5 Bible Verses about Spiritual Allegories

Truly I tell you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs up some other way is a thief and a robber. He who enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. The doorkeeper opens to him and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his sheep by name and leads them.read more.
When all of his own are out he leads them. The sheep follow him for they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger but will flee from him. They do not know the voice of a stranger. They did not understand this illustration Jesus spoke to them. Jesus explained: I am the door of the sheep. Thieves and robbers came in place of me but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If any man enters through me he will be saved. He will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes to steal, and kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired man owns no sheep. He is not the shepherd. He sees the wolf coming and abandons the sheep. The wolf snatches them, and scatters them. He leaves because he is a hired man and does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me. Just as the Father knows me I know the Father! I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I will also bring them. They will hear my voice and they will become one flock, one shepherd.

Tell me, you that desire to be under the Law; do you not hear the Law? It is written, that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman, and one by the freewoman. How is it that the son by the slave woman is born after the flesh; but the son by the freewoman is born through promise?read more.
This contains an allegory (symbolic drama). These women symbolize two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children to bondage, which is Hagar. Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia. She corresponds to the Jerusalem that now is. She is in bondage with her children. The Jerusalem above is free. She is our mother. It is written, Rejoice, barren woman who does not give birth. Break forth and cry, you who do not labor; for there are more children of the desolate than of the one who has the husband. Brothers, we are children who belong to the promise, the same as Isaac was. Just like then, the son who was conceived in a natural way according to the flesh persecuted the son conceived in a spiritual way. That is exactly what is happening now! What do the scriptures say? Throw out the slave woman and her son. For the son of the slave woman must not share the inheritance with the son of the free woman. (Genesis 21:10) Brothers, we are not children of a slave woman but of the free woman.

If their rejection means reconciliation for the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? If the first piece is holy, the lump is also holy. If the root is holy, so are the branches. Some of the branches are broken off. You, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them. Therefore you partake of the root and fatness of the olive tree with them.read more.
Do not boast against the branches. But if you boast, you do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. They were broken off because of unbelief! You stand by faith! Do not be conceited but be reverent. God did not spare the natural branches and he will not spare you! Observe both God's kindness and severity. Severity is for those who fail to continue. But kindness is for you as long as you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you will be cut off. If they do not continue in unbelief they will be grafted in. For God is able to graft them in again. If you were cut out of the olive tree that is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a garden olive tree: how much more could these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, and Christ also is the head of the congregation, he being the savior of the body. The congregation is subject to Christ. Likewise let the wives also be to their husbands in everything.read more.
Husbands love your wives, even as Christ also loved the congregation and gave himself up for it. This is so he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word. So he will be able to present the congregation to himself as a glorious congregation, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing. It should be holy and without blemish. In this way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He that loves his own wife loves himself. No man ever hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, even as Christ also does the congregation. And we are members of his body! For this reason a man will leave his father and mother, and will stick (adhere) (cleave) (be joined) to his wife. The two will become one flesh. This secret is great! I speak with regard to Christ and of the congregation. Each one of you should love his own wife even as himself. The wife should respect her husband.

Put on the full armor (every implement) of God, that you may be able to stand against the cunning (inventive) (clever) methods of the devil. Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in heavenly places. For that reason, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, having done everything, to stand firm.read more.
Stand firm therefore and gird your loins with truth. Put on the breastplate of righteousness. Shod your feet with the preparation of the good news of peace. Also take up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.