What does it mean to take the Bible literally?

[Michie]

People often ask if Christians should take the Bible literally. Some people complain that Christians take the Bible too literally, others complain that Christians don't take the Bible literally enough. What should we do?

What does literally mean?

First, we should look at what we mean by the word 'literally'? The word 'literally' is formed from the word 'literal' and the suffix '-ly', which turns the noun into an adverb. The word 'literal', comes from mediaeval English via Norman French, which in turn comes from Latin 'litteralis', which means related to letters or to writing, which in turn comes from the Latin 'litera' meaning a letter, from which we get the word 'literature'. The words 'literal', 'literally' and 'literature' are related. So, we could say that the word 'literally' literally means according to the literature, but is often used to mean according to the exact meaning of the word.

When 'literally' isn't meant literally

A problem here arises in that words have meaning in context, and not always according to the strict dictionary definition. Effectively, 'literally' can mean either the meaning according to the exact word used, or the meaning according to the literary style or genre. This is confused by the fact that some people also use the word 'literally' to mean 'figuratively', for example if someone says 'That was so beautiful I literally died', which of course they didn't. This is nothing new, Charlotte Brontë wrote in Villette, published in 1853, 'she took me to herself, and proceeded literally to suffocate me with her unrestrained spirits', which of course she didn't. Likewise we should be aware that when Christians claim to be taking the Bible literally, they may not always be doing so.

Styles of Literature

Continued below.

What does it mean to take the Bible literally?

People often ask if Christians should take the Bible literally. Some people complain that Christians take the Bible too literally, others complain that Christians don't take the Bible literally enough. What should we do?

christiantoday.com

 

[d taylor]

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Most people concerning The Bible especially in areas of creation. Who say they believe in The Bible literally, in areas of creation really fall short. They stop at a literal reading of The Bible when The Bible touches on God's creation heaven and earth.

They bring into The Bible, sciences version of creation. They may leave out the big bang, millions of years, evolution, etc.. But they include into The Bible outer space, a sun, moon and stars that are thousands, millions, to billions miles and light years away from.

Another science created idea a planet earth is included as being part of God's creation. They see the English word earth in The Bible and because of science (and not The Bible). A picture of planet earth comes into their mind, not because of The Bible, but because this idea has been ingrained into their minds as a child. Way before any person actually becomes a believer in Jesus.
They also accept and add into The Bible the idea that God created planets (but God just failed to mention this in Genesis 1)

So there are very few actual Bible literalist in the area of The Bibles creation account.

 

[BobRyan]

People often ask if Christians should take the Bible literally. Some people complain that Christians take the Bible too literally, others complain that Christians don't take the Bible literally enough. What should we do?

What does literally mean?

First, we should look at what we mean by the word 'literally'?

an example is in Matt 16 -- Jesus said "beware of the leaven of the Pharisees"
And what He meant was "beware of the TEACHING of the pharisees" -- but the disciples thought He meant that they should not BUY BREAD from Pharisees.

Matt 16:
5 Now when His disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. 6 Then Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.”

7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “It is because we have taken no bread.”

8 But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, “O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread? 9 Do you not yet understand, or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up? 10 Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many large baskets you took up? 11 How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread?—but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

By contrast in John 10 -- Jesus said "I am the DOOR" - yet no disciple thought he was a wooden door - nor does anyone know of a much-supposed-Christian literalist saying Jesus was a wooden door in John 10.

Clearly we need to dig a bit deeper to get to the bottom of this discussion.

This is confused by the fact that some people also use the word 'literally' to mean 'figuratively', for example if someone says 'That was so beautiful I literally died', which of course they didn't. This is nothing new

Indeed - but usually that is not what we are talking about in the case of the Bible and interpreting it.

when Christians claim to be taking the Bible literally, they may not always be doing so.

Agreed but as in the case of Matt 16 above we do see cases where Christ's own disciples took Him too literally

 

[CoreyD]

an example is in Matt 16 -- Jesus said "beware of the leaven of the Pharisees"
And what He meant was "beware of the TEACHING of the pharisees" -- but the disciples thought He meant that they should not BUY BREAD from Pharisees.

Matt 16:
5 Now when His disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. 6 Then Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.”

7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “It is because we have taken no bread.”

8 But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, “O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread? 9 Do you not yet understand, or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up? 10 Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many large baskets you took up? 11 How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread?—but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

By contrast in John 10 -- Jesus said "I am the DOOR" - yet no disciple thought he was a wooden door - nor does anyone know of a much-supposed-Christian literalist saying Jesus was a wooden door in John 10.

Clearly we need to dig a bit deeper to get to the bottom of this discussion.

Indeed - but usually that is not what we are talking about in the case of the Bible and interpreting it.


Agreed but as in the case of Matt 16 above we do see cases where Christ's own disciples took Him too literally

You are correct. I agree this needs looking at more closely, and digging deeper.
Do you have any suggestions on how we can do that?
I created a thread here, to look specifically at all the literal accounts which persons take as figurative, and I also plan on looking at those that people take literally, although they are clearly figurative.