Philip Dampier's Blog

Symbolism

“As we attempt to follow the contours of the story the Bible tells, we must understand the symbols the biblical authors use as they tell the story. If we do not understand the symbols, we will fail to understand key parts of the story.” James M. Hamilton Jr. What is Biblical Theology? p.63

“The use of this symbolism produces what might be referred to as a ‘symbolic universe,’ that is, a set of symbols that explain and interpret the world by representing, or standing for, the world. To refer to the Bible’s symbolic universe is to refer the set of images, patterns, types, symbols, and signifiers that furnish the minds of the biblical authors.” Hamilton, p.64

So many passages of scriptures that touch on today’s theological discussions of eschatology come from Biblical references that abound in symbolism. Naturally, the outcome of these discussions reflect the interpretation of those symbolic images, patterns and types. While these symbolic uses were well known to the Old Testament and New Testament worlds they are somewhat foreign to modern students.

Unfortunately, many turn these images into modern concepts which were totally unknown to the image users. This is not a good ‘rightly dividing the word’ practice. The symbolism of the ancient world was not based on the modern world. They wrote of what they knew. The symbols were as real to them as the true models were.

Task for Today: If you intend to read and study symbolic writings of the Bible, then do yourself a favor and learn what those early symbols meant to the writers. How did the prophets use them and how did Jesus use them? Was Jesus thinking about 2026 or 33?