How I do my Goodreads reviews.

I have been a reading a lot of books lately. I probably would have read more books in the past if it weren't for the prohibitive expense. That's where Kindle comes in. E books are usually cheaper and they are delivered almost immediately. You don't have to worry about them getting lost in the mail either. Also, I think Amazon makes the best recommendations on the Web.

I also like reviewing many of the books I read, and prefer to review the book based on what I consider the validity of the ideas. Here is a system developed over the past year.

If I feel a passage is important and agree with it, or feel neutral, it is highlighted in blue. Red is used if important, but not agreed with. If I want to put notes on the passage it gets a yellow. If the text is very important, whether I disagree or not, it gets orange.

To do my review I go back through my highlights and pick out what is useful, plus whatever other thoughts seem relevant. This helps me stay close to the ideas in the book.

Jesus Taught In Parables

Mat 13:14  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

2Co 3:6  Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

2Co 3:14  But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.

Jesus and Paul say they didn't understand. Who would I be to disagree? Paul further says they don't understand the old testament. Will you change the words of Paul to say they understood part of it? If you believe the Bible literally you ought to acknowledge what the Bible literally says. When Jesus speaks in parables He sumarises what the OT says, because the scriptures speak of Him.

Joh 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

Heb_10:7  Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.

Eph 2:20  And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
Eph 2:21  In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
Eph 2:22  In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Paul sees the church as a temple.

Mat 26:61  And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.

Mat 27:40  And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.

Mar 14:58  We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.

Mar 15:29  And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days,

That was the testimony of the false witnesses, who didn't all agree with each other. John explains what Jesus said.

Joh 2:19  Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
Joh 2:20  Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
Joh 2:21  But he spake of the temple of his body.

The Jews didn't understand what Jesus said. Jesus didn't literally explain. That's what the scripture literally says. Paul teaches further.

1Co_12:27  Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

Col_1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:

Paul mentions the temple of God in three places.

1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

2Co 6:16  And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

2Th 2:4  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

Paul mentions the temple of God in three places. It is understood that he was consistent. That's part of the principle of comparing scripture to scripture. Jesus said, "search the scriptures." That's why it was understood that antichrist would be a betrayer in the church, all the way through the beginning of the Reformation. That's what Luther and Calvin believed. Eventually literalism overtook the biblical teaching in the church.

Jesus publicly taught in parables.

Mat 13:34  All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:

There isn't much, if anything in the Olivet Discourse that isn't found elsewhere in the Gospels. In particular compare the parables of Luke 12:36-59 to Matthew Mat 24:42-51, 24:7-10, 24:32-33, showing that the Olivet Discourse is composed of parables.

Luk 12:41  Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all?

Why Did the Angels Weep?

In the Olivet Discourse Jesus described signs that would occur preceding the end of the world.

But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,

And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Mat 24:37-39

One condition Jesus described is that it would be like it was in the days of Noah. The end would come suddenly upon the unexpecting. He explained further in Luke.

And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.

They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.

Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;

But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Luk 17:26-29

I think that it is interesting that Jesus links the unexpectedness of the flood with Sodom and Gomorrah. Noah was expecting the flood because God told him beforehand, the same way Lot had been warned. So Noah and Lot were expecting the catastrophes.

We can ask what it was in those days that triggered God’s wrath.

Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; Gen 19:24  

The word sodomy is derived from the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. It means unnatural sex acts. The men of Sodom wanted to rape the angels Lot had welcomed into his house. The reason for the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and the destruction of the world have very similar causes.

Some modern interpreters would have us believe that there was no special association of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah with sexual sin until the middle ages soon before the word sodomy was created, but this simply isn’t true. First century Jews such as Philo the Alexandrian and the Jewish historian Josephus made it clear that Sodom and Gomorrah’s destruction was closely associated with its sexual sin.

>But God, having taken pity on mankind, as being a Saviour and full of love for mankind, increased, as far as possible, the natural desire of men and women for a connexion together, for the sake of producing children, and detesting the unnatural and unlawful commerce of the people of Sodom, he extinguished it, and destroyed those who were inclined to these things, and that not by any ordinary chastisement, but he inflicted on them an astonishing novelty, and unheard of rarity of vengeance; for, on a sudden, he commanded the sky to become overclouded and to pour forth a mighty shower, not of rain but of fire; and as the flame poured down, with a resistless and unceasing violence, the fields were burnt up, and the meadows, and all the dense groves, and the thick marshes, and the impenetrable thickets; the plain too was consumed, and all the crop of wheat, and of everything else that was sown; and all the trees of the mountain district were burnt up, the trunks and the very roots being consumed. ON ABRAHAM, XXVII. <

Commerce also means the social dealings between people. Philo makes it clear that the natural desire between men and women is for the sake of producing children, and the actions of the people of Sodom was considered unnatural and unlawful. Those who were inclined to that sort of thing were destroyed with “astonishing novelty.”

