Allegory of the Cave

The Allegory of the Cave can be interpreted in a number of different ways. Plato begins the allegory by very clearly describing the picture of a cave along with everything that is happening inside of that cave. The image he explains is of people who are chained to a wall and can see nothing but shadows of people passing behind them which are cast by the fire. The significance of this image can be understood when it is compared to ourselves and to how we live our lives today. This can be achieved even better by looking at a portion of the Bible.

The first chapter in the book of I John contains a section entitled "Walking in the Light." It begins, "God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth." The people who live in the cave and are chained to the wall are certainly not strangers to living in the darkness. They have never been outside of the cave or the darkness that surrounds them. They are only allowed to see what is directly in front of them. They see the shadows but do not know exactly what they are coming from. They do not know the real truth, but instead only focus on what is thrown in front of them which are the shadows. In the same way, the world throws many things at us that blind us from seeing what is really important. We see only what the world tells us is right, and therefore we live a lie and stay in the darkness.

Plato also mentions in the allegory that some of the prisoners are freed and are able to walk out and into the light that shines into the opening of the cave. Before this happens something comes over them and they realize that up until now they have been living a lie. The chapter continues, "But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin." When the prisoners are first released from the chains they have a decision to make. They can stay in the darkness or they can walk out of the dark cave and into the light. The people who walk out of the cave are temporarily blinded by the brightness of the sun. They feel a sharp pain in their eyes, but that soon goes away when their eyes finally adjust to the sunlight and they are now able to see a much clearer vision of what life is really about. The pain that they had momentarily experienced is quickly forgotten about