I’ve never met a Christian with just one eye or just one hand. Weird, because Jesus teaches that if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off, and if your right eye causes you to sin, take it out.
For many, it’s essential to read the Bible “literally”; or, that the plainest meaning is the right meaning. If this is the case, why aren’t they cutting off their right hands?
It’s obvious (to most) that Jeuss is using figurative speech (namely, hyperbole) in this command. In other words, he says one thing, yet means another. What he says needs interpretation. Why he means is that his followers should run from sin.
Jesus also says, “Before Abraham was, I am”. What does this mean literally? We cannot interpret what Jesus means without the Old Testament. Once again, what Jesus says and what he means are two different things and what he says needs interpreted by the Old Testament.
The fact that language needs interpreted is precisely why arguing that the Bible needs to be interpreted literally is deeply flawed.
1. The Bible Wasn’t Written in a Cultural Vacuum
One of the biggest problems with a rigidly literal interpretation is that it assumes modern readers understand ancient texts in the same way their original audiences did. But what is “literal” to one culture may not be “literal” to another.
For example, in Psalm 18:2, David declares:
“The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer.”
A strictly literal interpretation would suggest that God is a literal rock or fortress. Yet, no ancient Israelite would have understood this in a wooden sense. They would have recognized this as metaphorical language describing God’s strength and protection. What is obvious to an ancient Middle Eastern reader, steeped in Hebrew poetic tradition, may not be so obvious to a modern Westerner unfamiliar with biblical genres.
2. The Bible Contains Multiple Literary Genres
Another issue with a purely literal approach is that the Bible is not a single, uniform book but a collection of writings spanning many genres—historical narrative, poetry, prophecy, apocalyptic literature, parables, wisdom literature, and more. Each of these genres must be interpreted according to its own rules.
Consider the Book of Revelation. A strictly literal reading of Revelation 12:3-4 would lead one to believe that a giant red dragon with seven heads and ten horns literally roams the cosmos, trying to eat a woman’s child. But Revelation belongs to the genre of apocalyptic literature, which is full of symbolic imagery. A literalistic approach misreads the text by treating symbolic visions as if they were straightforward historical descriptions.
Similarly, in Proverbs 22:6, we read:
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
If we insist on a literal, absolute interpretation, we might conclude that every child raised in a godly way is guaranteed never to stray. But Proverbs is wisdom literature, which presents general truths about life, not universal promises. To misread genre is to misinterpret Scripture.
3. The New Testament Authors Didn’t Always Read the Old Testament Literally
Interestingly, the New Testament authors themselves do not always interpret the Old Testament in a strictly literal manner. Many times, they recognize layers of meaning beyond the immediate historical or grammatical sense of the text.
For instance, in Matthew 2:15, Matthew cites Hosea 11:1—“Out of Egypt I called my son.” Originally, Hosea was referring to Israel’s exodus from Egypt, not predicting the Messiah’s journey. Yet Matthew sees a deeper fulfillment in Christ. This kind of reading moves beyond strict literalism and recognizes the theological depth in the biblical text.
Similarly, Paul in Galatians 4:21-31 interprets the story of Sarah and Hagar allegorically, applying it to the distinction between law and grace. If even the apostles understood Scripture in ways that transcend mere literalism, shouldn’t we?
4. Over-Literalism Can Lead to Absurd or Dangerous Conclusions
A rigidly literal approach to Scripture has, at times, led to problematic interpretations and even harmful applications.
- Flat Earth Beliefs: Some early interpreters insisted that passages like Psalm 104:5 (which says the earth “cannot be moved”) taught that the earth was flat and stationary, rejecting later scientific discoveries.
- Snake-Handling Practices: Some groups, based on a literal reading of Mark 16:18, believe that handling deadly snakes is a sign of faith, despite the broader biblical principle of not testing God (Matthew 4:7).
- Misinterpretation of Gender and Slavery Texts: Overly literal readings of certain texts have been used historically to justify slavery or rigid gender hierarchies, ignoring the broader ethical trajectory of Scripture.
While Scripture is authoritative, it must be read with discernment, taking into account context, genre, and historical background.
5. A Faithful Reading is a Thoughtful Reading
None of this is to say that Scripture should be treated as merely figurative or symbolic whenever it is inconvenient. There are many passages—especially historical narratives and key theological truths—that should be taken at face value. But recognizing literary genre, historical background, and theological development helps us avoid simplistic and sometimes misleading interpretations.
A faithful reading of the Bible is not necessarily a rigidly literal one—it is a thoughtful, contextual, and theologically rich reading. As we seek to understand God’s Word, we should ask not just, “What does this mean literally?” but “What did the original author intend, and how would the first readers have understood it?” Only by doing so can we rightly interpret and apply Scripture in a way that honors both its divine inspiration and its human context.
