The Bible is like a telescope. If a man looks through his…
“The Bible is like a telescope. If a man looks through his telescope, then he sees worlds beyond; but if he looks at his telescope, then he does not see anything but that. The Bible is a thing to be looked through, to see that which is beyond; but most people only look at it; and so they see only the dead letter.”
About This Quote
Source Sermon: The Gospel of the Kingdom, Phillips Brooks, 1900
The Bible should be used as a tool to perceive deeper spiritual truths, not merely examined as a text.
In simple terms: Use the Bible to see beyond its words.
Key Takeaway
Look through, not at, the Bible.
Themes
spirituality
interpretation
faith
Mood
reflective
inspirational
Type
theological
inspirational
When to use this quote
- personal study
- sermon preparation
- teaching
- spiritual counseling
Key Concepts
theology
metaphor
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you apply biblical teachings beyond literal text?
- What deeper truths do you seek?
A Different Perspective
Readers may miss deeper meaning if they focus only on literal reading.