; Acts 3:12; Acts 5:35. Peter said Pentecost concerned things that were prophesied by Joel, and were witnessed by the miracles of Jesus as signs of the validity of His message. Thus, these things have nothing to do with the "mystery" of "the dispensation of grace" that was later revealed to Paul.

Paul's message and gospel had been until then "kept secret since the world began." It was  never was prophesied (Eph 1:11, Rom 16:25). The mystery of the grace dispensation that Paul wrote about was never revealed by anyone before Jesus Christ directly revealed it to Paul. (Gal 1:12)

  1. At what time is it applicable? …"In the last days I will" as with many prophecies.
  2. In what context is it applicable? … "If you… I will." Such contingencies "if" are always typical of the law and not grace which is unconditional.

Let's consider vertical truth and horizontal truth. The things that are written specifically to us in this age are what we could call vertical truth - that is it is formerly hidden truth that was ultimately dispensed to Paul for us in this age of "the grace of God." The grace truth the ascended Lord Jesus gave Paul for us today was inserted, interrupting the timeline of Biblical prophecy that had been given concerning Israel and the Kingdom to come to earth.

While Paul's message "had been kept secret since the world began" (Rom 16:25), there are in the Bible record of those things written to and concerning Israel, that had been fully revealed, according to Peter, "by all the prophets" (Acts 3:24). These oft spoken so-called Jewish things cover 75% of the Bible span the time of Abraham's call to the end of Revelation, with the exclusion of Paul's 13 epistles (Romans to Philemon) written to and concerning "the body of Christ." In the Old Testament we have Israel's history and the many prophecies, many of which are yet to be fulfilled.

Thus there are vertical and horizontal truths in the Bible.

That which is written to one in a specific dispensation, such as the Church which is His body, is vertical truth (example: grace for this dispensation may not be mixed with law of another dispensation), while that which is written in any dispensation but may be used for our learning in any other dispensation is "horizontal truth" (example: those things such as the nature of God). These horizontal truths continue always, traversing all dispensations.