The Metaphor In The Book Of Timothy, Paul

In the books of Timothy, Paul used several metaphors. Just so that we can get a clear grasp on what we are talking about, let’s get a dictionary out and take a look at the definition. Merriam-Webster says that a metaphor is “a figure of speech in which a word or phrase literally denoting one kind of object or idea is used in place of another to suggest a likeness...” As we can see, the words that Paul uses are used in place of another to suggest a likeness with the Christian life. Three of the metaphors are soldier, athlete, and farmer. As we take a look at each of these metaphors we will look at what the people of Paul’s day would looked at to make the reference real in their life. We will also look at what we can take from those three metaphors as well. Soldier, athlete, and farmer, what do they have in common in a Christians life? …show more content…
No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.” A Roman soldier in Paul’s and Timothy were not allowed to be completely normal civilians. First of all a soldier’s life was not a life of fun. War was not a glorious thing, it was awful and gory. Not only was a soldier’s life not an enjoyable thing, but they could not be double-minded. In the Roman army a commander would work to get his men to love and trust him. A soldier did not want to displease his commander by not being focused on the battle. Because of their single-mindedness, they were not to be employed in a secular job like husbandry, merchandise and mechanical employment. A soldier was supposed to be focused on his job so that he could please his