Preventing Allegorism in Biblical Interpretation through Analogies
Allegory is a figure of speech where a representation of one thing is intended to excite the representation of another, carrying both an immediate, historic sense and an ultimate, signified sense [1]. The apostle Paul uses the term in Galatians 4:24, referring to the history of Isaac and Ishmael as an allegory [3, 6]. In this passage, Paul allegorizes the accounts of Sarah and Hagar, the bondwoman and the free, and their offspring, to illustrate a spiritual truth [6].
While allegory can be a legitimate interpretive tool, as seen in Paul's usage, an overreliance on allegorical interpretation can lead to "useless speculations" rather than a focus on God's plan by faith, as warned in 1 Timothy 1:4 [4]. The Antiochene school of interpretation, represented by figures like John Chrysostom, sought to avoid the errors of excessive allegorizing that were prevalent in the Ante-Nicene period [8]. Chrysostom's approach to exegesis, while sometimes limited by his reliance on the Septuagint for Old Testament texts, generally aimed to avoid the pitfalls of allegorical and dogmatic tendencies [7, 8].
A key distinction often made is between allegory and parable. A parable is a comparison or similitude, an illustration of one subject by another [2]. Parables typically express an analogy between a common aspect of life and a spiritual truth [5]. To properly understand a parable, interpreters should identify the central analogy and understand it within its historical and textual context [5]. Speculative allegorical meanings that were not originally intended should not be sought in every detail of a parable [5]. For example, the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:3-9) addresses the varied responses to Jesus' message, and its interpretation focuses on the central analogy of different types of soil representing different receptivities to the word [5].
The danger of allegorism lies in imposing meanings onto a text that were not intended by the original author, moving beyond the text's plain sense to find hidden or esoteric meanings [1]. While some biblical narratives, like Nathan's address to David (2 Samuel 12:1-4) or the description of old age in Ecclesiastes 12:2-6, contain allegorical elements [3], the primary goal of sound interpretation is to discern the author's intended message through careful attention to context and literary form.
Sources
- 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”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Parable — (The word parable is in Greek parable (parabole) which signifies placing beside or together, a comparison, a parable is therefore literally a placing beside, a comparison, a similitude, an illustration of one subject by another.--McClintock and Strong. As used in the New Testament it had a very wide application, being applied sometimes to the shortest proverbs, (1 Samuel 10:12; 24:13; 2 Chronicles 7:20) sometimes to dark prophetic utterances, (Numbers 23:7,18; 24:3; Ezekiel 20:49) sometimes to enigmatic maxims, (Psalms 78:2; Proverbs 1:6) or metaphors expand”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Allegory — Used only in Gal. 4:24, where the apostle refers to the history of Isaac the free-born, and Ishmael the slave-born, and makes use of it allegorically. Every parable is an allegory. Nathan (2 Sam. 12:1-4) addresses David in an allegorical narrative. In the eightieth Psalm there is a beautiful allegory: "Thou broughtest a vine out of Egypt," etc. In Eccl. 12:2-6, there is a striking allegorical description of old age.”
- I Timothy “I Timothy 1:4 (LEB) — and not to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which cause useless speculations rather than God’s plan that is by faith.”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 13:3: 13:3-9 This parable (interpreted in 13:18-23) addresses the mostly negative responses of the Jewish nation to Jesus and his message. • Parables (Greek parabolē) are stories that usually express an analogy between a common aspect of life and a spiritual truth. To understand a parable, it is necessary to locate the central analogy and understand it in its historical context and in the context of the Gospel text; then the central message can be understood. Speculative allegorical meanings that were not intended should not be found in every element of a parable.”
- Galatians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Galatians 4:23: Which things are an allegory,.... Or "are allegorized": so Sarah and Hagar were allegorized by Philo the Jew (p), before they were by the apostle. Sarah he makes to signify virtue, and Hagar the whole circle of arts and sciences, which are, or should be, an handmaid to virtue; but these things respecting Hagar and Sarah, the bondwoman and the free, and their several offspring, are much better allegorized by the apostle here. An allegory is a way of speaking in which one thing is expressed by another, and is a continued metaphor; and the apostle's meaning is, that t”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Matthew: Owing to his ignorance of Hebrew, Chrysostom was not properly equipped for the work of expounding the Old Testament. He treats the LXX. as though it were of final authority, save in a few instances where the variations of other Greek versions have occasioned discussion. Frequently he makes use of verbal suggestions of the Greek that have no warrant in the Hebrew text. Yet, where he is not thus misled, his comments on the Old Testament present the same characteristics as those on the New. The most marked peculiarity of Chrysostom as an exegete is his compar”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Matthew: I. The Place of Chrysostom in the History of Exegesis. The position held by Chrysostom in the history of exegesis is remarkable. Owing to a peculiar combination of circumstances he, more than any of the Fathers, was enabled to avoid the errors alike of the allegorizing and dogmatic tendencies. The former tendency was the prevalent one in the Christian Church in the Ante-Nicene period; the latter, especially in the West, became dominant during the Post-Nicene period, using for its own ends the earlier erroneous theory. Chrysostom represents the Antiochian r”