---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Charles Spurgeon was once asked, “How do…"
description: "\"“Charles Spurgeon was once asked, “How do you defend the Bible?” “Very easy” he responded. “The same way I defend a lion. I simply let it out of its ca..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99e/duke-taber-57131_bible_charles-spurgeon-was-once-asked-how-do-y_304432.jpg"
---

#  Charles Spurgeon was once asked, “How do you defend the…

![“Charles Spurgeon was once asked, “How do you defend the Bible?” “Very easy” he responded. “The same way I defend a lion. I simply let it out of its cage.” – Charles Haddon Spurgeon” quote by Duke Taber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99e/duke-taber-57131_bible_charles-spurgeon-was-once-asked-how-do-y_304432.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99e/duke-taber-57131_bible_charles-spurgeon-was-once-asked-how-do-y_304432.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99e/duke-taber-57131_bible_charles-spurgeon-was-once-asked-how-do-y_304432.jpg)

> ““Charles Spurgeon was once asked, “How do you defend the Bible?” “Very easy” he responded. “The same way I defend a lion. I simply let it out of its cage.” – Charles Haddon Spurgeon””

[Duke Taber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duke-taber/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He uses a vivid metaphor, comparing defending the Bible to releasing a lion from its cage.

**In simple terms:** Defend the Bible like releasing a lion.

Key Takeaway

Stand firm in faith with confidence.

Themes

faith religion defense metaphor

Mood

inspirational didactic

Type

religious philosophical

When to use this quote

- church preaching
- apologetics
- public debates

Key Concepts

biblical authority spiritual courage

Questions to Reflect On

- How does this image inspire belief?
- What are limits of such analogies?

A Different Perspective

Metaphors may oversimplify complex doctrines.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Asked Defend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asked-defend-2901966/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charles-spurgeon/) [Defend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defend/) [Defend Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defend-bible-387239/) [Defend Lion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defend-lion-2882297/) [Spurgeon Asked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spurgeon-asked-2901965/)

## Related quotes

> [Defend the Bible? I would as soon defend a lion! Unchain it and it will defend itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/defend-the-bible-i-would-as-soon-defend-a-lion-unchain-it-and-it-will/)

[Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/)

> [Defend the Bible? I'd sooner defend a lion. You don't defend the Bible; you open its cage and let it roar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/defend-the-bible-i-d-sooner-defend-a-lion-you-don-t-defend-the-bible/)

[Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/)

> [It is literally my job to support and defend the President, so it is odd to me that I am being asked to defend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-grisham/it-is-literally-my-job-to-support-and-defend-the-president-so-it-is/)

[Stephanie Grisham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-grisham/)

> [The Word of God is like a lion. You don't have to defend a lion. All you have to do is let the lion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/the-word-of-god-is-like-a-lion-you-don-t-have-to-defend-a-lion-all/)

[Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/)

> [What we really need, after all, is not to defend the Bible but to understand it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millar-burrows/what-we-really-need-after-all-is-not-to-defend-the-bible-but-to/)

[Millar Burrows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millar-burrows/)

> [There's no better book with which to defend the Bible than the Bible itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/there-s-no-better-book-with-which-to-defend-the-bible-than-the-bible/)

[Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/)

> [“The matter is quite simple. The bible is very easy to understand. But we Christians are a bunch of scheming swindlers. We pretend to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/the-matter-is-quite-simple-the-bible-is-very-easy-to-understand-but/)

[Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/)

> [It's essential that we learn how to defend the Bible and the Christian faith for our sake and our children's. If we don't, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-ham/it-s-essential-that-we-learn-how-to-defend-the-bible-and-the/)

[Ken Ham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-ham/)

> [This appears at the bottom of my friends web posts: \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ A man once approached the great preacher Charles Spurgeon with a question. Theres…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/this-appears-at-the-bottom-of-my-friends-web-posts-a-man-once/)

[Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/)

> [“Further, the Law is not given as a means to salvation; to the contrary, part of its purpose is to show people just how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-limbaugh/further-the-law-is-not-given-as-a-means-to-salvation-to-the-contrary/)

