Bible Symbolism

Jesus as the Door

Jesus says in John 10: “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep”, and again, “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture”. A door allows us to move from one place to another. Jesus allows us to move from this life which is perishable to a life with God that is everlasting. The Jewish Passover represents a time when the Jews placed a lamb’s blood over a door so that they would be protected against the angel of death. Jesus is the door and Jesus’ blood was shed to protect us from the second death (see Revelation 2:11, 20:6, 20:14 and 21:8 for better understanding of the second death).

Jesus as the Word

John 1: 1-5, 10-15 The Word Became Flesh

 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God — children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Jesus as the Servant

Many verses of the bible mention Jesus as a servant. Acts 3:26 says, “For you first, God raised up His Servant and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways.” Beginning in Philippians 2:4 it states, ^“do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.” Jesus came as a bond-servant dying on the cross in order to bring us into God’s family guaranteeing us eternal life and freedom from sin and death.

Jesus as the Light

John 8:12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” 

John 9:5  While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.” 

John 3: 19-21 This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”

Jesus as the New Covenant

2 Corinthians 3:4-6 Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Note: The new covenant is through Jesus saving us and is unlike the old covenant which was through the written law (or letter as referred to in this verse). The written law required humankind to follow rules and regulation which they were unable to do. We are no longer slaves to the written law but are saved through Jesus Christ (Yeshua) and are free. We are now heirs and were brought into sonship by Christ’s actions.

Though we are free as heirs, God calls us to be like Christ and become bond-servants while on earth meaning we should share the news of salvation to others and help save the lost.

Jesus as the Bread

John 6:29-35 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” So they said to Him, “What then do You do for a sign, so that we may see, and believe You? What work do You perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.’” Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.” Then they said to Him, “Lord, always give us this bread.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.