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.
