Grounding Analogies and Examples in Scripture as per Charles Spurgeon
Charles Spurgeon, a prominent Baptist preacher, frequently drew upon biblical imagery and analogies to explain spiritual truths, a practice common among expositors of Scripture. This method grounds theological concepts in concrete, relatable examples found directly within the biblical text. For instance, the concept of a "foundation" is often used metaphorically in Scripture to represent stability and origin [1].
The Bible describes various types of foundations: those for buildings like houses, temples, and towers [1], and even for natural phenomena such as the heavens, the earth, the world, mountains, and the ocean [1, 9]. These foundations are depicted as being made of stone, deeply laid, and strongly constructed, often joined by cornerstones [1]. Spiritually, a well-laid and firm foundation is likened to the righteous person, as seen in Proverbs 10:25, which compares the righteous to an enduring foundation [4]. Similarly, Ephesians 2:20 speaks of believers being "built up upon" the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone [8]. This architectural imagery underscores the stability and divine origin of the church.
Another common biblical analogy is that of agricultural practices. The "ground" can symbolize blessing when productive, or judgment when it yields thorns and thistles, destined for burning [5]. The imagery of "threshing" is also found in Scripture [2]. The prophet Isaiah uses the metaphor of "parched ground" becoming a "pool" and "thirsty land" becoming "springs of water" to illustrate spiritual refreshment and comfort for those who have experienced hardship or thirst for God's grace [10]. John Gill, in his commentary on Isaiah 61:5, interprets the "sons of the alien" becoming "ploughmen" and "vinedressers" as a reference to Gentiles serving in the church, feeding flocks with sound doctrine [7]. Jeremiah 4:3 similarly uses agricultural language, urging the people of Judah and Jerusalem to "break up your fallow ground" [6].
Even daily routines like "early rising" are used as examples in Scripture to illustrate spiritual diligence [3]. Christ himself set an example of early rising, and it is shown to be requisite for devotion, executing God's commands, and discharging daily duties [3]. This demonstrates how even mundane activities can carry spiritual significance when viewed through a biblical lens. The use of such analogies allows for complex theological ideas to be communicated in an accessible and memorable way, rooted in the familiar experiences and observations of the biblical world.
Sources
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Foundation — The lowest part of a building, and on which it rests -- Lu 14:29; Ac 16:26. Figuratively applied to The heavens. -- 2Sa 22:8. The earth. -- Job 38:4; Ps 104:5. The world. -- Ps 18:15; Mt 13:35. The mountains. -- De 32:22. The ocean. -- Ps 104:8. Kingdoms. -- Ex 9:18. Laid for Cities. -- Jos 6:26; 1Ki 16:34. Walls. -- Ezr 4:12; Re 21:14. Houses. -- Lu 6:48. Temples. -- 1Ki 6:37; Ezr 3:10. Towers. -- Lu 14:28,29. Described as Of stone. -- 1Ki 5:17. Deep laid. -- Lu 6:48. Strongly laid. -- Ezr 6:3. Joined together by corner stones. -- Ezr 4:12; 1Pe 2:6; Eph”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Threshing — See [633]AGRICULTURE.”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Early Rising — Christ set an example of -- Mr 1:35; Lu 21:38; Joh 8:2. Requisite for Devotion. -- Ps 5:3; 59:16; 63:1; 88:13; Isa 26:9. Executing God's commands. -- Ge 22:3. Discharge of daily duties. -- Pr 31:15. Neglect of, leads to poverty -- Pr 6:9-11. Practised by the wicked, for Deceit. -- Pr 27:14. Executing plans of evil. -- Mic 2:1. Illustrates spiritual diligence -- Ro 13:11,12. Exemplified Abraham. -- Ge 19:27. Isaac, &c. -- Ge 26:31. Jacob. -- Ge 28:18. Joshua &c. -- Jos 3:1. Gideon. -- Jdj 6:38. Samuel. -- 1Sa 15:12. David. -- 1Sa 17:20. Mary, &c. -- Mr ”
- Proverbs (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Proverbs 10:25: (Compare Psa 1:4; Psa 37:9-10, Psa 37:36). righteous . . . foundation--well laid and firm (Mat 7:24-25).”
- Hebrews (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Hebrews 6:7: 6:7-8 ground: Good, productive land is an image of blessing, contrasted with the curse of unproductive land that bears thorns and thistles. To burn such a field is an image of judgment (2 Sam 23:4-7; Isa 10:17; 33:12; Ezek 19:12-13; Matt 3:10).”
- Jeremiah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Jeremiah 4:3: For thus saith the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem,.... The two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, who were at the time of this prophecy in their own land; and so are distinguished from Israel the ten tribes, who were in captivity; unless the same persons should be meant, who were called by these several names, the people of the Jews; and it was in Judea that our Lord appeared in the flesh, and to the inhabitants thereof he ministered, he was the minister of the circumcision; and so to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, whom he called to repentance, and would have gathe”
- Isaiah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Isaiah 61:5: And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks,.... The several congregated churches of Christ, which shall be set among them, compared to flocks of sheep, as they often are; and which shall be fed with knowledge and understanding, with the words of faith and sound doctrine, by pastors of the Gentile race; who shall be raised up by Christ, and shall freely, and faithfully, and constantly perform the office they are called unto; see Act 20:28, and the sons of the alien shall be your ploughmen, and your vinedressers: the sons of Gentiles, who were aliens from the comm”
- Ephesians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ephesians 2:20: Translate as Greek, "Built up upon," &c. (participle; having been built up upon; omit, therefore, "and are"). Compare Co1 3:11-12. The same image in Eph 3:18, recurs in his address to the Ephesian elders (Act 20:32), and in his Epistle to Timothy at Ephesus (Ti1 3:15; Ti2 2:19), naturally suggested by the splendid architecture of Diana's temple; the glory of the Christian temple is eternal and real, not mere idolatrous gaud. The image of a building is appropriate also to the Jew-Christians; as the temple at Jerusalem was the stronghold of Judaism; a”
- Job (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Job 9:6: The earth is regarded, poetically, as resting on pillars, which tremble in an earthquake (Psa 75:3; Isa 24:20). The literal truth as to the earth is given (Job 26:7).”
- Isaiah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Isaiah 35:7: And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water,.... Such persons who have been like the parched earth, barren and unfruitful, or like the earth scorched with the sun, filled with a sense of divine wrath, and thirsting, like the dry earth, after the grace of God, Christ, and his righteousness, shall be comforted and refreshed, and filled with the grace of God: or such who have been scorched and parched with the heat of persecution, from the antichristian party, and have been thirsting after deliverance from it, shall now enjoy peace a”