SYMBOLISM CONTAINED IN BIBLICAL SCRIPTURE
We begin this article with a very short scripture quote from the Bible:
"Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants ..."
~Galatians 4:24
Right here were are told in plain simple terms, that the story of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar, is an allegory. It is metaphorical. Myth ... with a hidden deeper meaning, rather than being primarily a physical, historical, and literal event. Science and biology tell us 90 years old women cannot have babies. This is a story of symbolic value. It isn't commentary, it is saying to us directly that it is allegorical. There is symbolism in this myth that is intended for discovery by those who have eyes to see, and ears to hear. Keep in mind that the modern definition of myth does not suit the etymology of the word. A myth (Greek: mythos) is a surface story that is passed along and is usually intended to teach a deeper lesson, it is Truth, veiled by a story intended to deliver a stealth message to those white eyes to see and ears to hear.
This goes hand-in-hand with us being told in scripture NOT to take the letter literally (scripture/hand written letter) by reminding us to NOT be a Minister of the letter. The Bible communicates to us in Parables, Proverbs, Allegories, and Dark Sayings. Modern day Archaeologists from the University of Tel Aviv have even told us the Bible stories are meant to be symbolic and allegorical. For example, the captivity in Egypt is a metaphor for our own dark ego animal based mind. "Aigyptos" in Greek meant "dark place." It was a symbol of darkness and base nature man.
The Exodus, was also allegorically symbolic. Leaving the darkness (Egypt) and entering the Promised Land (Is-Ra-El) and Jerusalem (yeru-shalom) the place of peace. Again, a spiritual event that takes place within us as we transmute from base nature to Divine. Generations have searched for the literal places in the Bible but to no avail. Either they were built and named in honour of the symbolism, or they simply did not exist. The Ten Commandments (the negative commandments) were derived directly from King Hammurabi's Code. A list of negative commandments of things NOT to do that preceded the Hebrews by hundreds of years. These codes are on display in the British Museum.
Joshua of the Old Testament, the one who conquered Israel, is the same story as Jesus of the New Testament. The very name itself is the same. Joshua from the Hebrew, and Jesus from the Greek, are "Yehoshua, Yeshu, Yeshua" literally a word composed of Hebrew aleph-bet (alphabet) symbols that mean "God is Saviour." There was wandering in the desert for 40 years in the OT, there was a flood of 40 days and 40 nights in the OT, Jesus wandered in the wilderness for 40 days in the NT ... this is symbolism to present deeper esoteric teachings. Forty weeks is the gestation period of a human being (9 months). From conception, to birth ... marking a new person with new beginnings. A "born again" time frame. Everything is symbolic.
Even top officials from Universities in Israel today will tell us the Bible stories and the history of the Hebrews are not just literal historical events. Joshua could not have knocked down the walls of Jericho because Jericho didn't exist at that time. Jesus could not have been "of Nazareth" because there was no Nazareth at that time (it meant Nazarene). Camels were not domesticated at that time. So if so many of these stories were never intended to be taken literally and historically, then what happened? the what do they mean on a deeper level? There must be something beyond the surface story. These secret Truths were taught to initiates into the Mystery Schools of old. And by taking these stories to be only literal, it has wreaked havoc all over the world for centuries. War and violence, degradation of women, child abuse, lies and deceptions, and a total misunderstanding and mistranslation of the true nature of life, and ourselves as being the Light of the world.
The Bible characters, locations, stories, miracles, crucifixion, resurrection, raising of the dead, ascension, transfiguration, crossing of the Red Sea, Mt. Sinai, all allegory. All meant as metaphor by the writers. All Myth ... "Mythos." Joseph Campbell put it wisely when he described "myth" as "something that never was, yet always is." We must go beyond the names, places, and events ... deep between the black and white letter, and find the pearl of great price. The Truth, that lies in waiting ... for Revelation - to be revealed, uncovered, unhidden. The letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth Life.
Just a thought ...
~Justin Taylor, ORDM.
