Using Cultural Symbols to Illustrate Biblical Principles
The Bible frequently employs cultural symbols and everyday phenomena to illustrate profound spiritual truths, a practice evident in both the Old and New Testaments. This method of communication, often through parables, comparisons, and similitudes, helps to make abstract concepts more accessible [4].
One prominent example is the use of "ensigns" or "standards." In ancient cultures, these were not merely military banners but often carried significant religious and symbolic weight. Assyrian standards, for instance, were emblematic of their religion, depicting animals, deities, or symbols of power and wisdom [3]. Similarly, Egyptian standards featured sacred emblems, gods in animal form, or royal imagery [3]. In the biblical context, Hebrew terms like nes, degel, and oth refer to different types of signals or standards. A nes was a lofty signal, like a pole on a mountain, used to gather people or warn of an enemy [1, 2]. A degel was a military standard for a large division, while an oth was for a smaller group [1]. The prophet Jeremiah, for example, calls for setting up a "standard" to declare Babylon's fall, indicating its public and declarative function [5]. These physical objects, visible and recognized within their cultural context, served as powerful metaphors for God's call, warning, or victory.
Another significant symbolic representation is marriage, which the Bible consistently uses to depict the covenant relationship between God and his people [11, 12]. This imagery underscores the intimacy, commitment, and faithfulness expected within this divine-human bond. Consequently, spiritual unfaithfulness or idolatry is often symbolized as adultery [11, 12].
The concept of sin itself is illustrated through various cultural and natural observations. While all humans are born with a sinful nature [6], the Bible distinguishes between different manifestations of sin. "Vanity" can refer to all sorts of sinful acts [7], and deliberate sins are often characterized by an insolent or arrogant attitude, signifying rebellion [10]. The idea that "he that committeth sin is of the devil" highlights the origin and nature of sin, though it is clarified that the devil does not "beget" children in the same way God does, but rather those who imitate him become his children [8]. The first sin of Adam and Eve, for instance, is described not merely as eating forbidden fruit but as a profound act of self-love, dishonor to God, and disobedience [9].
Even the Holy Spirit's descent at Pentecost is described using symbolic language: "cloven tongues like as of fire" [13]. The tongues symbolized the diverse languages the apostles would speak, the "cloven" aspect pointed to this diversity, and the "fire" intimated a spiritual gift bringing light and life [13]. This use of tangible, culturally resonant imagery allowed complex spiritual realities to be grasped by the audience.
Sources
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Ensign — (nes ; in the Authorized Version generally "ensign," sometimes "standard;" degel, "standard," with the exception of (Song of Solomon 2:4) "banner;" oth, "ensign"). This distinction between these three Hebrew terms is sufficiently marked by their respective uses. Nes is a signal, and not a military standard. It is an occasional signal, which was exhibited on the top of a pole from a bare mountain-top, (Isaiah 13:2; 18:3) degel a military standard for a large division of an army; and oth the same for a small one. Neither of them, however, expresses the idea whi”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Ensign — (1.) Heb. oth, a military standard, especially of a single tribe (Num. 2:2). Each separate tribe had its own "sign" or "ensign." (2.) Heb. nes, a lofty signal, as a column or high pole (Num. 21:8, 9); a standard or signal or flag placed on high mountains to point out to the people a place of rendezvous on the irruption of an enemy (Isa. 5:26; 11:12; 18:3; 62:10; Jer. 4:6, 21; Ps. 60:4). This was an occasional signal, and not a military standard. Elevation and conspicuity are implied in the word. (3.) The Hebrew word degel denotes the standard given to each o”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Standards — The Assyrian standards were emblematic of their religion, and were therefore the more valuable as instruments for leading and guiding men in the army. The forms were imitations of animals (1), emblems of deities (2), and symbols of power and wisdom (3). Many of them were crude, but others were highly artistic and of great cost. The Egyptian standards were designed in the same idea as those of the Romans, exhibiting some sacred emblem (5,6,8), or a god in the form of an animal (3,4), a group of victory (7), or the king's name or his portrait as (1), of lowe”
- 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”
- Jeremiah “Declare among the nations and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and don’t conceal: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is disappointed, Merodach is dismayed; her images are disappointed, her idols are dismayed. -- Jeremiah 50:2”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 58:3: 58:3 All human beings are born sinners (see 51:5); however, whereas the wicked indulge their sinful nature, the godly fight against it (Rom 7:19-23; Jas 4:1-10).”
- Proverbs (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Proverbs 30:8: vanity--all sorts of sinful acts (Job 11:11; Isa 5:18).”
- 1 John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 John 3:8: He that committeth sin is of the devil--in contrast to "He that doeth righteousness," Jo1 3:7. He is a son of the devil (Jo1 3:10; Joh 8:44). John does not, however, say, "born of the devil." as he does "born of God," for "the devil begets none, nor does he create any; but whoever imitates the devil becomes a child of the devil by imitating him, not by proper birth" [AUGUSTINE, Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John, Homily 4.10]. From the devil there is not generation, but corruption [BENGEL]. sinneth from the beginning--from the time that any beg”
- Genesis (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Genesis 3:13: beguiled--cajoled by flattering lies. This sin of the first pair was heinous and aggravated--it was not simply eating an apple, but a love of self, dishonor to God, ingratitude to a benefactor, disobedience to the best of Masters--a preference of the creature to the Creator.”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 19:13: 19:13 An individual who commits deliberate sins does so with an insolent (86:14) or arrogant (119:21, 69) attitude. • The great sin is rebellion (see 32:1).”
- Ezek (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ezek 23:4: 23:4 Marriage is commonly used in the Bible as a symbol for the covenant relationship between God and his people (e.g., Isa 54:1-8; Eph 5:22-33). Adultery symbolizes Israel’s spiritual unfaithfulness (e.g., Hos 1–3). God makes his covenants in spite of, not because of, his people’s character (Rom 5:6-11).”
- Ezekiel (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ezekiel 23:4: 23:4 Marriage is commonly used in the Bible as a symbol for the covenant relationship between God and his people (e.g., Isa 54:1-8; Eph 5:22-33). Adultery symbolizes Israel’s spiritual unfaithfulness (e.g., Hos 1–3). God makes his covenants in spite of, not because of, his people’s character (Rom 5:6-11).”
- Acts (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Acts 2:3: Cloven tongues like as of fire - The tongues were the emblem of the languages they were to speak. The cloven tongues pointed out the diversity of those languages; and the fire seemed to intimate that the whole would be a spiritual gift, and be the means of bringing light and life to the souls who should hear them preach the everlasting Gospel in those languages. Sat upon each of them - Scintillations, coruscations, or flashes of fire, were probably at first frequent through every part of the room where they were sitting; at last these flashes became defined, and a lamb”