What does the Bible Say about Symbolism?

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Jesus teaches us that “All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. (Matthew 5:37)” Does this mean that we should be as straightforward as possible such as no swearing, no lying, and no symbolism? I know Christ uses symbolism all the time in His parables, but is it one of those things that we should just leave for Him to do, because He knows what He’s doing? It would make sense, because we, being limited in our knowledge, can sometimes lead people astray if we don’t choose our words carefully. Thank you and GOD Bless you!
 
I’m afraid I do not understand your questions and/or your concern.

What has made you lump symbolism in with lying and saying bad words?

Symbols help to remind us of things in our lives. When using symbols, it’s good to know what they mean and why we do them; so they are not meaningless. Meaningless symbols are just that, meaningless. But when symbols have meaning, like the Cross or the Sign of the Cross we Catholics make, then they help us.
 
phil19034 said:
I’m afraid I do not understand your questions and/or your concern.

What has made you lump symbolism in with lying and saying bad words?

Symbols help to remind us of things in our lives. When using symbols, it’s good to know what they mean and why we do them; so they are not meaningless. Meaningless symbols are just that, meaningless. But when symbols have meaning, like the Cross or the Sign of the Cross we Catholics make, then they help us.
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I guess you’re right. I was referring to literary symbolism, in instances where someone is trying to convey a message with literary symbols. Never mind, I don’t know why I posted this thread, obviously symbolism is ok. :rolleyes: :o haha thanks for the help anyways!
 
There are different types of human communication and perception. I was just reading some stuff about this. I hope you don’t mind some rather basic blather on the topic. 😃

Like if you show someone a photo, it may “resemble” that which it appears to be. Like a picture of a cow conveys an idea of a cow, as the camera sees it.

Or it can “point to” something. Like if you show a picture of smoke, that “points to” a fire.

Or it can have no resemblance at all to what it means. Like if I see a red light, it means I have to stop the car. This is “symbolic” because there is nothing naturally about a red light that indicates stopping a car, except that we have agreed in advance between humans, that red light means “stop or clear the intersection.” Since we agree, it works effectively and we enforce this meaning by penalizing those who don’t act according to its implications.

Human language, verbal and written, is all symbolic. That is not good or bad, but the nature of language. The only meaning these words have are because they follow conventions that inspire interpretations we have agreed upon in advance, as the process of learning the language.

(There are a few words “onomatopoeia” that are intended to sound like what they represent, like bang! and pop! but those are the rare exceptions.)

As far as telling story with symbolic content, that is not reserved to Jesus; it is a tactic that many use to explain things. Plus we have a lot of saying that do not seem to make sense like “do not buy a pig in a poke” is symbolic for “buyer beware” which is a version of “check it out before you buy.”

Or I can say, “he treats me like a dog.” Depending on whether “dog” implies he pets me and feeds me and takes me for walks, or maybe instead he treats me as if I had no human feelings. So this to me is like a short parable, but you’d have to know more than just the words to understand – I think that’s like Jesus’s stories. Two people might hear it and argue over which it meant, if either. You need to learn to think at higher then “normal human level” in some way to grasp them fully. That is when Jesus can then talk to you without using parables.
 
Mystical_Seeker said:
There are different types of human communication and perception. I was just reading some stuff about this. I hope you don’t mind some rather basic blather on the topic. 😃

Like if you show someone a photo, it may “resemble” that which it appears to be. Like a picture of a cow conveys an idea of a cow, as the camera sees it.

Or it can “point to” something. Like if you show a picture of smoke, that “points to” a fire.

Or it can have no resemblance at all to what it means. Like if I see a red light, it means I have to stop the car. This is “symbolic” because there is nothing naturally about a red light that indicates stopping a car, except that we have agreed in advance between humans, that red light means “stop or clear the intersection.” Since we agree, it works effectively and we enforce this meaning by penalizing those who don’t act according to its implications.

Human language, verbal and written, is all symbolic. That is not good or bad, but the nature of language. The only meaning these words have are because they follow conventions that inspire interpretations we have agreed upon in advance, as the process of learning the language.

(There are a few words “onomatopoeia” that are intended to sound like what they represent, like bang! and pop! but those are the rare exceptions.)

As far as telling story with symbolic content, that is not reserved to Jesus; it is a tactic that many use to explain things. Plus we have a lot of saying that do not seem to make sense like “do not buy a pig in a poke” is symbolic for “buyer beware” which is a version of “check it out before you buy.”
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Ok I think I get it now. Thanks for clearing everything up for me!
 
