"The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed" (Matthew 13:31). But it's not literally a seed. It's like a seed in specific ways. Autistic literal thinking can struggle here: which aspects of the seed analogy apply? How far does the metaphor extend?
Parables were Jesus's favorite teaching tool. He told dozens of them, using everyday images to convey spiritual truths. For neurotypical listeners, parables create "aha" moments—sudden insights when the analogy clicks.
For autistic listeners, parables can create confusion. The metaphorical mapping isn't always obvious. We're trying to figure out: Is the kingdom literally mustard-flavored? Does it literally grow in gardens? Are we supposed to harvest and eat it?
These questions might sound ridiculous, but they illustrate how autistic minds process metaphor. We default to literal meaning unless given clear signals that metaphor is intended. And even when we recognize metaphor, figuring out which aspects transfer and which don't requires explicit thinking that neurotypical people do intuitively.
Understanding Parable Structure
Parables aren't allegories where every detail symbolizes something. They're similes—the kingdom of heaven is like a seed—making one main point through comparison.
The mustard seed parable's point: the kingdom starts small but grows unexpectedly large. That's it. The specific plant species, soil type, or cooking uses aren't symbolic. They're background detail making the story concrete.
Once I understood this structure, parables became easier. Don't allegorize every detail. Find the main comparison. What aspect of the image illuminates spiritual truth?
The kingdom is like treasure in a field: it's valuable enough to sacrifice everything. Like pearl of great price: worth total investment. Like fishing net: it gathers diverse results requiring sorting. Each makes one main point.
This helps autistic interpretation. Instead of trying to map every detail metaphorically, identify the core comparison. The rest is narrative scaffold.
When Literalism Helps
Surprisingly, autistic literal thinking sometimes catches what metaphorical thinking misses. Consider the Parable of the Sower. Seed falls on path, rocky ground, thorns, and good soil. Most interpretations focus metaphorically: the soil types represent different heart conditions.
But Jesus makes an empirically accurate botanical point: seeds actually do fail or thrive based on soil conditions. He's describing real agriculture, then applying it spiritually. The literal accuracy strengthens the metaphorical point.
Autistic attention to literal details notices this. The parable works because the agricultural facts are correct. Birds actually eat path-seeds. Rocky soil actually prevents deep roots. Thorns actually choke plants. Good soil actually produces abundant growth.
Jesus wasn't just making up useful metaphors. He was observing creation accurately, then showing how spiritual realities parallel natural ones. Autistic literalism that notices these accurate details can deepen appreciation of parables' grounding in creation.
Nicodemus's Literal Mistake
John 3 shows what happens when literal thinking misses metaphor. Jesus tells Nicodemus "you must be born again." Nicodemus responds literally: "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb?" (John 3:4).
This is autistic-coded literalism. Nicodemus takes "born again" physically when Jesus meant it spiritually. It's the kind of mistake autistic people make—defaulting to literal unless metaphor is clearly signaled.
Jesus doesn't mock Nicodemus's confusion. He clarifies: "born of water and the Spirit." He distinguishes flesh-birth from Spirit-birth. He adds explanation until metaphor becomes clear.
This is helpful model for communicating with autistic people. When metaphor confuses, don't assume stupidity. Clarify. Distinguish literal from metaphorical. Explain which aspects transfer.
Jesus does this repeatedly. When disciples misunderstand metaphors, He explains. When crowds miss His point, He elaborates. He's patient with literal mistakes, offering clarification rather than criticism.
The Challenge of Mixed Metaphors
Jesus sometimes mixes metaphors in ways that confuse literal thinking. "I am the door" and "I am the good shepherd" appear in the same discourse (John 10). But doors and shepherds are different categories. How can Jesus be both?
Autistic thinking wants consistency: Is Jesus door or shepherd? What are the boundaries of each metaphor? When does one end and the other begin?
Understanding that metaphors are tools, not identities, helps. Jesus isn't literally door or shepherd. He's using multiple images to illuminate different aspects of His role. The door metaphor emphasizes access. The shepherd metaphor emphasizes care. Both are partial perspectives on the same reality.
This requires flexible thinking autistic minds sometimes struggle with. We prefer single, consistent frameworks. Multiple partial metaphors feel unsatisfying—why not one comprehensive image?
But reality is often too complex for single metaphors. Multiple partial images illuminate different facets. Accepting this multiplicity, even when it feels messy, enables better understanding.
Learning to Recognize Metaphorical Signals
I've learned to recognize when metaphor is likely:
- "The kingdom of heaven is like..." (explicit simile)
- Physically impossible claims ("born again," "eat my flesh")
- Imagery that doesn't fit literal context (yeast representing teaching)
- Jesus using everyday objects symbolically (seeds, pearls, coins)
These signal: interpret metaphorically, not literally. The literal meaning is deliberately impossible or obviously inappropriate, forcing metaphorical reading.
This helps autistic interpretation. Instead of defaulting to literal and being confused when it doesn't work, I can recognize signals that metaphor is intended and adjust my interpretive approach.
When Literalism is Appropriate
Not everything in the Gospels is metaphorical. Jesus's death and resurrection are literal historical events. His commands are meant literally. The incarnation is literal—God literally became human.
Autistic literalism rightly resists over-spiritualizing clear historical claims. When the Gospel says Jesus ate fish after resurrection, He literally ate fish. When it says He was crucified, buried, and rose, these are literal historical events, not metaphors.
Knowing when to read literally and when metaphorically is crucial for interpretation. Parables: metaphorical. Historical narrative: literal. Commands: usually literal. Apocalyptic imagery: complex mix requiring careful discernment.
Genre awareness helps. Parables are recognized genre signaled by "the kingdom is like." Historical narrative follows different conventions. Recognizing genre helps determine interpretive approach.
The Value of Autistic Perspectives
Churches should value autistic interpretive approaches, not just tolerate them. Our literal attention catches details others miss. Our systematic thinking identifies patterns. Our resistance to quick metaphorical jumps forces careful consideration of what text actually says.
Yes, we sometimes miss metaphors neurotypical people catch instantly. But we also catch literal accuracies they overlook. Both perspectives enrich understanding.
When I point out botanical accuracy in the Sower parable, I'm adding value, not being pedantic. When I ask which aspects of metaphor apply and which don't, I'm seeking precision, not missing the point. When I struggle with mixed metaphors, I'm highlighting real interpretive questions others may gloss over.
Diverse cognitive styles produce diverse interpretive insights. Autistic literalism is one valuable perspective among many. Combined with neurotypical metaphorical fluency, we get richer, more complete understanding.
Practical Helps for Autistic Bible Reading
- Study notes that explain metaphorical language explicitly
- Commentaries that identify main points of parables
- Teachers who distinguish literal from metaphorical clearly
- Permission to ask clarifying questions without judgment
- Patience with ourselves when metaphors confuse
Jesus taught in parables to reveal truth, not to obscure it. When parables confuse autistic listeners, the solution isn't abandoning Scripture but finding interpretive helps that bridge the gap.
Parables remain challenging for literal thinkers. But with understanding of their structure, recognition of metaphorical signals, and appreciation for when literalism is appropriate, autistic Christians can engage parables fruitfully.
And sometimes—just sometimes—our literal attention reveals depths others miss. That's not despite autism. It's through autism, as part of how God made our minds to engage His word.