Extrabiblical Illustrations in Scripture to Convey Theological Concepts

The biblical text frequently employs extrabiblical illustrations, drawing on common experiences, cultural artifacts, and natural phenomena to convey theological concepts. This approach allows for the communication of divine truths through relatable imagery and narratives, making abstract ideas more accessible to the audience. Such illustrations range from simple metaphors and similes to more extended allegories and parables.

One prominent category of extrabiblical illustration involves the use of natural phenomena to describe God's power and character. For instance, Psalm 29 encourages trust in God by celebrating His mighty power, illustrated through His dominion over the natural world, particularly in its "terrible and wonderful exhibitions" ^[9]. The imagery of God using weapons, similar to those of His adversaries, is employed in Psalm 64:7 to heighten the contrast and emphasize divine power ^[8]. These examples demonstrate how familiar aspects of the physical world are leveraged to articulate profound theological statements about God's sovereignty and might.

Parables, a specific form of allegory, are frequently used by Jesus to teach about the Kingdom of God. An allegory is defined as "a representation of one thing which is intended to excite the representation of another thing," possessing both an immediate, historic sense and an ultimate, signified meaning ^[4]. Jesus' parables often employed "surprising, evocative imagery" to emphasize themes such as the inevitable growth of the Kingdom or the contrast between humble beginnings and glorious consummation ^[5]. For example, the parables of the mustard seed and the leaven (Matthew 13:31-33) use everyday agricultural and domestic scenarios to illustrate the expansive nature of God's Kingdom, starting from seemingly insignificant origins ^[5]. These illustrations are not merely decorative; they are integral to the teaching method, inviting deeper reflection on spiritual truths.

Beyond natural imagery and parables, the Bible also draws upon human constructs and cultural practices. The concept of "pictures" in the Old Testament, for instance, often refers to idolatrous representations, such as sculptured stones or engraved and colored images ^[1]. While modern "moveable pictures" were unknown, the "pictures of silver" mentioned in Proverbs 25:11 likely referred to carved surfaces or cornices ^[1]. Similarly, "teraphim" are identified as images or idols ^[2]. These references to physical representations, even those associated with idolatry, serve to highlight the contrast with the invisible God and the dangers of false worship.

The New Testament also utilizes existing cultural forms to convey theological meaning. The apostle Paul, for example, is believed to have incorporated elements of early Christian hymns into his epistles. Colossians 1:15-20, which presents Jesus as the supreme creator and redeemer, exhibits "exalted conceptions of Christ" and parallelism in language, strongly suggesting it quotes an early Christian hymn ^[10]. This practice of integrating pre-existing poetic or hymnic forms demonstrates how early Christian theology was articulated and propagated using familiar literary structures. The term eikōn ("image, representation") in Colossians 1:15, used to describe Christ as the "visible image" of the invisible God, connects to Old Testament concepts of humanity being made in God's image and to Jewish wisdom literature ^[10].

The use of extrabiblical illustrations is a facet of divine revelation itself. Revelation is understood as "an uncovering, a bringing to light of that which had been previously wholly hidden or only obscurely seen" ^[3]. God has chosen to reveal Himself and His purposes in various ways, which have been committed to writing under the guidance of the Spirit ^[3]. The Scriptures are not merely a record of revelation but are the revelation in written form, ensuring the accurate preservation and propagation of truth ^[3]. This process of revelation often employs analogies and comparisons drawn from the created order and human experience to make the divine comprehensible.

The "testimonies" of God, referring to the Scriptures, are described as "wonderful" due to their divine authorship, the profound truths they contain, and their beneficial impact ^[6]. These testimonies recount "wonderful works of creation," "marvelous events of Providence," and "surprising miracles," all of which serve as illustrations of God's character and actions ^[6]. The very act of God communicating through human language and cultural contexts necessitates the use of such illustrative methods.

Even the limitations of human language and written records are acknowledged in Scripture. John's Gospel concludes by stating that "there are also many other things which Jesus did," referring to numerous miraculous operations not recorded in the Gospels ^[11]. The evangelist suggests that if every single one of these deeds were written down with all their circumstances, "the world itself could not contain the books that should be written" ^[11]. This hyperbole underscores the vastness of Christ's work and the selective nature of biblical accounts, which nonetheless employ rich illustrative language to convey essential truths.

