Prodigal Son Distorted by FB Pastor

[Maximilian]

In biblical interpretation a dichotomy is presented between literal meaning and spiritual meaning. Sometimes the reader is exhorted to search for the literal meaning and not the spiritua. We are uncomfortable in this dichotomy; indeed, we think that the term literal does more to confuse than to clarify. Many people use the term literal interpretation to stress that they believe the actual historical details of the Bible, especially the miracles. While certainly affirming the historicity of the BIble and miracles, but many thnk that the literal is too fuzzy. The Bible is full of figures of speech ad symbolic language. The determination of meaning has to take this into account. Such figures and symbols reflect a very nonliteral usage of language. For this reason, many exegetes use the term "literary meaning" -- that is the meaning that the authors have placed in the text. It reflects the type of literature used, the context, the historical background, the grammar, word meanings -- basically everything involved in hermeneutics. This literary meaning does not preempt or replace the spiritual meaning. Because the Bible is basically about God and his relationship with us, this literary meaning will be a spiritual meaning as well.

So the real dichotomy is not literal and spiritual, but between the meaning the authors intended and the meaning a reader drums up and projects into the text.