>1. ABOUT this time the Sodomites grew proud, on account of their riches and great wealth; they became unjust towards men, and impious towards God, insomuch that they did not call to mind the advantages they received from him: they hated strangers, and abused themselves with Sodomitical practices. God was therefore much displeased at them, and determined to punish them for their pride, and to overthrow their city, and to lay waste their country, until there should neither plant nor fruit grow out of it.Josephus, CHAPTER 11.Antiquities of the Jews - Book I<

The first century Jewish historian gives the reason for Sodom’s destruction. The Sodomites abused themselves with Sodomitical practises. The association of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah with sexual sin didn’t start in the first century either, as we will see.

And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; Gen 18:20  

There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.

And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Gen 6:4-5

The Bible teaches that the story of Sodom and Gomorrah and the story of the deluge are very similar. The sin of the world in Noah’s time and the sins of Sodom were very great. Jesus wasn’t the only one to teach about this subject. Jude and Peter also explain this in the New Testament.

And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Jud 1:6-7

Jude had the teachings of Jesus in mind when he wrote. He links Sodom and Gomorrah with the angels that rebelled. The men of Sodom rebelled against God’s created order because of their carnal lust. This is the same thing that happened with the angels before the flood. One book that explains this is the ancient Jewish book of First Enoch.

[Chapter 6]

1 And it came to pass when the children of men had multiplied that in those days were born unto them beautiful and comely daughters. And the angels, the children of the heaven, saw and lusted after them, and said to one another: 'Come, let us choose us wives from among the children of men and beget us children.' ...

[Chapter 7]

And all the others together with them took unto themselves wives, and each chose for himself one, and they began to go in unto them and to defile themselves with them, and they taught them charms and enchantments, and the cutting of roots, and made them acquainted with plants. And they became pregnant, and they bare great giants, whose height was three thousand ells: Who consumed all the acquisitions of men. And when men could no longer sustain them, the giants turned against them and devoured mankind. And they began to sin against birds, and beasts, and reptiles, and fish, and to devour one another's flesh, and drink the blood. Then the earth laid accusation against the lawless ones. 1-6

The fact that they took wives implies a marriage and a loving, faithful and committed relationship.

[Chapter 10]

Then said the Most High, the Holy and Great One spake, and sent Uriel to the son of Lamech, and said to him: 'Go to Noah and tell him in my name "Hide thyself!" and reveal to him the end that is approaching: that the whole earth will be destroyed, and a deluge is about to come upon the whole earth, and will destroy all that is on it. And now instruct him that he may escape and his seed may be preserved for all the generations of the world.' And again the Lord said to Raphael: 'Bind Azazel hand and foot, and cast him into the darkness: and make an opening in the desert, which is in Dudael, and cast him therein. And place upon him rough and jagged rocks, and cover him with darkness, and let him abide there for ever, and cover his face that he may not see light. And on the day of the great judgement he shall be cast into the fire. And heal the earth which the angels have corrupted, and proclaim the healing of the earth, that they may heal the plague, and that all the children of men may not perish through all the secret things that the Watchers have disclosed and have taught their sons. And the whole earth has been corrupted through the works that were taught by Azazel: to him ascribe all sin. 1-9

Another ancient Jewish book that describes these things is the book of Jubilees.

And he testified to the Watchers, who had sinned with the daughters of men; for these had begun to unite themselves, so as to be defiled, with the daughters of men, and Enoch testified against (them) all. And he was taken from amongst the children of men, and we conducted him into the Garden of Eden in majesty and honour, and behold there he writes down the condemnation and judgment of the world, and all the wickedness of the children of men. And on account of it (God) brought the waters of the flood upon all the land of Eden; for there he was set as a sign and that he should testify against all the children of men, that he should recount all the  deeds of the generations until the day of condemnation.   ch 4 22-25  

