Metaphors are implied comparisons. For example, Jesus says, “I am the door” (John 10:9). Jesus is not saying He is an actual door with well-oiled hinges. There is an implied comparison here. Faith in Jesus is the way we enter God’s sheepfold. Hmm, another metaphor.

Theriomorphisms, anthropomorphisms, and anthropopathisms are special metaphors. What exactly are they?

Theriomorphisms [therion (animal)morphe (form)] attribute animal forms to God, humans, or the inanimate. John the Baptist compares Jesus to a sacrificial lamb. “Behold, the Lamb of God” (John 1:36). Of course, Jesus is not literally a lamb. Notice how Jesus responds to the warning that Herod wants to kill Him. Watch for the theriomorphism. “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I reach My goal’” (Luke 13:32).

Anthropomorphisms (anthropos [man/human] morphe [form]) attribute human form to God or to the inanimate. “Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy” (Ps. 98:8). “All the trees of the field will clap their hands” (Isa. 55:12). Neither rivers nor trees have hands. In the same way, when the Bible gives physical attributes to God, it uses metaphors, anthropomorphisms. “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time” (1 Pet. 5:6). “God brought you out of there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm” (Deut. 5:15). “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, watching the evil and the good” (Prov. 15:3). “The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and His ears are open to their cry” (Ps. 34:15). To interpret these verses literally is to fall into heresy and believe, with the Mormons, that God has a physical body.

Anthropopathisms (anthropos [man/human] pathos [passion/emotion]) attribute human emotions to inanimate objects or to God. Did you pick up on the anthropopathism in Psalm 98:8? “Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy.” Mountains are inanimate. They do not have human emotions. They do not express joy.

The Bible also ascribes the emotions of human beings to God, the divine being. Genesis 6:6 says, “The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.” The Authorized Version says, “It repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart” (italics added). But 1 Samuel 15:29 is adamant, “He [God] is not a man that He should change His mind [be sorry, repent].” Is there a contradiction here? No! God portrayed as experiencing human sorrow and grief are anthropopathisms; the emotions of human beings are attributed to the divine being. To grasp these metaphors is important for the interpretive process.

How can the divine being experience physical suffering, pain, and death? He must become a human being and take to Himself a fragile human body with all of its fragile parts. How can divinity suffer the emotional trauma and grief of humanity? How can the divine Creator suffer human emotional pain, the distress of rejection, and the anguish and torment of soul resulting from sin and guilt heaped upon Him? How is He able to feel the press of temptation? How does He experience the scoffing, derision, and laughter of His detractors? God must become man! He must take to Himself a fully human soul with all of its fragile, human emotional lia-bilities. If you understand the special metaphors, anthropomorphisms, and anthropopathisms, you will better appreciate the incarnation of Jesus Christ, your Savior.