Two languages of the Bible (not Hebrew and Greek)

First, I believe understanding is the power of a glorified body. In heaven there will be degrees of being. This is clearly stated in the Bible. I believe understanding, true understanding, is what will separate individuals vertically. More than will; more than aspects of emotion (affections, inclination, conscience), I believe understanding is the preeminent thing. Those other things will be there as well, but understanding is what we are. And by 'power' I don't mean any of the negative aspects of power we know in these fallen bodies, in this fallen world. In a glorified world, in glorified bodies power is only positive. So, where do you go for the substance of understanding? Ultimately speaking? You go to the very word of God. And finding a new way, a new language, to get greater understanding from the word of God is a very big thing...

In the past I've said that the Holy Spirit rewards the effort to read the Bible complete, cover-to-cover; and that extra-biblical helps don't really help that much. I.e. outlines, commentaries, summaries, etc. Yet I stated that systematic theology seems to have the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in it. Meaning systematic theology seems to really help to get real understanding of the Bible alongside the actual dedicated reading of the Bible.

I stand by that. Now I add to it...

There is another language other than systematic theology that truly helps to get more understanding from the Bible. It is the language that is the visual language of the Bible. Images, symbols, metaphor, simile, motif/conventions, archetypes.  

Types and anti-types are a similar language but they are really a different thing. Perhaps that is a third language. (And perhaps figures of speech used in the Bible are a fourth language to learn.) But now I am complicating matters. Types and figures are still in the realm of the language of images and symbol and motif and archetype. 

So, two languages. Systematic theology and the visual language of the Bible. 

The source for systematic theology is obvious. If you are Reformed/Calvinist there are any number of great STs to choose from and learn from. Berkhof, Bavinck, Grudem, Frame, a'Brakel, etc., etc. That is not what this post is about.

This post is to recommend a tremendous source to learn the visual language of the Bible. It is titled Dictionary of Biblical Imagery. Published by IVP. General editors are Ryken, Wilhoit, and Longman. 

This is a serious work. It is not slap dash. It will last, or should last, for hundreds of years. It took me awhile after acquiring it to see its value. The entry on 'Order' might be a good one to see the depth of the insights this dictionary provides. I can't paste it here because I only have the hardback. I'm just saying, if you acquire it read the entry on Order. 

The editors make a useful illustration in talking about the right brain/left brain idea. The left side of the brain is more idea oriented, intellectual, concepts, numbers, etc. The right side is more attuned to emotion and visuals and sound. They point out when we read the Bible we are likely to mostly read it with the left brain approach. There is nothing wrong with this. We want to know what the Bible is saying to us. We want to learn biblical doctrine. We want to understand the statements and commands and so forth of the word of God. Yet in that process we let a lot of imagery go by the wayside. 

It's important to say, because I'll be accused by some if I don't, that the imagery of the Bible is not there to change the direct meaning of the doctrine in the Bible. It's not an excuse to make the Bible say whatever one wants it to say. Sort of like the way some use biblical theology as a discipline to get away from the formulas systematic theology presents to us. No, yet the imagery of the Bible can deepen our understanding overall, not only of the basics of the faith but just universal understanding of ourselves, the world, God's Kingdom, and everything else. 

Important paragraph here: this is about language. Language works like this: when we get new language into us we then can see things we couldn't see before. This isn't just words but all languages such as music, or mathematics, or visual art. Even trades like brick laying or commercial fishing can be seen as languages. But words are the most basic. Words in your own spoken language. I use this example: a child walks to school three hundred times and never sees a Ballet School he passes by. Then one day at home he reads a dictionary and learns the word 'ballet.' Next day he walks to school and lo and behold he sees the Ballet School he passed by everyday. He needed the language in him to be able to see the thing. In this case it is something external to him, but it could also be something inside us that we begin to see if we get the language in us to see it. Something like 'resentment.' If we never learn that word and its true meaning we won't see it manifesting in us. Etc.

I have stated the Homeric epics are a complete higher, visual language of inner, spiritual development. That is something academia can't see. It is totally off their radar. It's the kind of language that you just have to download into your being. Just read it. Without preconceived notions or ulterior motives (an ulterior motive like passing a class in college). This is what the Bible means by reading something like a child. That doesn't mean being naive or gullible or never trying to get real understanding of what you're reading; it just means coming to the text purely and taking it in on faith that it is higher than you and of worth. There are not many influences you want to approach like that, but the Bible and the Homeric epics (and J. S. Bach, to give an example from another category of influence) are good examples of ones you should approach like that. 

So this Dictionary of Biblical Imagery is a tremendous source for learning the tremendous language of the visual aspects of the word of God.  It is a big book though. It can be intimidating. I struggled with how to approach it. There are 850 entries in it. 66 of them are entries on every book of the Bible, which is a great gift the editors gave to us. They obviously put out maximum effort in putting this resource together. In the intro they even gave an extensive listing of archetypes in the Bible. Don't miss that. In fact don't neglect to read the Introduction if you acquire this book. It is really mandatory and incredibly helpful in knowing what is going on with the entire project. 

Here is a taste from the Introduction on archetypes: "Archetypes are the universal elements of human experience." "...they fall into three categories...[image or symbol; plot motif; character type]." "Archetypes are a universal language." "...archetypes are the elemental stuff of life." "Such elemental images are primal in the sense of being rooted in essential humanity, independent of civilized trappings and complexity. One effect of reading this dictionary will be to uncover the primal roots of the Bible." 

One interesting thing about images and archetypes, the editors point out, is when you categorize them they fall into good and bad, desirable and undesirable, ideal and unideal groupings. 

A last note: Zondervan has for some reason published a dictionary with the exact same title. I know you can't copyright titles, but this was not a nice thing to do. So avoid the Zondervan book by the same title, and get the real thing.