Oh sorry I’m getting carried away; I like metadiscussions. 🙂 I edited that last post a bit probably after you quoted it. Plus I wanted to share Matt 13:10-17 about how once you start gaining knowledge of the kingdom, more is given and things start falling together:

Matt 13
10 The disciples approached him and said, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 He said to them in reply, “Because knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted. 12 To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because ‘they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.’ 14 Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says:

‘You shall indeed hear but not understand,
you shall indeed look but never see.
15 Gross is the heart of this people,
they will hardly hear with their ears,
they have closed their eyes,
lest they see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart and be converted,
and I heal them.’

16 “But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear. 17 Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
 
Mystical_Seeker said:
Oh sorry I’m getting carried away; I like metadiscussions. 🙂 I edited that last post a bit probably after you quoted it. Plus I wanted to share Matt 13:10-17 about how once you start gaining knowledge of the kingdom, more is given and things start falling together:

Matt 13
10 The disciples approached him and said, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 He said to them in reply, “Because knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted. 12 To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because ‘they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.’ 14 Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says:

‘You shall indeed hear but not understand,
you shall indeed look but never see.
15 Gross is the heart of this people,
they will hardly hear with their ears,
they have closed their eyes,
lest they see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart and be converted,
and I heal them.’

16 “But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear. 17 Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
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Haha don’t worry you’re not getting carried away 👍 So I guess parables and symbols are a good way to teach and spread good messages. Thanks and God bless you!
 
There was a time (Jesus’ time, and perhaps as late as the middle ages) when a person would not just give his word that something was true, but in order to convince people he was not lying he would say something like, “I swear with God as my witness that this is true”. Meaning that God would either back him up or if lying, God would destroy him. And they for the most part believed God would destroy them if they “took his name in vain (to support a lie)”.

Jesus is telling his disciples, his Catholic Church, that they are going to be different than any people in the whole world. They are going to not lie when they give their word like others of the world do. His holy People are going to mean “Yes” when they say “Yes”, and mean “No” when they say “No”. This will be the mark of a Catholic, a citizen of the Kingdom of Christ, that they will not lie to deceive anyone.

Today we do not “swear by anything” that our words are honest, like, “I swear by my mother’s grave that I am telling the truth”. We fear nothing so we don’t do it anymore.

But we are the Church, and must mean what we say.
 
John_Martin said:
There was a time (Jesus’ time, and perhaps as late as the middle ages) when a person would not just give his word that something was true, but in order to convince people he was not lying he would say something like, “I swear with God as my witness that this is true”. Meaning that God would either back him up or if lying, God would destroy him. And they for the most part believed God would destroy them if they “took his name in vain (to support a lie)”.

Jesus is telling his disciples, his Catholic Church, that they are going to be different than any people in the whole world. They are going to not lie when they give their word like others of the world do. His holy People are going to mean “Yes” when they say “Yes”, and mean “No” when they say “No”. This will be the mark of a Catholic, a citizen of the Kingdom of Christ, that they will not lie to deceive anyone.
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The thing is, I don’t like to keep saying “thank you” every time someone posts a reply, even though I truly am grateful for your response, because I feel that people think I don’t really mean it. But I really am grateful for your response, and the wisdom that you are sharing with me. Sorry if that didn’t really make any sense 😛 but thanks you and GOD Bless you!
 
Symbolism is fine, especially considering the Bible is choc-o-full of it. Think of the parables as well. Or when St. Paul asks questions he already knows answers to. Or when the Almighty Himself asks questions he already knows the answers to: “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?” 😃
 
Worlds said:
The thing is, I don’t like to keep saying “thank you” every time someone posts a reply, even though I truly am grateful for your response, because I feel that people think I don’t really mean it. But I really am grateful for your response, and the wisdom that you are sharing with me. Sorry if that didn’t really make any sense 😛 but thanks you and GOD Bless you!
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I know how you feel. Where is the “like” button when you want one? 😃
 
Scottgun said:
Symbolism is fine, especially considering the Bible is choc-o-full of it. Think of the parables as well. Or when St. Paul asks questions he already knows answers to. Or when the Almighty Himself asks questions he already knows the answers to: “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?” 😃
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Thank you, and GOD Bless!😃
 
How about a “no comment” button?

Kind of like replying with a “meh.”
 
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