The use of spiritual gifts within the early church, as discussed in 1 Corinthians 12, also serves as an illustration of God's work through human instruments ^[7]. These gifts are presented as "signs of the Spirit's continued efficacious presence in the Church," which is described as "Christ's body" ^[7]. The analogy of the body, with its diverse members and their reciprocal functions, illustrates how individual gifts contribute to the overall perfection of the Church ^[7]. This organic metaphor, drawn from human anatomy, effectively communicates the interconnectedness and unity within the Christian community, despite the diversity of its members and their spiritual endowments.

Sources

Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Picture — In two of the three passages in which "picture" is used in the Authorized Version it denotes idolatrous representations, either independent images or more usually stones "portrayed," i.e. sculptured in low relief, or engraved and colored. (Ezekiel 23:14) Layard, Nin. and Rob. ii. 306, 308. Moveable pictures, in the modern sense, were doubtless unknown to the Jews. The "pictures of silver" of (Proverbs 25:11) were probably well surfaces or cornices with carvings.”
Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Teraphim — images; idols”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Revelation — An uncovering, a bringing to light of that which had been previously wholly hidden or only obscurely seen. God has been pleased in various ways and at different times (Heb. 1:1) to make a supernatural revelation of himself and his purposes and plans, which, under the guidance of his Spirit, has been committed to writing. (See WORD OF [532]GOD.) The Scriptures are not merely the "record" of revelation; they are the revelation itself in a written form, in order to the accurate presevation and propagation of the truth. Revelation and inspiration differ. Rev”
Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Allegory — a figure of speech, which has been defined by Bishop Marsh, in accordance with its etymology as, "a representation of one thing which is intended to excite the representation of another thing." ("A figurative representation containing a meaning other than and in addition to the literal." "A fable or parable; is a short allegory with one definite moral."--Encyc. Brit.) In every allegory there is a twofold sense--the immediate or historic, which is understood from the words, and the ultimate, which is concerned with the things signified by the words. The alle”
Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 13:31: 13:31-33 Jesus used surprising, evocative imagery in these parables, either to emphasize the inevitable growth of the Kingdom through proclamation of the gospel or, more probably, to emphasize the contrast between insignificant beginnings and glorious consummation, and to exhort the disciples to patience (see also 16:24–17:13).”
Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 119:125: PE.--The Seventeenth Part. PE. Thy testimonies are wonderful,.... The Scriptures, which testify of God, his mind and will, are wonderful both with respect to the author of them, the things contained in them, and the use and advantage of them. They give an account of the wonderful works of creation; of their author and matter; of the manner, order, and time of their being wrought: they relate many wonderful events of Providence, both in a way of mercy and judgment; they declare several surprising miracles, wrought by Moses and others, and exhibit many marvellous t”
1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 12 (introduction): THE USE AND THE ABUSE OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS, ESPECIALLY PROPHESYING AND TONGUES. (1Co. 12:1-31) spiritual gifts--the signs of the Spirit's continued efficacious presence in the Church, which is Christ's body, the complement of His incarnation, as the body is the complement of the head. By the love which pervades the whole, the gifts of the several members, forming reciprocal complements to each other, tend to the one object of perfecting the body of Christ. The ordinary and permanent gifts are comprehended together with the extraordin”
Psalms (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Psalms 64:7: The contrast is heightened by representing God as using weapons like theirs.”
Psalms (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Psalms 29 (introduction): Trust in God is encouraged by the celebration of His mighty power as illustrated in His dominion over the natural world, in some of its most terrible and wonderful exhibitions. (Psa 29:1-11) Give--or, "ascribe" (Deu 32:3). mighty--or, "sons of the mighty" (Psa 89:6). Heavenly beings, as angels.”
Colossians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Colossians 1:15: 1:15-20 Paul presents Jesus as the supreme creator (1:15-17) and redeemer (1:18-20). The series of short statements, the exalted conceptions of Christ, and the parallelism in language and thought strongly suggest that these verses quote an early Christian hymn about Jesus that Paul applied to the situation of the Colossian Christians. 1:15 visible image: In the Greek translation of the Old Testament, eikōn (“image, representation”) is used to refer to human beings having been made in the image of God (Gen 1:26-27) and also to the wisdom figure in Jewish writin”
John (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on John 21:25: And there are also many other things which Jesus did,.... Which refer not to his doctrines and discourses, his sermons and prayers, and the conversation he had with his disciples, and others, on different accounts; but to the signs, and wonders, and miraculous operations, which were done by him, that are neither recorded in this, nor in any of the evangelists: the which, if they should be written everyone; with all the particular circumstances relating to them: I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. The Arabic versi”

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