For owing to these three things came the flood upon the earth, namely, owing to the fornication wherein the Watchers against the law of their ordinances went a whoring after the daughters of men, and took themselves wives of all which they chose: and they made the beginning of uncleanness. And they begat sons the Naphidim, and they were all unlike, and they devoured one another: and the Giants slew the Naphil, and the Naphil slew the Eljo, and the Eljo mankind, and one man another. And every one sold himself to work iniquity and to shed much blood, and the earth was filled with iniquity. And after this they sinned against the beasts and birds, and all that moves and walks on the earth: and much blood was shed on the earth, and every imagination and desire of men imagined vanity and evil continually. And the Lord destroyed everything from off the face of the earth; because of the wickedness of their deeds, and because of the blood which they had shed in the midst of the earth.  Jubilees ch 7 22-25

Fragments of Enoch and Jubilees were found among the Dead Sea scrolls, and are believed to have been written sometime before 300 BC.  First century Jews such as Josephus and Philo of Alexandria also spoke of the rebellion of the angels.

For many angels of God accompanied with women, and begat sons that proved unjust, and despisers of all that was good, on account of the confidence they had in their own strength; for the tradition is, that these men did what resembled the acts of those whom the Grecians call giants. But Noah was very uneasy at what they did; and being displeased at their conduct, persuaded them to change their dispositions and their acts for the better: but seeing they did not yield to him, but were slaves to their wicked pleasures, he was afraid they would kill him, together with his wife and children, and those they had married; so he departed out of that land. – Josephus Antiquities of the Jews 1.72-75

“And when the angels of God saw the daughters of men that they were beautiful, they took unto themselves wives of all of them whom they Chose.” Philo, Concerning the Giants.

Another first century Jew who spoke of these things is the apostle Peter. He talks about the angels that God imprisoned because of their lust and rebellion against His created order. He also associates the rebellion with Sodom and Gomorrah.

By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 1Pe 3:19-20 (Mat 25:41)

God did not have pity on the angels that sinned. He had them tied up and thrown into the dark pits of hell until the time of judgment.

And during Noah's time, God did not have pity on the ungodly people of the world. He destroyed them with a flood, though he did save eight people, including Noah, who preached the truth.

God punished the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and this is a warning to anyone else who wants to sin. 2Pe 2:4-6

The apostle Paul also alludes to the rebellion when he teaches that the symbolism of head covering in the church reflects the natural order of God’s creation.

For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.1Co 11:10  

This was the teaching in the early church. The second century church father Irenaeus explains the relation as follows:

4. Since the Son of God is always one and the same, He gives to those who believe on Him a well of water (Joh_4:14) [springing up] to eternal life, but He causes the unfruitful fig-tree immediately to dry up; and in the days of Noah He justly brought on the deluge for the purpose of extinguishing that most infamous race of men then existent, who could not bring forth fruit to God, since the angels that sinned had commingled with them, and [acted as He did] in order that He might put a check upon the sins of these men, but [that at the same time] He might preserve the archetype, the formation of Adam. And it was He who rained fire and brimstone from heaven, in the days of Lot, upon Sodom and Gomorrah, “an example of the righteous judgment of God,” that all may know, “that every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be cut down, and cast into the fire.” (Mat_3:10) And it is He who uses [the words], that it will be more tolerable for Sodom in the general judgment than for those who beheld His wonders, and did not believe on Him, nor receive His doctrine. (Mat_11:24; Luk_10:12) Book IV Chap. XXXVI.

and also:

2. And there is therefore in this beast, when he comes, a recapitulation made of all sorts of iniquity and of every deceit, in order that all apostate power, flowing into and being shut up in him, may be sent into the furnace of fire. Fittingly, therefore, shall his name possess the number six hundred and sixty-six, since he sums up in his own person all the commixture of wickedness which took place previous to the deluge, due to the apostasy of the angels. For Noah was six hundred years old when the deluge came upon the earth, sweeping away the rebellious world, for the sake of that most infamous generation which lived in the times of Noah. Book V. Chap. XXIX.

The rebellion against God’s created order triggered God’s wrath. The destruction of Sodom and the deluge were due to man’s immorality on the earth.  With today’s changing attitudes toward what is acceptable in society, we should be aware of what time we live in.

Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, ...2Pe 3:3  

But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 2Pe 3:7

And Enoch went and said: 'Azazel, thou shalt have no peace: a severe sentence has gone forth against thee to put thee in bonds: And thou shalt not have toleration nor request granted to thee, because of the unrighteousness which thou hast taught, and because of all the works of godlessness and unrighteousness and sin which thou hast shown to men.' Then I went and spoke to them all together, and they were all afraid, and fear and trembling seized them. And they besought me to draw up a petition for them that they might find forgiveness, and to read their petition in the presence of the Lord of heaven. For from thenceforward they could not speak (with Him) nor lift up their eyes to heaven for shame of their sins for which they had been condemned. Then I wrote out their petition, and the prayer in regard to their spirits and their deeds individually and in regard to their requests that they should have forgiveness and length. And I went off and sat down at the waters of Dan, in the land of Dan, to the south of the west of Hermon: I read their petition till I fell asleep. And behold a dream came to me, and visions fell down upon me, and I saw visions of chastisement, and a voice came bidding (me) I to tell it to the sons of heaven, and reprimand them. And when I awaked, I came unto them, and they were all sitting gathered together, weeping … 1 Enoch, [Chapter 13] 1-9

Reasons for the meaning of Scripture being veiled.

Reasons for the meaning of Scripture being veiled.

For many reasons, then, the Scriptures hide the sense. First, that we may become inquisitive, and be ever on the watch for the discovery of the words of salvation. Then it was not suitable for all to understand, so that they might not receive harm in consequence of taking in another sense the things declared for salvation by the Holy Spirit. Wherefore the holy mysteries of the prophecies are veiled in the parables—preserved for chosen men, selected to knowledge in consequence of their faith; for the style of the Scriptures is parabolic. Wherefore also the Lord, who was not of the world, came as one who was of the world to men. For He was clothed with all virtue; and it was His aim to lead man, the foster-child of the world, up to the objects of intellect, and to the most essential truths by knowledge, from one world to another.

Wherefore also He employed metaphorical description; for such is the parable,—a narration based on some subject which is not the principal subject, but similar to the principal subject, and leading him who understands to what is the true and principal thing; or, as some say, a mode of speech presenting with vigour, by means of other circumstances, what is the principal subject.

And now also the whole economy which prophesied of the Lord appears indeed a parable to those who know not the truth, when one speaks and the rest hear that the Son of God—of Him who made the universe—assumed flesh, and was conceived in the virgin’s womb (as His material body was produced), and subsequently, as was the case, suffered and rose again, being “to the Jews a stumbling-block, and to the Greeks foolishness,” as the apostle says.

But on the Scriptures being opened up, and declaring the truth to those who have ears, they proclaim the very suffering endured by the flesh, which the Lord assumed, to be “the power and wisdom of God.” And finally, the parabolic style of Scripture being of the greatest antiquity, as we have shown, abounded most, as was to be expected, in the prophets, in order that the Holy Spirit might show that the philosophers among the Greeks, and the wise men among the Barbarians besides, were ignorant of the future coming of the Lord, and of the mystic teaching that was to be delivered by Him. Rightly then, prophecy, in proclaiming the Lord, in order not to seem to some to blaspheme while speaking what was beyond the ideas of the multitude, embodied its declarations in expressions capable of leading to other conceptions. Now all the prophets who foretold the Lord’s coming, and the holy mysteries accompanying it, were persecuted and killed. As also the Lord Himself, in explaining the Scriptures to them, and His disciples who preached the word like Him, and subsequently to His life, used parables. Whence also Peter, in his Preaching, speaking of the apostles, says: “But we, unrolling the books of the prophets which we possess, who name Jesus Christ, partly in parables, partly in enigmas, partly expressly and in so many words, find His coming and death, and cross, and all the rest of the tortures which the Jews inflicted on Him, and His resurrection and assumption to heaven previous to the capture of Jerusalem. As it is written, These things are all that He behoves to suffer, and what should be after Him. Recognising them, therefore, we have believed in God in consequence of what is written respecting Him.”

And after a little again he draws the inference that the Scriptures owed their origin to the divine providence, asserting as follows: “For we know that God enjoined these things, and we say nothing apart from the Scriptures.”

Now the Hebrew dialect, like all the rest, has certain properties, consisting in a mode of speech which exhibits the national character. Dialect is accordingly defined as a style of speech produced by the national character. But prophecy is not marked by those dialects. For in the Hellenic writings, what are called changes of figures purposely produce onscurations, deduced after the style of our prophecies. But this is effected through the voluntary departure from direct speech which takes place in metrical or offhand diction. A figure, then, is a form of speech transferred from what is literal to what is not literal, for the sake of the composition, and on account of a diction useful in speech.

