Here’s a problem we all face: we can read the Bible, understand what the author is saying, and totally miss the meaning.
Take Matthew 5, for example. Jesus says:
“If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you… And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you.”
We can understand what He is saying, but if we misunderstand what He means, it could lead us to do some pretty severe things that He was not intending.
In this passage, Jesus is using a literary device to make His point. And we do the same thing every day. We use idioms, exaggeration, metaphors, symbols, and repetition to communicate our point.
For example, if I told you that I’m “under the weather,” you wouldn’t take that literally. You would intuitively understand that I’m not feeling well.
The biblical authors do the same thing. They use literary devices to make their point, and if we miss them, we can misunderstand what they are communicating.
In this article, we’re going to look at six literary devices the biblical authors use and how recognizing them can help us understand Scripture more accurately: idiom, hyperbole, metaphor and imagery, symbolism, repetition, and parallelism.
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Two Questions to Ask When You Study
In my previous teaching on literary genres, we looked at how different books and passages were written in different styles, such as narrative, poetry, prophecy, and letters. Recognizing the primary genre helps us know how to interpret the passage properly.
If you want to review that first, you can read Bible Genres Explained.
Literary devices take us one step further. They help us recognize how the biblical authors use different techniques within the passage to communicate their message and make their point.
So when studying, put on the Lens of Literature and ask two questions:
First, what kind of literature am I reading?
Second, what literary device is the author using in this passage, and how should that shape the way I understand his message?
As we work through each device, we’ll also look at additional biblical examples so you can learn to recognize them in your own Bible study.
1. Idiom
If I say, “Don’t spill the beans,” you know not to take those words literally because you intuitively understand that I mean, “Don’t tell the secret.” That’s a common idiom in American English that doesn’t need an explanation.
But if I invited you to a dinner party and said, “Bring a plate,” you might show up with your own empty plate. If you were my friend Christian in Australia, however, you would know that I mean to bring food to share.
Although you understood the words, you missed the point because I was using an idiom that you were not familiar with.
An idiom is a common expression that is not meant to be taken literally but has a certain meaning that is understood based on common language and culture.
The biblical authors also used idioms.
For example, Proverbs 22:9 says:
“Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.”
A “bountiful eye,” or “good eye,” sounds strange if we read it word for word. It can sound like the verse is talking about good eyesight. But the rest of the verse tells us that this person shares his bread with the poor.
Jesus also uses this expression in Matthew 6:22–23:
“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.”
If you don’t understand the expression, those verses can seem out of place. Just before this, Jesus talks about not storing up treasures on earth, and just after it He says that we cannot serve both God and mammon.
In that context, the “good eye” points to generosity, while the “bad eye” points to stinginess. Recognizing the expression helps us understand not just what Jesus is saying, but what He means.
Right in the middle of His teaching on treasure, He is calling us to be generous with what God has given us.
Another Biblical Example: “The Apple of His Eye”
Deuteronomy 32:10 says that God kept Israel:
“as the apple of His eye.”
The Hebrew word translated “apple” here is אִישׁוֹן (ishon), referring to the pupil of the eye.
The word carries the idea of the “little man of the eye”—the tiny reflection you can see when you look closely into someone’s pupil.
That makes the expression even more vivid. The pupil is small, central, sensitive, and carefully protected. So when the passage says God kept Israel “as the apple of His eye,” it pictures something precious that He guards with great care.
You can explore the Hebrew term further here.
This is a great example of why understanding language and culture can help us see more clearly what the biblical author is communicating.
When you come across an expression in Scripture that sounds unusual when taken word for word, ask:
Is this a common expression, and what did it mean in the language and culture of the biblical author?
Recognizing these expressions can help us move beyond simply reading the words to understanding the author’s intended meaning.
2. Hyperbole
If I tell one of my children, “I’ve told you a million times to hang up your shoes,” they know what I mean. I’ve told them over and over, and I’m getting frustrated.
I’m using hyperbole.
Hyperbole is when we say something in an exaggerated way to make a strong point.
Jesus does this as well.
Let’s return to Matthew 5:29–30:
“If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you… And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you.”
Jesus is not suggesting amputation as a way to deal with sin. He is using extreme language to show how seriously sin must be taken.
It is so serious that we must get rid of it no matter the cost.
