--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I would also encourage you to see the…" description: "\"“I would also encourage you to see the text literarily. (Did your brain fill in a different word you were expecting?!) By literarily, I mean that you a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9af/danielle-shroyer-39425_bible_i-would-also-encourage-you-to-see-the-te_2926697.jpg" --- # I would also encourage you to see the text literarily… ![“I would also encourage you to see the text literarily. (Did your brain fill in a different word you were expecting?!) By literarily, I mean that you accept the text as what it is, which is a piece of literature. It is holy, inspired literature, but it is literature nonetheless. Genesis 3 is not…” quote by Danielle Shroyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9af/danielle-shroyer-39425_bible_i-would-also-encourage-you-to-see-the-te_2926697.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9af/danielle-shroyer-39425_bible_i-would-also-encourage-you-to-see-the-te_2926697.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9af/danielle-shroyer-39425_bible_i-would-also-encourage-you-to-see-the-te_2926697.jpg) > ““I would also encourage you to see the text literarily. (Did your brain fill in a different word you were expecting?!) By literarily, I mean that you accept the text as what it is, which is a piece of literature. It is holy, inspired literature, but it is literature nonetheless. Genesis 3 is not journalistic live reporting. It is a story passed down through storytelling from one generation to the next, until at last we had the means of writing the story down to preserve for future generations. It has an audience, and a narrator, and primary characters. Because it’s good literature, it has a crisis, and a climax, and a resolution, too. Rather than asking the text to be the first, sole, or primary spiritual, philosophical, psychological, and sociological statement about humanity, we could choose instead to accept it as what it is: a story from scripture, meant to provoke us in ways that will move us toward God. It can far and away exceed that particular expectation.”” [Danielle Shroyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-shroyer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Treat biblical text as literature with narrative structure, not as literal journalism; it conveys deeper spiritual truths through story. **In simple terms:** Read scripture as story, not news. Key Takeaway Interpret texts as narrative. Themes faith literature interpretation Mood thoughtful analytical Type spiritual educational When to use this quote - study groups - preaching - personal reflection Key Concepts theology narrative theory Questions to Reflect On - How does seeing scripture as story affect belief? - What narrative elements stand out to you? A Different Perspective Literal reading can miss symbolic meaning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Genesis Journalistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genesis-journalistic-4292724/) [Literature Holy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature-holy-1622997/) [Nonetheless Genesis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nonetheless-genesis-4292726/) [Scripture Meant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scripture-meant-1863332/) [Text Literarily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/text-literarily-4292725/) ## Related quotes > [“I shall tell you what I believe. I believe God is a librarian. I believe that literature is holy...it is that best part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-smith/i-shall-tell-you-what-i-believe-i-believe-god-is-a-librarian-i-2/) [Sarah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-smith/) > [“I shall tell you what I believe. I believe God is a librarian. I believe that literature is holy, Mr. Roper, it is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-smith/i-shall-tell-you-what-i-believe-i-believe-god-is-a-librarian-i/) [Sarah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-smith/) > [The narratives of Scripture were not meant to describe our world ... but to change the world, including the one in which we now live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-hauerwas/the-narratives-of-scripture-were-not-meant-to-describe-our-world-but/) [Stanley Hauerwas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-hauerwas/) > [The truth of Scripture is meant not only to be studied-it’s meant also to be sung.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/the-truth-of-scripture-is-meant-not-only-to-be-studied-it-s-meant/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [“The Scripture is meant to bring us joy and relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharlene-simone-alexander/the-scripture-is-meant-to-bring-us-joy-and-relief/) [Sharlene Simone Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharlene-simone-alexander/) > [From an early age, I had the idea that writing was truth-telling. It's on the record. Everybody can see it. Maybe it goes back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/from-an-early-age-i-had-the-idea-that-writing-was-truth-telling-it-s/) [Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/) > [How can I trust that the Bible is reliable?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/how-can-i-trust-that-the-bible-is-reliable/) [Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/) > [O Word of God incarnate . . . It is the golden casket Where gems of truth are stored; It is the heaven-drawn picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walsham-how/o-word-of-god-incarnate-it-is-the-golden-casket-where-gems-of-truth/) [Walsham How](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walsham-how/) > [“The wife of a junior officer cooped up in a horrible canvas partition in steerage for five months wrote: "I had enjoyed much peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-taylor/the-wife-of-a-junior-officer-cooped-up-in-a-horrible-canvas-partition/) [Stephen Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-taylor/) > [“Scripture also teaches that human beings are morally responsible creatures”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-peterson/scripture-also-teaches-that-human-beings-are-morally-responsible/) [Robert A. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-peterson/) > [When you put your hand on the Bible, you are saying something much stronger than just telling your peers that you're going to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/when-you-put-your-hand-on-the-bible-you-are-saying-something-much/) [Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/) > [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/) [Michael Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arnold/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) ## More by Danielle Shroyer > [“Hebrew, there’s a little play on words between the human (“adam”) and the earth (“adamah”). Thanks to God’s breath of life, the human of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-shroyer/hebrew-there-s-a-little-play-on-words-between-the-human-adam-and-the/) [Danielle Shroyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-shroyer/) > [“If we are looking for a biblical view of sin, the best place to start is in Genesis 4, not Genesis 3. Genesis 4:7…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-shroyer/if-we-are-looking-for-a-biblical-view-of-sin-the-best-place-to-start/) [Danielle Shroyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-shroyer/) > [“One of the biggest mistakes we make when reading scripture is that we come to the text demanding something of it. Don’t misunderstand me:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-shroyer/one-of-the-biggest-mistakes-we-make-when-reading-scripture-is-that-we/) [Danielle Shroyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-shroyer/) > [“But God will walk among us not in the confines of the garden, but in the great expanse of the city. Even God doesn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-shroyer/but-god-will-walk-among-us-not-in-the-confines-of-the-garden-but-in/) [Danielle Shroyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-shroyer/) > [“Jesus is Lord” is our most central confession. “I am born with a sin nature” is not.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-shroyer/jesus-is-lord-is-our-most-central-confession-i-am-born-with-a-sin/) [Danielle Shroyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-shroyer/) > [“Consider the possibility that while Genesis 3 is a great text to spark questions, it isn’t trying to answer a good number of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-shroyer/consider-the-possibility-that-while-genesis-3-is-a-great-text-to/) [Danielle Shroyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-shroyer/) > [“you may be surprised to learn the church flourished for four centuries without any concept of original sin at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-shroyer/you-may-be-surprised-to-learn-the-church-flourished-for-four/) [Danielle Shroyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-shroyer/) > [“Jesus himself does not speak of his death this way. Jesus doesn’t say that God is angry, or that he is paying the price…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-shroyer/jesus-himself-does-not-speak-of-his-death-this-way-jesus-doesn-t-say/) [Danielle Shroyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-shroyer/) > [“It’s worth noting, because the text just said the reason there was not yet a garden was because there was no rain and no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-shroyer/it-s-worth-noting-because-the-text-just-said-the-reason-there-was-not/) [Danielle Shroyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-shroyer/) > [“If we imagine creation to be something as simplistic as a utopian happy-go-lucky place where nothing ever will go wrong, we disparage the beauty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-shroyer/if-we-imagine-creation-to-be-something-as-simplistic-as-a-utopian/) [Danielle Shroyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-shroyer/) [Explore all 11 Danielle Shroyer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-shroyer/) ## More Bible quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/) [Michael Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arnold/) > [When you put your hand on the Bible, you are saying something much stronger than just telling your peers that you're going to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/when-you-put-your-hand-on-the-bible-you-are-saying-something-much/) [Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/) > [“Scripture also teaches that human beings are morally responsible creatures”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-peterson/scripture-also-teaches-that-human-beings-are-morally-responsible/) [Robert A. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-peterson/) > [“The wife of a junior officer cooped up in a horrible canvas partition in steerage for five months wrote: "I had enjoyed much peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-taylor/the-wife-of-a-junior-officer-cooped-up-in-a-horrible-canvas-partition/) [Stephen Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-taylor/) > [O Word of God incarnate . . . It is the golden casket Where gems of truth are stored; It is the heaven-drawn picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walsham-how/o-word-of-god-incarnate-it-is-the-golden-casket-where-gems-of-truth/) [Walsham How](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walsham-how/) > [How can I trust that the Bible is reliable?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/how-can-i-trust-that-the-bible-is-reliable/) [Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/) > [Every plant which my heavenly father has not planted with be uprooted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus-christ/every-plant-which-my-heavenly-father-has-not-planted-with-be-uprooted/) [Jesus Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus-christ/) > [Where I come from you're not raised to think on your own. It's not that you're pushed to read the Bible. The Bible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/where-i-come-from-you-re-not-raised-to-think-on-your-own-it-s-not/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [What comes to mind when you think of heaven? 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They came together the first day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/the-definition-of-a-church-is-crystal-clear-in-the-new-testament-we/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) [Browse all 8,465 Bible quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I would also encourage you to see the text literarily. (Did your brain fill in a different word you were expecting?!) By literarily, I mean that you accept the text as what it is, which is a piece of literature. It is holy, inspired literature, but it is literature nonetheless. Genesis 3 is not journalistic live reporting. It is a story passed down through storytelling from one generation to the next, until at last we had the means of writing the story down to preserve for future generations. It has an audience, and a narrator, and primary characters. 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