[Reverend Keith]

It's a particular problem because Jesus' teaching style DEPENDED on being non-literal in several different ways.

First of all, as has been pointed out, Jesus tended to teach in parables and stories, and the meaning of these was often an inner secret teaching.

Secondly, Jesus used a method that has been called "semetic hyperbole". I have no idea if this term or method actually exists apart from Jesus or if someone just coined it as a description of what Jesus did, but it consists of making wildly exaggerated statements just to get the listener's attention. A verbal slap in the face to wake people up.

If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, and wife and children, and brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:26, NET)

Why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to see the beam of wood in your own? (Matt 7:3, NET)

If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away! It is better to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into hell. (Matt 5:30, NET)

Thirdly, there's not a small amount of humor and even sarcasm in the Bible. Humor is particularly difficult to read outside of the original context. Let me give a possible example that really opened my eyes. I was listening to a talk by a messianic Jewish author who is also an anti-tax activist. He mentioned the incident in which Peter tells the tribute tax collectors that Jesus pays taxes. After explaining that he doesn't really OWE any taxes, Jesus says:

But so that we don’t offend them, go to the lake and throw out a hook. Take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth, you will find a four drachma coin. Take that and give it to them for me and you.” (Matt 17:27, NET)

To this author, what Jesus says here is actually easily recognized as Jewish humor. He compares it to his uncle, who used to say "Sure, and if I bite my butt, I'll get borscht". In other words, what Jesus is saying is something like this:

"I don't owe taxes, but we wouldn't want to offend the poor tax collectors, so I tell you what. You go catch a fish, and open its mouth. Whatever money it has in its mouth, THAT'S how much tax we owe".

The possibility of this interpretation is strengthened by the fact that there's no record that Peter ever actually went and DID what Jesus (jokingly?) suggested.

Here's another one that I can't help thinking is completely sarcastic:

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by God’s appointment, and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God. So the person who resists such authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will incur judgment (for rulers cause no fear for good conduct but for bad). Do you desire not to fear authority? Do good and you will receive its commendation, for it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be in fear, for it does not bear the sword in vain. It is God’s servant to administer retribution on the wrongdoer. Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of the wrath of the authorities but also because of your conscience. For this reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants devoted to governing. Pay everyone what is owed: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due. (Rom 13:1-7, NET)

Here is Paul, who has been beaten, stoned, arrested, imprisoned, run out of town - NUMEROUS times, almost always with the cooperation or even at the instigation of the "governing authorities", saying that if you do good, the authorities will praise you?!? Here's Paul, who knows very well that it was governing authorities who crucified Jesus telling us they are God's servants, worthy of honor because they only punish evil?

This really only makes sense to me as sarcasm - possibly a sarcasm used to protect himself and his writings from those very authorities. Something like me saying "The United States government is perfect in every way. I'm SURE they would never get involved in a war just to protect their oil interests, or support dictatorships. And I'm absolutely positive that they would never tailor legislation for the benefit of special interest groups who contribute lots of money. No, the government always acts impartially for the greatest good of all."

Obviously sarcasm. But if these words were ever printed out, buried in a vault, and one day dug up by someone who decided they were the word of God (hey, you never know) - they might very well miss the sarcasm and assume I really and truly thought that the U.S. Government was indeed perfect and godly in every way.

So taking everything in scripture literally can send you down the wrong track in several different ways...