Recognizing hyperbole helps us feel the full force of the author’s message without taking the words literally. It is a powerful way to make a very strong point.
Another Biblical Example: John 21:25
At the end of John’s Gospel, he writes:
“And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.”
John is not giving us a literal calculation of how many books the world could hold.
He is using hyperbole to emphasize just how much Jesus did that was not recorded in his Gospel.
The exaggeration makes the point stronger.
Another Example: 2 Chronicles 1:15
Speaking of the wealth of Solomon’s kingdom, 2 Chronicles 1:15 says:
“Also the king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones.”
The writer is emphasizing the enormous abundance of wealth during Solomon’s reign.
When you come across extreme or exaggerated language in Scripture, ask:
Is the author making a literal statement, or using exaggeration to make a strong point?
Recognizing hyperbole helps us understand what the author means, not just what he says.
3. Metaphor and Imagery
I finished seminary last year, and if I told my wife, “That final exam was a nightmare,” she would understand what I meant. The final was hard and stressful.
I’m using a metaphor.
A metaphor describes one thing in terms of another so the comparison helps us understand what the speaker or author means.
Imagery is closely related. Imagery uses descriptive language that creates a picture in your mind and helps communicate the point more clearly.
James uses metaphor and imagery in chapter 3 when he says:
“See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire…”
James is not saying that your tongue is literally made of flames. He is using fire as a vivid picture to communicate his point.
Just as a small flame can spread quickly and cause enormous damage, what we say can also spread quickly and cause enormous damage to people and relationships.
James could have said that plainly, but the metaphor and imagery make the point much more powerful.
Recognizing metaphor helps us ask how the author is using a specific image to communicate his message.
Another Biblical Example: “The LORD Is My Rock”
Psalm 18:2 says:
“The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer…”
David is not saying that God is literally a rock or a fortress.
He is using those images to communicate what God is like.
A rock pictures strength and stability. A fortress pictures safety and protection. Together, those images help communicate David’s confidence in God as the One who protects and delivers him.
Another Biblical Example: “I Am the Good Shepherd”
In John 10:11, Jesus says:
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.”
Again, Jesus is not saying that He is literally a shepherd caring for animals.
He is using the image of a shepherd to communicate His relationship with His people.
A good shepherd cares for the sheep, protects them, leads them, and is willing to give himself for them. Jesus uses that familiar image to help us understand who He is and what He does for His people.
When you come across a metaphor or strong image in Scripture, ask:
What picture is the author creating, and what does that picture help me understand about his message?
Recognizing metaphor and imagery helps us see how the biblical authors communicate truth through pictures, not just statements.
4. Symbolism
Let’s take my wedding ring, for example.
Technically, it is just a round piece of metal wrapped around my finger. But this ring communicates something much more. It shows that I am married, and it symbolizes my marriage covenant.
The biblical authors also use symbols—things that represent a larger reality beyond themselves.
In Revelation 1, John sees seven golden lampstands, and standing among them is One like the Son of Man. He also sees seven stars in His right hand.
Then Jesus explains what they mean:
“The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.”
In this case, we do not have to guess.
The lampstands represent the churches, and the stars represent their angels or messengers.
Recognizing symbolism helps us ask what the symbol represents and how the author is using it to communicate his message.
Another Biblical Example: The Beasts in Daniel and Revelation
We see similar symbolism in books like Daniel and Revelation, where beasts are used to represent kingdoms or rulers.
For example, Daniel 7 describes several beasts rising from the sea. Later in the chapter, the interpretation is given:
“Those great beasts, which are four, are four kings which arise out of the earth.”
The beasts are not simply strange creatures in the vision. They represent political kingdoms and rulers.
This is important because we should first look at the immediate context and ask whether the passage itself explains the symbol. Then we can look at how the same image is used elsewhere in Scripture.
So when you come across symbolism in the Bible, ask:
What does this symbol represent, and what does the context tell me about its meaning?
Recognizing symbolism helps us understand the larger reality the author is communicating and helps us understand deeper biblical truth.
5. Repetition
Next, we have the literary device of repetition.
The other day I looked out my window and saw a bobcat running through my yard. I yelled to my family, “Come here, come here, come here!” so they could also see it.
In that moment, I used repetition for emphasis and to create urgency.
