Chiasmus Quotes

    . Chiasm was used as a literary device in the ancient world, in Babylonia, Israel, Greece, and Rome. It fell out of use, however, and in modern times the existence of chiasms in ancient literature was only recognized by a few scholars in the 18th and 19th centuries. This changed in the middle [...]

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Galations 4:1-7 – Redeemed: From Slave to Son to Heir

. Here I’m going back to the ‘same well’ as the post before.  From here.  (To be fair I’ll try to resist his paper from here on in.  .  It has many more chiasmi you may be interested in.) _____ A    1  Now I say, as long as the   (a)   heir is a   (b)   child, he [...]

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Colossians 1:3-9 – “Constantly Bearing Fruit and Increasing”

. From John W. Welch’s article, “Chiasmus in the New Testament”:  here.  Though I’ve changed it a bit. _____ A    3  We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, B    4  since we heard C    of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for [...]

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Acts 2:22-36 – Peter Preaches Jesus’s Resurrection at Pentecost

  . Here’s a rather nice chiasmus from Acts 2 in which Peter preaches Jesus’s resurrection at Pentecost.  It’s from Kenneth E. Bailey‘s book, “Poet and Peasant“.  I have made one change.  I’ve changed his I/I’ into an I, J / J’, I’.  This chiasmus immediately follows another chiasmus, outlining Pentecost, which can be found here. Update:  Bailey’s chiasmus can [...]

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Chiasmus Quotes – “Scripture in Tradition”

   . A few years ago I read the book, “The Shape of Biblical Language – Chiasmus in the Scriptures“, written by Father John Breck.  This morning I picked up John’s “Scripture in Tradition:  The Bible and Its Interpretation in the Orthodox Church“.  Chapter 5 is entitled, “Chiasmus as a Key to Biblical Interpretation”.  Below are [...]

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“The Value of Chiasm for New Testament Interpretation”

Just thought I would mention the 1984 Ronald E. Man article, “The Value of Chiasm for New Testament Interpretation” – available online.  The paper contains a number of nice chiasmi.  Eventually I would like to place some of the chiasmi on this blog.

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Galatians 3:5-14 – The Righteous Man shall Live by Faith

. The following chiasmus is from Kenneth E. Bailey‘s book “Poet and Peasant“.  Another nice center:  “The righteous man shall live by faith”.  As with the center, the chiasmus also ends with “faith”.  : _____ A    5  Does He then, who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the [...]

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John 5:19-30 – Those Who Hear shall Live

  . The following chiasmus is from p. 101 of John Breck‘s 2001 book, “Scripture in Tradition: the Bible and its Interpretation in the Orthodox Church“: ______ A    19 Jesus therefore answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He [...]

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2 Thessalonians 3:6-12 – Follow Our Example …

. About a week ago I posted a chiasmus by Charles Bumgardner on Hebrews 12:1-2.  Charles authors the blog Orchard Keeper.   A few days ago he left a comment here mentioning that he’s posted another of his chiasmi on his blog.  A chiasmi for 2 Thessalonians 3:6-12.  I’ve checked it out and I think it’s [...]

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Hebrews 12:1-2 – Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus

  From the blog “Orchard Keeper“. A    1  Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, B     let us also lay aside  /  every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, C     and let us run with endurance D     the race that is set before us,  E    2  fixing our eyes on Jesus, [...]

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