How the Holy Spirit uses Roman slavery to teach spiritual freedom.Pastor-Teacher How the Holy Spirit uses Roman slavery to teach spiritual freedom.“a slave of Christ Jesus” Doulos = “slave.” A metaphor is a figure of speech that describes one thing or experience in terms borrowed from another. Psa 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. 1. There is the topic, the item that is being described by the image to follow. 2. The image, that is, the metaphorical part of the figure of speech. 3. There is the point of similarity, which explains in what particular aspect the image and the topic are similar. Psa 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. What is the topic? The word of God is the topic. What is the image? The image is light. What is the point of similarity? Light makes it possible to see things that would otherwise be hidden. What is the topic? The believer...you are the topic. What is the image? The image is salt. What is the point of similarity? Salt is a preservative. Salt makes you thirsty. Salt provides flavor. It is best to limit the discussion to the one or two things that are clearly implied by the writer - especially when dealing with metaphor in the Bible. What is the point of similarity? Salt is a preservative. Salt makes you thirsty. Salt provides flavor. It is best to limit the discussion to the one or two things that are clearly implied by the writer - especially when dealing with metaphor in the Bible. The parable is meant to illustrate one major point of doctrine, and that point of doctrine is usually either stated directly or easily deduced from the context (situation, audience) where our Lord spoke the parable. There will be one or more features of the image that are intended to be applied to the topic. However, the rest of the features of the image are clearly not meant to be applied to the topic. However, salt is also an inert chemical substance. You are a living being. A good metaphor gives you an “Aha” moment when all of a sudden the full impact of the comparison hits you. You “get it.” God the Holy Spirit uses the metaphor of slavery as the image with points of similarity to believers in their relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. 1. What slavery meant in the three key cultures that Paul operated in, namely Jewish, Greek, and Roman slavery. 2. What the New Testament itself says about slavery. Points of similarity: Points of difference: Slavery is used in a positive sense to depict the Christian way of life, in whole or in part. Christians are called the slaves of God. Christians are called the slaves of Christ Jesus. Most of the time when the New Testament refers to slaves of Christ it is specifically referring to the apostles and leaders. Finally, less often, the New Testament also refers to the believer as the slave of other Christians. |