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Friday, November 29, 2019

Literary Structure Principle

Hello everyone.  Praise the Lord!
Literary Structure Principle
            This is a principle where God, through His Bible writers, structures Scripture in an organized way to make a certain point, or communicate additional information.  Literary structure is common in literature and especially in poetry.  Books have been written about this subject, so I will just give a few examples of Alternation and Introverted Parallelism.
Examples of Alternation:
Joshua- 4:1-9:  An alternation pattern in describing a building of a memorial to God.
A. Twelve men.
            B.  Twelve stones.
                        C. The place.
A.  Twelve men.
            B.  Twelve stones.
                        C.  The memorial.
A.  Twelve men.
            B.  Twelve stones.
                        C.  The place.
The Book of Jonah:  The book of Jonah is a very organized writing done in an alternation fashion.
A.  Calling. 
B. Disobedience.
                        C.  Consequences.
                                    D.  Prayer.
                                                E.  Deliverance.
A.  Calling.
            B.  Obedience.
                        C. Consequences.
                                    D. Prayer.
                                                E. Correction.
            Proverb 31:  This proverb is written in an alternation fashion after a short introduction.
A.  Her husband.
            B.  Her occupation.
                        C. Her Character.
                                    D. Her household.
                                                E. Herself.
A. Her husband.
            B. Her occupation.
                        C. Her character.
                                    D. Her household.
                                                E. Herself.
2 Thessalonians:  The Apostle Paul used alternation in forming his thoughts in his second letter to the Thessalian church.  This is a very long example of alternation, so I will not write it out here, but it can be found in 2 Thessalonians 1:3-3:15.
A few other examples can be found in John 3:20-21; Matthew 23:16,17; Acts 2: 14-36; Ezekiel 36: 26,27; Jeremiah 17: 5-8; 1 Corinthians 3:6,7; Psalms 1; Isaiah 55:8-9.
Examples of Introverted Parallelism:
Isaiah 6:10:  Here is a small version of introverted Parallelism.
A.  Heart.
B. Ears.
            C. Eyes.
            C. Eyes.
B. Ears.
A. Heart
            Luke 1:68-79:  Here is a larger one given to us by the Apostle Luke.
A. Visitation.
            B. Salvation.
                        C. Prophets.
                                    D. Enemies.
                                                E. Covenant.
                                                E. Oath.
                                    D. Enemies.
                        C. Prophet.
            B. Salvation.
A. Visitation.
Other examples of Introverted Parallelism being used are in Genesis 3:19; Exodus 9:31; Numbers 15: 35,36; Deuteronomy 32:16; 1 Samuel 1:2; 2 Samuel 3:1; 1 Kings 16:22; 2 Chronicles 32:7; Psalm 8; Psalm 23; Psalm 76:1;  Psalm 117; Psalm 105: 4-8; Psalm 135:15-18; Psalm 150; Proverbs 1:26,27; Proverbs 3:16; Isaiah 5:7; Isaiah 11:4; Isaiah 50:1; Isaiah 51: 8-9; Isaiah 60:1-3; Daniel 5:19; Matthew 6:24; Matthew 7:6; Romans 9: 21-23; 1 Corinthians 1:24,25; 2 Corinthians.
Okay, why is literary structure important in Biblical Hermeneutics you might ask?  Well, by seeing the literary structure of a book or a letter, or even a chapter, we can see a “birds’ eye” view of the text.  By seeing the “big picture” of a given text we can see the context more clearly.  We can observe the thought process of the author as he organized his work.  This is also very helpful in understanding the context of the writing.
           
