The word Metaphors is “a figure of speech that describes an object or action in a way that isn’t literally true, but helps explain an idea or make a comparison. Here are the basics:
- A metaphor states that one thing is another thing
- It equates those two things not because they actually are the same, but for the sake of comparison or symbolism
- If you take a metaphor literally, it will probably sound very strange (are there actually any sheep, black or otherwise, in your family?)
- Metaphors are used in poetry, literature, and anytime someone wants to add some color to their language.[1]
I guess we can understand current metaphors; we are surrounded by them. However, if we are not aware of the culture of the Biblical days we can get lost in metaphors because we can’t relate to them… at all. The Scripture encourages us to “study” (2 Timothy 2:15). This reality brings me to a place of humility and personal searching. How many things have I interpreted in the Bible through my Puertorrican eyes? How many things am I missing by doing so?
No doubt that we have become lazy in our interpretations of Scripture; I know I have! This laziness is dangerous because, as believers, we are trusting God’s Word with our own lives. How many of us have been misguided? How many people have we misguided?
I am currently taking a class entitle The Unseen Realm; what a blessing! Dr. Heiser challenges us to work harder; to dig deeper and to see things, in my case, beyond my Puertorrican eyes and from the prospective of the original writers… from the prospective of God. That involves looking at a culture, a language, and a grammar I don’t understand… again… it brings me to a place of great humility. Help me Holy Ghost!
[1] https://www.grammarly.com/blog/metaphor/
An independent thinker with a profound call to see the orthodoxy of the church and passion for Christ manifesting together. Angel was born in Brooklyn, New York in April of 1968, he was raised on the beautiful island of Puerto Rico where he earned his B.S. degree in Sociology with a minor in Education from the Inter American University in San Germán in 1991. That same year he moved to Jacksonville, Florida. After working construction jobs for a year and learning the English language, his first job working with foster-care children in the capacity of youth care worker was with Jacksonville Youth Sanctuary in September of 1992. With JYS he was promoted several times as group home supervisor, legal caseworker, and program director.
While in Jacksonville, Angel studied a couple of martial arts styles. After earning his black belt, he became the founder of Good Fight Ministries as he used martial arts as an instrument to preach the gospel. In 2004 Angel was selected Martial Arts Instructor of the Year for the State of Florida and in 2005 Angel was inducted in the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame where he also received the Christian Spirit Award. In July of 2005 Angel accepted his call to pastor a bilingual church in Winton, NC where he served for a couple of years. Five months later he lost his first wife to cancer in December of that same year. This initiated a deep valley of suffering in his life, a mountain of costly mistakes and the embracing of lifestyles of sin that are well documented through this blog.
In August of 2012 Angel moved to Fairbanks Alaska with his wife Rayette Casiano and six children who are now adults. In Alaska, Angel continued his social work-related career and his ministry of preaching, teaching and writing. Angel is the author of two books, Hope for the divorcee: Forgiving and Moving Forward and 7 Banderas de Esperanza: La Bendición de Yokdzonot.
In January 8th of 2020 Angel and his wife moved to Arizona. On June 8th 2021 Angel started his home church, not as a starting point, but as a closer way to how the church is suppose to look like according to Scripture.
angelcasiano.com 