[David Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-limbaugh/)

> [The nearer a man lives to God, the more intensely has he to mourn over his own evil heart." -Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/the-nearer-a-man-lives-to-god-the-more-intensely-has-he-to-mourn-over/)

[Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/)

> [“The fear of God is the death of every other fear; like a mighty lion, it chases all other fears before it.” —Charles Spurgeon”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/the-fear-of-god-is-the-death-of-every-other-fear-like-a-mighty-lion/)

[Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/)

> [“The bow cannot be always bent without fear of breaking. Repose is as needful to the mind as sleep to the body. . . . Rest time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-sleeth/the-bow-cannot-be-always-bent-without-fear-of-breaking-repose-is-as/)

[Matthew Sleeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-sleeth/)

> [“A young woman asked the great preacher Charles Spurgeon if it was possible to reconcile God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility. “Young woman,” said he.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/a-young-woman-asked-the-great-preacher-charles-spurgeon-if-it-was/)

[Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/)

> [“It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness.  Charles H. Spurgeon”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deena-b-chopra/it-is-not-how-much-we-have-but-how-much-we-enjoy-that-makes-happiness/)

[Deena B. Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deena-b-chopra/)

## More by Duke Taber

> [“I wonder if people who asked for God to intervene in our world, really know what they are asking. Will they want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duke-taber/i-wonder-if-people-who-asked-for-god-to-intervene-in-our-world-really-2/)

[Duke Taber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duke-taber/)

> [“Leave the broken, irreversible past in God’s hands, and step out into the invincible future with Him. – Oswald Chambers”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duke-taber/leave-the-broken-irreversible-past-in-god-s-hands-and-step-out-into-2/)

[Duke Taber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duke-taber/)

> [“Men are God’s method. The church is looking for better methods; God is looking for better men. What the church needs today is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duke-taber/men-are-god-s-method-the-church-is-looking-for-better-methods-god-is/)

[Duke Taber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duke-taber/)

> [“Worship is giving God the best that He has given you. Be careful what you do with the best you have. Whenever you get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duke-taber/worship-is-giving-god-the-best-that-he-has-given-you-be-careful-what/)

[Duke Taber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duke-taber/)

> [“The only right a Christian has is the right to give up his rights. – Oswald Chambers”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duke-taber/the-only-right-a-christian-has-is-the-right-to-give-up-his-rights/)

[Duke Taber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duke-taber/)

[Explore all 6 Duke Taber quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duke-taber/)

## 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? Heaven is referred to in fifty-four of the Bible's sixty-six books, and the final two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/what-comes-to-mind-when-you-think-of-heaven-heaven-is-referred-to-in/)

[David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/)

> [“While it is in one sense a result of God’s presence within us, the New Testament also describes a process involved in our “putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/while-it-is-in-one-sense-a-result-of-god-s-presence-within-us-the-new/)

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

> [The definition of a Church is crystal clear in the New Testament. We see the picture of it. 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": "“Charles Spurgeon was once asked, “How do you defend the Bible?” “Very easy” he responded. “The same way I defend a lion. I simply let it out of its cage.” – Charles Haddon Spurgeon”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Duke Taber"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duke-taber/charles-spurgeon-was-once-asked-how-do-you-defend-the-bible-very-easy/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Bible"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duke-taber/charles-spurgeon-was-once-asked-how-do-you-defend-the-bible-very-easy/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99e/duke-taber-57131_bible_charles-spurgeon-was-once-asked-how-do-y_304432.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99e/duke-taber-57131_bible_charles-spurgeon-was-once-asked-how-do-y_304432.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99e/duke-taber-57131_bible_charles-spurgeon-was-once-asked-how-do-y_304432.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Charles Spurgeon was once asked, “How do you defend the Bible?” “Very easy” he responded. “The same way I…” — Duke Taber",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Duke Taber",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duke-taber/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Charles Spurgeon was once asked, “How...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duke-taber/charles-spurgeon-was-once-asked-how-do-you-defend-the-bible-very-easy/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duke-taber/charles-spurgeon-was-once-asked-how-do-you-defend-the-bible-very-easy/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
