The story of Samson

[Mgray82]

Growing up Protestant, one of my favorite bible stories (aside from Noah) was the story of Samson. It always seemed cool to me that a man could have all this physical strength and power from the Lord!

After growing up and developing my own views of the bible, and especially since my conversion I’ve had to look on something’s I believed in the bible in another light.

My question; Are we to take the story of Samson literally? If not, how are some other ways we can look at the story and how it is to relate to us? Can we take the story literally?

 

[patrick457]

Growing up Protestant, one of my favorite bible stories (aside from Noah) was the story of Samson. It always seemed cool to me that a man could have all this physical strength and power from the Lord!

After growing up and developing my own views of the bible, and especially since my conversion I’ve had to look on something’s I believed in the bible in another light.

My question; Are we to take the story of Samson literally? If not, how are some other ways we can look at the story and how it is to relate to us? Can we take the story literally?

In my humble opinion, I don’t see why not, although you could mean a lot of things by ‘literal’. What exactly did you mean?

 

[zz912]

Sure, why not?

Some of the story being told may be artistic embellishment, but overall I believe it to have really happened.

 

[Mgray82]

In my humble opinion, I don’t see why not, although you could mean a lot of things by ‘literal’. What exactly did you mean?

For the most part the whole story. But as an example;

Judges 14:6 Then the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon Samson, and he tore apart the lion, like a young goat being torn into pieces, having nothing at all in his hand. And he was not willing to reveal this to his father and mother.

 

[The_Bucket]

For the most part the whole story. But as an example;

Judges 14:6 Then the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon Samson, and he tore apart the lion, like a young goat being torn into pieces, having nothing at all in his hand. And he was not willing to reveal this to his father and mother.

Yeah I’m guessing that even a really jacked dude is not going to be able to tear apart a lion with no weapons. Did people back in the day try to fight lions one on one with spears and the like? I’m sure they did as a testimony to their manliness (and to attract the ladies). So maybe he did take down a lion. But I doubt it was barehanded. Actually, I’ll flat out say that it’s very likely impossible for anyone to do that.

 

[zz912]

Yeah I’m guessing that even a really jacked dude is not going to be able to tear apart a lion with no weapons. Did people back in the day try to fight lions one on one with spears and the like? I’m sure they did as a testimony to their manliness (and to attract the ladies). So maybe he did take down a lion. But I doubt it was barehanded. Actually, I’ll flat out say that it’s very likely impossible for anyone to do that.

Always curious to me about the miracles that people are perfectly fine with accepting, and ones they think are just completely impossible. As an example (not directed to The Bucket) some people have no problem with believing that the bread and wine become the actual Body and Blood of GOD, but take issue with Samson tearing apart a lion, or believing that Jesus actually made the fishes and loaves feed 5000.

To me, the Eucharist is FAAAAR more of a miracle than giving superhuman strength to a man.

 

[GEddie]

Our poor old human bodies all come with defective muscular genes; our muscles put out only a fraction of the power of the same weight of animal muscle, for the same usage of oxygen.

Whether that is a result of “The Fall”, or simply GOD’s will to force our minds to develop, is something I won’t get into. We can’t know.

But God can release that limitation instantly if HE chooses.

Given that the Massai of eastern Africa routinely hunt down lions single-handed, by spear, I have no doubt that someone specially gifted by God for strength could take down a lion, however.

ICXC NIKA

 

[farpinho]

Always curious to me about the miracles that people are perfectly fine with accepting, and ones they think are just completely impossible. As an example (not directed to The Bucket) some people have no problem with believing that the bread and wine become the actual Body and Blood of GOD, but take issue with Samson tearing apart a lion, or believing that Jesus actually made the fishes and loaves feed 5000.

To me, the Eucharist is FAAAAR more of a miracle than giving superhuman strength to a man.

To me, our own very existence if far more of a miracle than everything else put together

 

[Mgray82]

Our poor old human bodies all come with defective muscular genes; our muscles put out only a fraction of the power of the same weight of animal muscle, for the same usage of oxygen.

Whether that is a result of “The Fall”, or simply GOD’s will to force our minds to develop, is something I won’t get into. We can’t know.

But God can release that limitation instantly if HE chooses.

Given that the Massai of eastern Africa routinely hunt down lions single-handed, by spear, I have no doubt that someone specially gifted by God for strength could take down a lion, however.

ICXC NIKA

So are you saying that human beings do not use the strength of their muscles 100%? Kinda like, we don’t use 100% of our brains?

If I understand what you meant…that does make sense to me. Not to mention the thousands of men Samson killed by himself.

Would this be kinda like; the mother whose child gets stuck under a car. And the mother pulls the car up using their strength to save the child in a miraculous act?

 

[COPLAND_3]

I have no problems with the power of God in the Bible. If we believe in the New Testament and that Christ rose from the dead, then what’s so hard about believing that God worked some incredible things in the Old Testament?

 

[kra130]

Growing up Protestant, one of my favorite bible stories (aside from Noah) was the story of Samson. It always seemed cool to me that a man could have all this physical strength and power from the Lord!

After growing up and developing my own views of the bible, and especially since my conversion I’ve had to look on something’s I believed in the bible in another light.

My question; Are we to take the story of Samson literally? If not, how are some other ways we can look at the story and how it is to relate to us? Can we take the story literally?

Take it literally the book of judges is not prophetic or poem and is therefore generally taken literally. Samson was super strong he tore off the gate of a city and carried them up a hill. he defeated 1000 philistines with the jawbone of a donkey. I believe these stories as i believe that Elijah out ran a chariot, that Daniel survived the lions den, that Sarah gave birth to Isaac. our God is limitless he brought the dead to life, he calmed the raging sea. he can do something small like give a man the strength to rip a lion apart.

