Rhetoric
You can also examine a scriptural text for rhetorical figures. An author may apply these figures in order to highlight certain concepts such as similarities, differences, cause-and-effect relationships, and patterns. They might also be used to emphasize important ideas, or to connect distinct thoughts together into a larger, cohesive thread. Below are examples of various rhetorical devices you can look for within and between sentences (with definitions borrowed from James E. Faulconer).
Chiasmus
The repetition of ideas in inverted order (ABBA)
And now it shall come to pass,
├── that whosoever shall not take upon him the name of Christ
│ ├── must be called by some other name;
│ │ ├── therefore, he findeth himself on the left hand of God.
│ │ │ ├── And I would that ye should remember also, that this is the name
│ │ │ │ ├── that I said I should give unto you that never should be blotted out,
│ │ │ │ │ ├── except it be through transgression;
│ │ │ │ │ └── therefore, take heed that ye do not transgress,
│ │ │ │ └── that the name be not blotted out of your hearts.
│ │ │ └── I say unto you, I would that ye should remember to retain the name written always in your hearts,
│ │ └── that ye are not found on the left hand of God,
│ └── but that ye hear and know the voice by which ye shall be called,
└── and also, the name by which he shall call you.
Antimetabole
The repetition of words in inverted order; a specific case of chiasmus (ABBA)
Whoever
├── sheds
│ ├── the blood
│ │ ├── of man,
│ │ └── by man
│ └── shall his blood
└── be shed
.
├── We
│ ├── love
│ │ ├── him,
│ │ │ └── because
│ │ └── he
│ └── first loved
└── us.
Parallelism
The repetition of similar ideas in different, but semantically parallel phrasing
Therefore, ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; for he that asketh, receiveth; and unto him that knocketh, it shall be opened.
But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
Polyptoton
The use of 2+ words with the same root, but different variations
- Holy of Holies
- Behold, I have dreamed a dream (1 Nephi 8:2)
- Respect and Disrespect
Epanalepsis
The un-patterned repetition of a word, phrase, or clause
which have eyes to see and see not; they have ears to hear and hear not
God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
Anaphora
The repetition of word(s) at the beginning of consecutive phrases, clauses, sentences, or verses
For behold, to one is given by the Spirit of God, that he may teach the word of wisdom;
And to another, that he may teach the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
And to another, exceedingly great faith;
And to another, the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
And again, to another, that he may work mighty miracles;
And again, to another, that he may prophesy concerning all things;
And again, to another, the beholding of angels and ministering spirits;
And again, to another, all kinds of tongues;
And again, to another, the interpretation of languages and of divers kinds of tongues
Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing;
and establish a house,
even a house of prayer,
a house of fasting,
a house of faith,
a house of learning,
a house of glory,
a house of order,
a house of God;
Epistrophe
The repetition of word(s) at the end of consecutive phrases, clauses, sentences, or verses
And we talk of Christ,
we rejoice in Christ,
we preach of Christ,
we prophesy of Christ,
and we write according to our prophecies,
that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.
When I was a child,
I spake as a child,
I understood as a child,
I thought as a child:
but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
Anadiplosis
The final word of phrase or clause repeated at start of next phrase or clause
Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.
Climax
A series of phrases or clauses (often parallel) joined by anadiplosis or near anadiplosis
A..B => B..C => C..D => D..E
And if ye shall say there is no law, ye shall also say there is no sin.
If ye shall say there is no sin, ye shall also say there is no righteousness.
And if there be no righteousness there be no happiness.
And if there be no righteousness nor happiness there be no punishment nor misery.
And if these things are not there is no God.
And if there is no God we are not, neither the earth; for there could have been no creation of things, neither to act nor to be acted upon; wherefore, all things must have vanished away.
Epanadiplosis
Word(s) repeated at beginning and end of the same phrase, clause, sentence, or verse
Now the work of justice could not be destroyed;
if so, God would cease to be God
Antithesis
The conjoining of two pairs of contrasting elements in parallel (or near parallel) syntax
If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar
Interrogation
A series of questions to oneself or someone else
And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God?
Have ye received his image in your countenances?
Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?
Do ye exercise faith in the redemption of him who created you?
Do you look forward with an eye of faith, and view this mortal body raised in immortality, and this corruption raised in incorruption, to stand before God to be judged according to the deeds which have been done in the mortal body?
Backlinks
- Overview / How I Study / Deep Reading / Patterns
- Next, we expand our scope by looking for patterns for how to apply specific gospel principles. In this phase, we are not looking for rhetorical or grammatical patterns (i.e., patterns in the text's words and phrases), as that was done in the rhetoric phase. Rather, we are looking for patterns we can follow for living the gospel (e.g., how to recognize the Spirit, or how to serve others).