The biblical authors do the same thing. They intentionally repeat words, phrases, or ideas to create emphasis or communicate their main point.
For example, Isaiah 6:3 says:
“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!”
The seraphim say “holy” three times, greatly emphasizing God’s holiness.
The Psalmist also does this in Psalm 136. Verse 1 says:
“Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.”
The whole psalm recounts the great works God has done, and every verse ends with the same line:
“For His mercy endures forever.”
The repetition keeps one truth in front of us throughout the whole psalm. Every act of God is tied back to His mercy.
Another Biblical Example: John 21:15–17
After His resurrection, Jesus asks Peter three times whether he loves Him.
Each time, Peter answers, and each time Jesus gives him a command connected to caring for His sheep.
The repetition makes the moment stand out. Jesus does not ask Peter once and move on. He repeats the question three times, drawing attention to Peter’s response and to the responsibility Jesus is giving him.
When you see a word, phrase, or idea repeated in Scripture, ask:
Why is the author repeating this, and what is he emphasizing?
Repetition is one of the easiest literary devices to recognize, and it can significantly help us understand the main point of a passage.
6. Parallelism
Lastly, let’s look at a very important literary device called parallelism.
While we do not use parallelism as often in everyday speech, there are still familiar examples. When Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon, he said:
“That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
He is making two statements in parallel to make one important point.
Parallelism is when two or more lines work together to develop one idea. This is very common in Hebrew poetry.
For example, Psalm 19:1 says:
“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.”
At first, it can sound like the same thing twice. But the two lines work together.
“Heavens” parallels “firmament.”
“Declare” parallels “shows.”
“The glory of God” parallels “His handiwork.”
Together, they make one important point: creation testifies to God’s glory and His work.
Recognizing parallelism helps us understand Scripture better because instead of interpreting two lines independently, we see how they work together to reinforce, develop, or contrast with each other.
Another Biblical Example: Proverbs 10:1
Proverbs 10:1 says:
“A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is the grief of his mother.”
Here, the two lines work together through contrast.
A wise son brings gladness.
A foolish son brings grief.
The second line helps sharpen the meaning of the first by showing the opposite outcome.
Another Biblical Example: Micah 7:20
Micah 7:20 says:
“You will give truth to Jacob and mercy to Abraham, which You have sworn to our fathers from days of old.”
Here again, the two lines work together.
“Truth” corresponds with “mercy.”
“Jacob” corresponds with “Abraham.”
The ideas reinforce one another and help communicate God’s faithfulness to His covenant promises.
So when you are reading poetry, especially in the Psalms or Proverbs, ask:
How do these lines relate to each other? Do they reinforce, develop, or contrast with one another?
Recognizing parallelism helps us see how multiple lines work together to communicate one important truth.
Bringing It Together
So, those are six different ways the biblical authors use literary devices to communicate the truth in God’s Word.
Idioms are common expressions that take on a different meaning than the literal meaning of their words.
Hyperbole uses exaggeration to dramatically make a point.
Metaphor and imagery show how an author communicates his message through a picture or image.
Symbolism shows us when the author uses one thing to represent a larger reality.
Repetition shows us what the author is emphasizing.
And parallelism shows us how lines work together to make one point.
But remember this:
Recognizing these devices is not the goal. The goal is to understand what truth the author is communicating.
Learning to notice these devices helps move us from simply reading the words to understanding what the author is saying through them.
So when you open your Bible, ask:
What kind of literature am I reading?
And:
What literary device is the author using in this passage, and how should that shape the way I understand his message?
Go Deeper
If you would like to dig deeper, there are a few resources that can help you continue learning how literary devices work throughout Scripture.
One helpful place to start is the Dictionary of Biblical Imagery. It is a reference work for exploring biblical images, symbols, metaphors, and literary patterns in greater detail.
Dictionary of Biblical Imagery
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0830814515
You can also review:
And if you would like a broader framework for studying Scripture, you can get our free Four Lenses guide by signing up for our newsletter.
Watch Next
This teaching goes closely with our teaching on biblical genres.
The Bible Is a Library—Here’s Why That Changes How You Read It
https://youtu.be/wr52xXYD_r8
Leave a Comment
I’d also love to hear from you.
Which of these literary devices helps you the most in your own Bible study?
Leave a comment and let me know. Your answer may also help other believers think more carefully about how they read and study Scripture.
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