But prophecy does not employ figurative forms in the expressions for the sake of beauty of diction. But from the fact that truth appertains not to all, it is veiled in manifold ways, causing the light to arise only on those who are initiated into knowledge, who seek the truth through love. The proverb, according to the Barbarian philosophy, is called a mode of prophecy, and the parable is so called, and the enigma in addition. Further also, they are called “wisdom;” and again, as something different from it, “instruction and words of prudence,” and “turnings of words,” and “true righteousness;” and again, “teaching to direct judgment,” and “subtlety to the simple,” which is the result of training, “and perception and thought,” with which the young catechumen is imbued. [Prov. i. 1–4.]“He who hears these prophets, being wise, will be wiser. And the intelligent man will acquire rule, and will understand a parable and a dark saying, the words and enigmas of the wise.” [Prov. i. 5, 6.]

And if it was the case that the Hellenic dialects received their appellation from Hellen, the son of Zeus, surnamed Deucalion, from the chronology which we have already exhibited, it is comparatively easy to perceive by how many generations the dialects that obtained among the Greeks are posterior to the language of the Hebrews.

But as the work advances, we shall in each section, noting the figures of speech mentioned above by the prophet, exhibit the gnostic mode of life, showing it systematically according to the rule of the truth.
Did not the Power also, that appeared to Hermas in the Vision, in the form of the Church, give for transcription the book which she wished to be made known to the elect? And this, he says, he transcribed to the letter, without finding how to complete the syllables. And this signified that the Scripture is clear to all, when taken according to the bare reading; and that this is the faith which occupies the place of the rudiments. Wherefore also the figurative expression is employed, “reading according to the letter;” while we understand that the gnostic unfolding of the Scriptures, when faith has already reached an advanced state, is likened to reading according to the syllables.

Further, Esaias the prophet is ordered to take “a new book, and write in it” certain things: [Isa. viii. 1.]
the Spirit prophesying that through the exposition of the Scriptures there would come afterwards the sacred knowledge, which at that period was still unwritten, because not yet known. For it was spoken from the beginning to those only who understand. Now that the Saviour has taught the apostles, the unwritten rendering [John xiv. 26.] of the written [Scripture] has been handed down also to us, inscribed by the power of God on hearts new, according to the renovation of the book. Thus those of highest repute among the Greeks, dedicate the fruit of the pomegranate to Hermes, who they say is speech, on account of its interpretation. For speech conceals much. Rightly, therefore, Jesus the son of Nave saw Moses, when taken up [to heaven], double,—one Moses with the angels, and one on the mountains, honoured with burial in their ravines. And Jesus saw this spectacle below, being elevated by the Spirit, along also with Caleb. But both do not see similarly. But the one descended with greater speed, as if the weight he carried was great; while the other, on descending after him, subsequently related the glory which he beheld, being able to perceive more than the other as having grown purer; the narrative, in my opinion, showing that knowledge is not the privilege of all. Since some look at the body of the Scriptures, the expressions and the names as to the body of Moses; while others see through to the thoughts and what it is signified by the names, seeking the Moses that is with the angels.

Many also of those who called to the Lord said, “Son of David, have mercy on me.” [Mark x. 48,] A few, too, knew Him as the Son of God; as Peter, whom also He pronounced blessed, “for flesh and blood revealed not the truth to him, but His Father in heaven,” [Matt. xvi. 17.] —showing that the Gnostic recognises the Son of the Omnipotent, not by His flesh conceived in the womb, but by the Father’s own power. That it is therefore not only to those who read simply that the acquisition of the truth is so difficult, but that not even to those whose prerogative the knowledge of the truth is, is the contemplation of it vouch-safed all at once, the history of Moses teaches, until, accustomed to gaze, at the Hebrews on the glory of Moses, and the prophets of Israel on the visions of angels, so we also become able to look the splendours of truth in the face.

Clement of Alexandria, Book VI, CHAPTER XV.—DIFFERENT DEGREES OF KNOWLEDGE

Why There Is A God II

The Bible was written over hundreds of years by different authors, and yet it is about Jesus the Christ. Since most of it was written before Jesus' time, it verifies His authenticity. This is a proof that the God of the Bible is real.

The subject of scripture is not always obvious by interpreting the Bible literally. It has to be seen spiritually, which involves the use of allegory.

A new life is born into the world. A person grows in strength and stature as he gets older. Knowledge also grows along with physical size. His or her physical peak comes in ealry adulthood, and soon he is ready to start a family of his own. As the years go by vitality begins to fade, and eventually the middle-age years pass and old age sets in. Health begins to leave as one approaches the end of life. It's not just humans who follow this course, but all creatures follow the same general pattern. Even the flora passes through the seasons from the bursting forth of new life to the eventual fading into death. These are the stages of life through which all of God's creation passes. But where old life passes away, new life springs forth.