Metaphor Principle
            Metaphor is comparison by direct assertion, in which the speaker or writer describes one thing in terms of something else.  Most metaphors are designed; IE., the author intends to make a direct comparison.  These can usually be identified from the metaphors are metaphors presumed to be unintentional.[1]
             The Bible is filled with metaphors.  It is probably the most common figure of speech used in the Bible.  God used them, Jesus used them, the apostles used them.  Locating metaphors and understanding how and for what they are being used is critical in the proper understanding and interpretation of the Bible.
             A metaphor should not be confused with a Simile.  The difference can be slight.  While the Simile says “All flesh is AS grass” (1 Peter 1:24), the metaphor carries the figure across at once, and says “All flesh IS grass” (Isaiah 60:6).  This is the distinction between the two.[2]
            The Simile says “All we like sheep,” while the Metaphor declares that “we are the sheep of His pasture.”[3]
            Let it then be clearly understood that a Metaphor is confined to a distinct affirmation that one thing, IS another thing, owing to some association or connection in the uses or effects of anything expressed or understood.[4]
             For example, “All flesh IS grass.” Here “flesh” is to be taken literally as the subject spoken of, and “grass” is to be taken equally literally as that which represents “flesh.”[5]
       Psalm 23- The Lord is my Shepherd:  Here, we have a Metaphor; and in it a great and blessed truth is set forth by the representation of Jehovah as a Shepherd.  It is He who tends his People, and does more for them than any earthly shepherd does for his sheep.  All his titles and attributes are so bound up with this care that in this Psalm we have the illustration of all the Jehovah-titles:
             In verse 1.  “I shall not want,” because He is JEHOVAH-JIREH (Genesis 22:14), an will provide.
            In verse 2.  “He loadeth me beside the waters of quietness, because He is JEHOVAH-SHALOM (Judges 6:24), and will give peace.
            In verse 3.  “He restoreth my soul,” for He is JEHOVAH-ROPHECHA (Exodus 15:26), and will graciously heal.
             In verse 3.  He guides me “in the paths of righteousness,” for He is JEHOVAH-TZIDKENU (Jeremiah 23:6), and is Himself my righteousness, and I am righteous in Him (Jeremiah 33:16).
            In verse 4.  In death’s dark valley “Thou art with me,” for thou art JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH (Ezekiel 48:35), and the LORD is there.
             In verse 5.  “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies,” for Thou art JEHOVAH-NISSI (Exodus 17:15), my banner, and will fight for me, while I feast.
            In verse 5.  “Thou anointest my head with oil,” for Thou art JEHOVAH-MEKADDESCHEM (Exodus 31:13, etc.), the LORD that sanctifieth me.
             In verse 6.  “Surely” all these blessings are mine for time and eternity, for He is JEHOVAH-ROHI (Psalm 23:1), Jehovah my Shepherd, pledged to raise me up from the dead, and to preserve and bring me “through” the valley of death into His glorious kingdom (John 6:39).[6]
        Salt- Matthew 5:13: “Ye are the salt of the earth” : I.e.., ye are (or represent) with regard to the earth what salt is to the other things, preserving it from total destruction; just as the few righteous in Sodom would have preserved that city.
            Body- Matthew 26:26: “This is my body.”  Few passages have been more perverted than this simple metaphor.  They offering at the Last Supper of bread and wine is not the body of Christ, it is just a metaphor.
             Bread of life- John 6:35: “I am the bread of life:  I.e., what bread does in supporting natural life is a representation of what Christ does in supporting and nourishing the new, Divine, spiritual life.[7] 
            Light of the world- John 8:12: “I am the light of the world.”  This is a beautiful metaphor.  He is not a natural light but a spiritual light.
            Door- John 10:9: I am the door”:  I.e., I am what a door is.  I am the entrance to the sheepfold, and to the Father.  Yes, a door, and not a flight of steps.  A door, through which we pass in one movement from one side to the other.[8]
            Vine- John 15:5: “I am the true vine.”  Jesus Christ is not a vine, this is just a metaphor.
             Galatians 4:24: “Which things are an allegory:  for these are the two covenants.”




[1] A. Berkeley Mickelson. Interpreting the Bible.  Wm. B. Eermans Publishing House.  Grand Rapids, MI, p. 183.  1963.


[2] E. W. Bullinger.  Figures of Speech used in the Bible.  Baker Book House.  Grand Rapids, MI. 1968, p. 735.


[3] ibed.


[4] ibed.


[5] ibed, p. 736.


[6] ibed, p. 737-8.


[7] ibed, p. 743.


[8] ibed.



William J. Roop, M.A.B.S.



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