What does it really mean to take the Bible seriously? Today, many say, “I take the Bible seriously, but not literally,” as if the two cannot coexist. Yet Jesus and the Apostles approached Scripture with deep reverence, treating its words as clear, trustworthy, and authoritative. They recognized genre and context, but never reduced God’s Word to vague symbolism. In this post, we’ll look at how Jesus interpreted Scripture—and why His example challenges the modern “seriously but not literally” mindset.
Why Taking the Bible Literally Still Matters
As we will see, Jesus and the Apostles treated Scripture as literal, trustworthy, and authoritative. The idea that the Bible should be read primarily as allegory didn’t become popular until much later—around A.D. 250, through the influence of a teacher named Origen of Alexandria.
Origen was a gifted writer and a bold evangelist. He suffered intense persecution and ultimately died for his faith. His courage is inspiring. Unfortunately, he also introduced several unbiblical ideas that flowed from his unconventional approach to Scripture. Instead of affirming the Apostolic teaching that the Bible is the infallible Word of God, Origen argued that Scripture was merely the “husk” hiding a deeper “kernel” of truth. In practice, this meant replacing the plain meaning of biblical passages with hidden, allegorical interpretations.
Once this method spread, it opened the door to a tremendous amount of confusion and division, which affects the church still feels today. If the Church is to function as God intends, we must rediscover the foundational, literal truth of Scripture.
The Bible’s Character: Revelation, Not Mystery
To understand Scripture correctly, we first need to understand what the Bible says about itself. The Bible calls itself a revelation—something unveiled and made clear for all to see. God did not give His Word to conceal the truth but to reveal it.
Scripture is written in straightforward language for ordinary people (Matthew 11:25; 13:19–23; 2 Corinthians 4:1–6; 2 Timothy 3:16–17). Roughly 80% of the Bible consists of history, promises, and practical instruction. The remaining 20% contains prophecy.
This doesn’t mean there are no figures of speech in the Bible. Of course there are, but two truths help guide us:
- When figurative language is used, it is obvious.
- Every figure of speech points to a literal truth.
For example, when Jesus said He was the “vine” (John 15:1), He wasn’t saying He had leaves or grapes growing out of His arms! Instead, He was illustrating the literal truth that our life and strength come from Him, just as branches draw life from a vine.
How Jesus and the Apostles Treated Scripture
Whenever Jesus, the Apostles, or any New Testament writer quoted the Old Testament, they treated it as literal, historical truth.
Consider the creation account. Jesus and Paul both affirmed that Adam and Eve were real people (Matthew 19:4; 1 Timothy 2:14–15). Paul’s entire teaching on original sin in Romans 5 depends on the reality of a literal Fall. Scripture even gives a general geographic description of Eden—near the Pishon, Gihon, Tigris, and Euphrates rivers (Genesis 2:10–14), placing it near modern Iraq or northern Syria.
This is only one example of many. The New Testament consistently treats major Old Testament events as real history, referencing them as factual examples for faith and instruction. It speaks of Cain and Abel (Hebrews 11:4; 12:24; 1 John 3:12), Noah’s Flood (Matthew 24:37–39; Luke 17:26–27; Hebrews 11:7; 1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 2:5; 3:5–6), and the call of Abraham (Acts 7:2–4; Romans 4:1–22; Galatians 3:6–18; Hebrews 11:8–12) as literal episodes grounding theological truths.
Jesus and the apostles also affirm the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Luke 17:28–30; Romans 9:29; 2 Peter 2:6; Jude 7) and the Exodus (Luke 9:30–31; Acts 7:17–36; 1 Corinthians 10:1–11; Hebrews 3:7–19; 11:23–29) as genuine historical acts of God. Even the accounts skeptics most often question—Jonah and the great fish (Matthew 12:39–41; 16:4; Luke 11:29–32) and Daniel in the lions’ den (Hebrews 11:33), are treated by the New Testament writers as true events that reveal God’s power.
Literal Prophecy, Literal Fulfillment
One of the strongest arguments for the Bible’s literal truth is the way its prophecies are fulfilled with precise accuracy. While prophetic passages sometimes use symbolic imagery, the events they describe are literal.
Here are just a few examples:
- The Flood — Foretold in Genesis 6:3; fulfilled in Genesis 7:10.
- Joshua and Caleb entering Canaan — Promised in Numbers 14:24, 30; fulfilled in Joshua 3 and 14.
- The destruction of the Temple — Predicted in 1 Kings 9, 2 Chronicles 7, and Jeremiah 7; fulfilled in 2 Kings 25.
- The fall of Jericho — Predicted in Joshua 6:1–5; fulfilled in Joshua 6:20.
- The destruction of Tyre — Prophesied in Ezekiel 26 and fulfilled through Nebuchadnezzar and later Alexander the Great. To this day, fishermen lay their nets in that area exactly as Ezekiel described.
These examples—and many more—show that God means what He says. He communicates clearly and keeps His promises down to the smallest detail. He is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33). He wants us to know Him, understand His Word, and live in relationship with Him.
A Clear Message with an Eternal Purpose
Ultimately, the Bible reveals the heart of God, what pleases Him, how we should live, and how we are to worship and follow Him. Most of all, Scripture reveals Jesus Christ, the One who makes a relationship with God possible.
If you’ve never surrendered your life to Him, know this: He is knocking at the door of your heart right now. He loves you deeply and desires to bring you into His family forever.
Why not respond to Him today?
Take Your Next Step Today
If this message spoke to you, don’t let it end here.
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Keep It Real,
James
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