TYPES OF TRUTH IN THE BIBLE
Moral Truth
tells us what is right and wrong;
depending on interpretation, some
truths change with time.
e.g. The 10 Commandments
(Exodus 20, Deuteronomy 5), The
Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5 and
Luke 6)
Historical Truth
there is historical truth in the Bible (i.e. historical
events also recorded elsewhere), but also some
changes to support specific viewpoints.
(e.g. mountain vs. flat land)
Note: the Jewish people were not overly concerned
with recording factual events; rather the focus is on
the relationships between people and God
e.g. Gospels and Acts, Old Testament Historical
books (Chronicles as an example)
Scientific Truth
Scientific information from the time
the Bible was written is included,
however there is very little of this
(consider the aim of the Bible).
God reveals knowledge to people
(some scientific references in the
Bible were ahead of their time)
Many important scientific truths were revealed in the Bible thousands of years
before they were discovered by modern scientists.
1. Earth is a sphere suspended in space. Isaiah 40:22, Job 26:7
2. The water cycle keeps the land watered. Job 36:27, 28, Ecclesiastes 1:7, Amos
5.8
3. The universe is running down. Isaiah 51:6, Psalm 102:26
4. Ocean Currents flow thru the sea. Psalm 8:8
5. Blood sustains life. Leviticus 17:11
6. The stars are incredibly distant from the earth and cannot be numbered. Job
22:12, Genesis 15:5, Jeremiah 33:22
7. The winds form a circulating system. Ecclesiastes 1:6
8. Earth rotates on its axis. Job 38:12, 14
9. Man’s body is composed of the same materials as the earth. Genesis 2:7, 3:19,
Psalm 103:14*
Symbolic Truth
Much of the truth in the Bible is told through myth and
symbol; we “read between the lines” to interpret these.
e.g. “First Sin and Punishment” (Genesis 3), Revelation
Jesus’ teaching was full of symbolism. He presented
Himself as a Shepherd, a Sower, a Bridegroom, a Door, a
Cornerstone, a Vine, Light, Bread, and Water. He likened
the kingdom of heaven to a wedding feast, a seed, a tree, a
field, a net, a pearl, and yeast. There are dozens, if not
hundreds, of other symbols in the Bible.
Proverbial Truth
sayings that are practical and often
repeated; they teach us to view life
in a certain way.
e.g. Proverbs: Find an example of
this in the book of Proverbs
(explain what it is teaching!)
***Religious Truth
(never errors in Religious truth)
Truth which describes our relationship
with God and one another; faith and
scripture is at the heart of this.
E.g. 1 Corinthians 12 (One Body, Many
Members), Genesis creation stories,
parables
JOURNAL ENTRY:
In your journal, write a short paragraph with an example
from the Bible of each of the 6 types of truth. You may
use the examples in your notes or find your own.
For each, state the passage/story that is referenced, the
type of truth (and how you know it is that type of
truth), and what the scripture is telling us .