'Figurative' in the Bible

So He called them to Him, and using figurative language He appealed to them, saying, "How is it possible for Satan to expel Satan?

Then He proceeded to teach them many lessons in figurative language; and in His teaching He said,

When He was alone, the Twelve and the others who were about Him requested Him to explain His figurative language.

"To you," He replied, "has been entrusted the secret truth concerning the Kingdom of God; but to those others outside your number all this is spoken in figurative language;

But except in figurative language He spoke nothing to them; while to His own disciples He expounded everything, in private.

Then He began to speak to them in figurative language. "There was once a man," He said, "who planted a vineyard, fenced it round, dug a pit for the wine-tank, and built a strong lodge. Then he let the place to vine-dressers and went abroad.