What confuses me about all this is the "sometimes" thing with metaphors. Prophets are neither ENTIRELY literal in their prophecies nor ENTIRELY metaphorical. There's always some mix of the two. Teasing them apart is difficult. What is to be taken literally? (destruction of Jerusalem, "flee to the hills," temple destroyed) and what is to be taken metaphorically (angels gather the elect, Son of Man parousia, etc.) hmmm... its soooo confusing to me!
And the OT prophets are no different. There's always some strange mix of metaphor and literal prediction. Ugh!
I agree. Either I am not understanding Scot's persepctive (which is quite possible with such a short paper), or I am so wrapped up in my background of dispensationalsim, or his explaination false short.
One of the pieces of Scot's posts that I really struggle with is his statement that he thinks that the second coming of Jesus will not be literal or bodily. That the second coming will be more significant than that. I think of Luke's narrative in Acts 1:11 where the angels say to the disciples that Jesus will return in the same way that they saw him ascend. They saw him physically/literally ascende into the heavens, so what is the "same way" that is not physical of his return?
I just came from a committal service for a dear saint who followed Jesus well for her 99+ years. As I encouraged them from the Scriptures, we are called to anticipate and hope in the resurrection from the dead when we will live a very real, physical life together with Jesus and all those who love him.
I am willing to admit that I do not see clearly, but what exactly is the hope of a non-physical return of Christ?
2 comments:
Interesting.
What confuses me about all this is the "sometimes" thing with metaphors. Prophets are neither ENTIRELY literal in their prophecies nor ENTIRELY metaphorical. There's always some mix of the two. Teasing them apart is difficult. What is to be taken literally? (destruction of Jerusalem, "flee to the hills," temple destroyed) and what is to be taken metaphorically (angels gather the elect, Son of Man parousia, etc.) hmmm... its soooo confusing to me!
And the OT prophets are no different. There's always some strange mix of metaphor and literal prediction. Ugh!
Help!!!!
REV
I agree. Either I am not understanding Scot's persepctive (which is quite possible with such a short paper), or I am so wrapped up in my background of dispensationalsim, or his explaination false short.
One of the pieces of Scot's posts that I really struggle with is his statement that he thinks that the second coming of Jesus will not be literal or bodily. That the second coming will be more significant than that. I think of Luke's narrative in Acts 1:11 where the angels say to the disciples that Jesus will return in the same way that they saw him ascend. They saw him physically/literally ascende into the heavens, so what is the "same way" that is not physical of his return?
I just came from a committal service for a dear saint who followed Jesus well for her 99+ years. As I encouraged them from the Scriptures, we are called to anticipate and hope in the resurrection from the dead when we will live a very real, physical life together with Jesus and all those who love him.
I am willing to admit that I do not see clearly, but what exactly is the hope of a non-physical return of Christ?
Thoughts?
JH
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