 

[GEddie]

I have no problems with the power of God in the Bible. If we believe in the New Testament and that Christ rose from the dead, then what’s so hard about believing that God worked some incredible things in the Old Testament?

I agree with you.

If a human body can come out of being dead, then somebody overpowering a big cat just doesn’t compare!!!

ICXC NIKA!

 

[COPLAND_3]

After people question the reality of miracles in the Bible, what’s next, do we question the reality of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and whether it should be taken literally, or is the Good News just a didactic story that is only meant to teach us a lesson? I think it leads to that downhill spiral when people can’t believe like God actually preserving a man in a whale for 3 days but the Lord raised people from the dead, healed the sick, walked on water,rose from the dead, acsended into Heaven, and promises a resurrection in the End of the world.

 

[patrick457]

After people question the reality of miracles in the Bible, what’s next, do we question the reality of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and whether it should be taken literally, or is the Good News just a didactic story that is only meant to teach us a lesson? I think it leads to that downhill spiral when people can’t believe like God actually preserving a man in a whale for 3 days but the Lord raised people from the dead, healed the sick, walked on water,rose from the dead, acsended into Heaven, and promises a resurrection in the End of the world.

Or a sea monster. Blame the ‘Enlightenment’ for that.

 

[GEddie]

Haven’t men documentedly survived being swallowed by whales? (1800s)

Since they breathe, it’s no great wonder they have air in their gut and a small being could survive.

The miracle would be that the creature would be there precisely when needed.

ICXC NIKA

 

[patrick457]

Haven’t men documentedly survived being swallowed by whales? (1800s)

Since they breathe, it’s no great wonder they have air in their gut and a small being could survive.

The miracle would be that the creature would be there precisely when needed.

ICXC NIKA

Well we don’t know whether it was really a whale for one since the creature is only described as “a big fish.” And the Greek word ketos (Latin cetus) only came to definitively mean ‘whale’ around the medieval period: in the early days, ketos brought to mind these horrible-looking giant sea monsters, the kind Theseus or Hercules would kill. This explains why Jonah is portrayed as being swallowed by this dragon-like thing (with gaping mouth and front paws!) in early Christian art.

 

[johnnyjones]

I know where the OP is coming from. The current climate forces many to ask “are these OT stories to be taken literally?” This inquisitive mindset emanates from the downplaying or dismissing of other biblical stories such as the Genesis account of creation, Noah’s Ark and the flood and Moses parting the Red Sea among others.

As some have already stated there is no problem in accepting the immediate transformation of water into wine by Christ or reanimating dead flesh, but the OT miracles have become some distant fairytale that does not fit into the power of God. We most certainly should believe the story of Samson as we believe the chains fell off the prisoners by the power of an angel working through God in St. Paul’s day. Too many Catholics have entered the slippery slope. Be careful what you say can not be attributed to God.

 

[Mgray82]

After people question the reality of miracles in the Bible, what’s next, do we question the reality of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and whether it should be taken literally, or is the Good News just a didactic story that is only meant to teach us a lesson? I think it leads to that downhill spiral when people can’t believe like God actually preserving a man in a whale for 3 days but the Lord raised people from the dead, healed the sick, walked on water,rose from the dead, acsended into Heaven, and promises a resurrection in the End of the world.

I’m glad you likened it to the story of Jonah. Another great story (I still like the story of Noah and Samson better).

Nowhere did I say that I “can’t believe it”. Indeed I can, and have my whole life. My point was that, some portions of the Bible are not to be taken literally. Is this not true? That you believe the story of Samson to be 100% true based on the context of the story shows that you have much faith

But, if I’m a non-believer or an atheist picking up the Bible for the first time to read it. I want some answers to these stories. Hard to believe a guy can get swallowed up by a whale and survive…it just is…do I believe it? Absolutely. But I think some scientific explanation can back up our beliefs even better.

So, going back on one of the responses on this thread. The fact that humans have deficient muscles, and that perhaps we don’t use are physical bodies to 100% of their capability explains a lot to me. Could be that perhaps God made Samson capable of some if not all of his human strength that Samson himself would not have been capable of using on his own physical will.

Again it’s speculation and I know God can do things just because he’s God. But I like answers too.

 

[johnnyjones]

I’m glad you likened it to the story of Jonah. Another great story (I still like the story of Noah and Samson better).

Nowhere did I say that I “can’t believe it”. Indeed I can, and have my whole life. My point was that, some portions of the Bible are not to be taken literally. Is this not true? That you believe the story of Samson to be 100% true based on the context of the story shows that you have much faith

But, if I’m a non-believer or an atheist picking up the Bible for the first time to read it. I want some answers to these stories. Hard to believe a guy can get swallowed up by a whale and survive…it just is…do I believe it? Absolutely. But I think some scientific explanation can back up our beliefs even better.

So, going back on one of the responses on this thread. The fact that humans have deficient muscles, and that perhaps we don’t use are physical bodies to 100% of their capability explains a lot to me. Could be that perhaps God made Samson capable of some if not all of his human strength that Samson himself would not have been capable of using on his own physical will.

Again it’s speculation and I know God can do things just because he’s God. But I like answers too.

It seem for some reason the OT miracles need a scientific basis but the NT miracles do not. It is all just the awesome power of God, I think that’s why some of those grandiose miracles are in the OT, to demonstrate Gods power. The NT is full of them to but they are much less questioned.

 

[patrick457]

It seem for some reason the OT miracles need a scientific basis but the NT miracles do not. It is all just the awesome power of God, I think that’s why some of those grandiose miracles are in the OT, to demonstrate Gods power. The NT is full of them to but they are much less questioned.

Actually they’re also questioned or rationalized, if you knew where to look.