But even in our spiritual lives there is a similar pattern. Jesus described this in parables such as the ones in Matthew thirteen.  We are filled with enthusiasm as new creatures in Him, but soon the cares of this world come along and tempt us away from our first love, like the church of Ephesus.  Our faith is tried as we face the realities of life.  The skepticism of the world seeks to destroy what we have gained.  As we try to grow in our faith, we face the doctrines of Satan and strive to sort out what is true and good.  If we are true to our faith, we have overcome the world.  If we are deceived, we are called to repentance. God chastises us so we will look for what is true and good. With repentance comes reconciliation.  We need not fear the approaching darkness and judgment that lie ahead. Our spiritual lives follow the pattern of the Gospel.

1) Jesus’ nativity
2) He gathers disciples and starts His ministry
3) The religious leaders grow jealous of Jesus during His ministry, He foretells His own death
4) Judas betrays Jesus
5) His passion begins, Jesus arrested
6) Crucifixion
7) Resurrection

The church father Papias claimed that the creation account was an allegorical representation of the Gospel. How does this work?

The first three chapters in Genesis are chiastic in structure.

Garden of Eden - Day of creation
1. No man in Eden – 7. God's Rest (Hebrews chs 3,4 4:3)
2. Beasts – 6. Beasts and man created
3. Serpent – 5. Birds, whales, water creatures fill the sea
4. Darkness of sin and death- 4. Sun, moon, stars, day and night divided
5. Earth cursed, thistles – 3. Sea, Earth, grass, trees, fruit, herbs
6. Banishment from garden- 2. Division of Waters, heaven (firmament)
7. Permanent separation – 1. Division of darkness and light

The tabernacle pattern describes Christ and He is God's Word to us.  He gives us an example to live by. This is the pattern in scripture and I think it is what Jesus means when He says:

Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.  John 5:39

The temple/tabernacle pattern, and its relation to the Garden of Eden are well documented in the book "The Temple and the Church's Mission," by G.K. Beale.

Jesus is the temple, and this is shown in Nicholas Perrin's book "Jesus The Temple."

This is what Jesus meant about the scriptures being about Him (John 5:39, Luke 24:44-46).

The fact that the Bible gives a consistent allegorical message through its many passages, and that message which points to Christ shows a design and purpose that could only be inspired by the Creator.

Why There Is A God

God proved His existence by giving us His Word.  His Word is Jesus Christ (John 1:1).

The skeptic will scoff at this and say, "Where is he? He only exists in your imagination. He is a myth who offers no evidence that he ever existed."

God has given us the evidence that He exists, and that the Bible is His written word. It is literary evidence where the proof lies in the revelation of its cloaked meaning.

Jesus is the Gospel to us. That's how we learn about Him. It's the story of His birth, ministry, betrayal, passion and triumphant resurrection. He lived His life of humble and obedient service to His Father, who sought not His own will but His Father's (Matt 26:39, John 12:27). Those who have wisdom follow Christ's example of obedience (John 13:15, 1 Peter 2:21).

How is this proof?

Papias was a disciple of the apostle John according to the church father Irenaeus. Papias wrote that the earliest Christian expositors of scripture said the creation story in Genesis was an allegorical form of the Gospel. That would make sense since the New Testament says the scriptures are about Christ (John 5:39, Luke 24:44-46). The claim is not that there are a few scattered verses here and there, but that the volume of the book is about Him (Heb 10:7).

Jesus taught in parables, and parables are a form of allegory. He demonstrated how the scriptures are about Him and his church, the kingdom of God.

The Word and Wisdom, Son and Spirit

...It was not angels, therefore, who made us, nor who formed us, neither had angels power to make an image of God, nor any one else, except the Word of the Lord, nor any Power remotely distant from the Father of all things. For God did not stand in need of these [beings], in order to the accomplishing of what He had Himself determined with Himself beforehand should be done, as if He did not possess His own hands. For with Him were always present the Word and Wisdom, the Son and the Spirit, by whom and in whom, freely and spontaneously, He made all things, to whom also He speaks, saying, “Let Us make man after Our image and likeness;” [Gen. i. 26.] He taking from Himself the substance of the creatures [formed], and the pattern of things made, and the type of all the adornments in the world. Irenaeus IV.xx