Quote:
Originally Posted by Igzy
Paul could allegorize because he was an apostle and could write scripture. Allegorizing to produce a new truth that is not echoed in plain scripture is the job of an apostle. Since there haven't been any apostles since the first century that option is closed.
Why can't we be content with what the Bible actually says? Why do we feel the need to read things into it which may or may not be there?
Take the Song of Songs. People including Nee have allegorized the heck out of that. Either Nee or Lee even taught that the shulamite's breasts signified faith and love, and that our faith and love should be equally strong because a woman's breasts should be the same size. (No word on what happened to hope, but never mind.) I mean, whatever....
Why not just take Song of Songs at face value, that God treasures and validates romantic love? Does every word picture have to have a hidden meaning?
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"Paul could allegorize because He was an apostle and could write scripture".
I cannot see any basis for this "truth" anywhere in scripture.
"Allegorizing to produce new truth" -- Paul did not do that, everything he said about Hagar did not produce a new truth. I don't think anyone can do that. Peter said that no verse is of its own interpretation so I don't believe that option of "allegorizing to produce truth" was ever open.
"Lets take the Song of Sons at face value" --
4:1b your hair is as a flock of goats, that appear from mount Gilead.
Is this a compliment? You have goat hair!? Why mount Gilead? Here is how I allegorize this to make sense for myself:
Mount Gilead is where Jacob and Laban made a contract over Laban's daughters. These two men were "goats". Our hair signifies our being under submission. Anyone could be under submission to the God of the prosperity gospel, but to be under submission to a goat, that is truly beautiful.
4:2 Your teeth are like a flock of sheep that are even shorn, which came up from the washing; whereof every one bear twins, and none is barren among them.
This is even better, what is being said here? This woman's teeth are like sheep right after they have had all their hair shaved off, they have been driven through a river to wash them off, and everyone is trying to find their baby lambs, and by the way, all them have twins?! Are you serious? How can you possibly understand this to look like teeth without allegorizing?
Here is how I understand this verse:
You see someone's teeth when they open their mouth to speak. Take Miss America, cut all her hair off on National TV, and at that moment what do you think will come out of her mouth when she speaks? Will it be a double blessing and no curse? Well, that is true beauty.
I shared this in an English class in Taiwan when I was in the FTTT. One woman asked "what about the Man?" I responded, "the man is Jesus, He gave his life for us, all we do is give our hair (our glory), it will grow back".