Eat the Bible
Food, Metaphor, and the Nature of Scripture
Foreword by James K. Dew Jr.
Imprint: Pickwick Publications
People love their metaphors for the Bible. The Bible is a sword, a mirror, a script, a score, a cathedral, a rule book, a user's manual, a lamp, a love letter. But how did metaphor, which in the eighteenth century was seen as a deceptive rhetorical trick, become such a prominent tool for speaking of Scripture? And how does one judge between a good metaphor and a bad one? This book explores the theological use of metaphor to describe the nature and interpretation of Scripture. It interrogates three such models--the Bible as musical score (Anthony Thiselton), the Bible as theo-dramatic script (Kevin Vanhoozer), and the Bible as light (John Feinberg)--seeking to evaluate their faithfulness to Scripture and church tradition, their fittingness to the current culture, and their fruitfulness for understanding and practicing the biblical text. The author then proposes and explores what he considers a better model, one drawn from the Bible itself, namely that of Scripture as food.
Micah E. Chung is adjunct instructor of theology and ethics at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and Leavell College. He also serves as associate English pastor at First Chinese Baptist Church of Atlanta.
“Micah Chung reveals what was previously hidden in plain sight. Once you see it, you cannot unsee it! With exceptional reasoning and clarity, Chung offers a model that is biblical in nature, accessible in understanding, and helpful in practice.”
—Garrett J. Ho, associate professor of leadership formation, Gateway Seminary
“What a delicious gift Micah Chung has given us in Eat the Bible. When reading this book I found myself thinking, ‘That’s obviously right; why have I never seen that before?’ Not only is Eat the Bible a creative book, but it is also an edifying book. I love this book and highly recommend it.”
—Robert B. Stewart, professor of philosophy and theology, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary
“Micah Chung prepares and serves a biblical-theological feast, exploring the neglected metaphor of Scripture as food. Eat the Bible is well written, theologically robust, and biblically grounded. Bon appétit!”
—Adam Harwood, professor of theology, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary
“Micah Chung’s Eat the Bible is a brilliant work that explores the nature of Scripture through one of its central (and most overlooked) metaphors. I anticipate this provoking stimulating conversations about the Bible for years to come.”
—Rhyne R. Putman, vice president of academic affairs, Williams Baptist University