Bible Verses About Allegory And Biblical Interpretation

Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.

Calls tabernacle service a copy and shadow of heavenly things

For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.

Says the law has a shadow of good things to come

Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

Spirit-taught spiritual interpretation

These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.

Jesus speaks in figurative language

Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.

Explicit allegorical interpretation in Galatians

And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.

Paul says he speaks figuratively

As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

Peter warns about hard texts being wrested

Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.

Figure of speech in John

But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

Spirit reveals hidden things

Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

Jesus interprets the Scriptures about himself

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

Received Spirit to understand God’s gifts

It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

Then I beheld, and lo a likeness as the appearance of fire: from the appearance of his loins even downward, fire; and from his loins even upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the colour of amber.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And did all eat the same spiritual meat;

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

Words are spirit and life

For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.

Disciples initially did not understand Scripture

The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! they say of me, Doth he not speak parables?

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel;

Parable and riddle language

And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these?

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you.

passage about interpretation belonging to God

And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream.

Dream interpretation example

And Joseph said unto him, This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days:

Joseph gives an interpretation of the dream

Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

Spirit of Christ signified beforehand

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

Search the Scriptures to verify teaching

And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof: The three baskets are three days:

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.