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This particular chiasmus comes from here. The attribution at the bottom of the page is to: Craig S. Keener, the IVP Bible Background Commentary, New Testament, Intervarsity Press, Downes Grove, I, Illinois, 1993.
The book can be found here at Google books, and here at Amazon.
I like the theme of salvation at the center. It makes the center strong.
I think D/D’ is interesting. It seems one of the purposes of Jesus’ ‘making proclamation to the spirits in prison’ (D) may have been to have ‘angels, authorities, and powers’ subjected to Himself (D’). I also like the implied match between Hades below and Heaven above.
There’s a lot of concepts packed in here: judgment, our suffering/witness, Jesus’ suffering, Hades/Heaven, ordering of power, salvation … . Plenty to contemplate. Nice.
Here’s the summary from the book:
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(A?) 13 Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, 15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;
A 16 and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, / those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.
B 17 For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer / for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.
C 18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death / in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;
D [Me: Jesus goes to Hades] 19 in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison,
E 20 who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water.
E’ 21 Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
D’ 22 who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.
C’ 4:1 Therefore, since Christ has suffered / in the flesh,
B’ arm yourselves also with the same purpose – because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.
A’ 3 or the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries. 4 In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, and they malign you; / 5 but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.
6 For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as men, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God.
Hello, My name is Douglas Collins.
I don’t know much about Chiasmus, but, would like to learn. I have a few questions. According to drmardy.com, you can tell if something is a chiasmus or not by marking it with an “X”. I’m sure you have heard of it and understand what I am referring to. However, I don’t see where I can mark an “x” with this portion of scripture in 1 Peter. So, is there a difference of opinion on what a chiasmus is?
Next, would Psalms 119:73-80 be a chiasmus?
I have also read where Psalms 150 is a type of parallelism called Climatic parallelism. Where “the first line is incomplete, and the second line repeats the idea in the first line, then completes it.” – Daniel l. Segraves, The Messiah in the Psalms. Does this take away the chiasmus part this chapter or add to it? Can you have both chiasmus and other types of parallelism?
Thank you for your time. I appreciate all your help?
God Bless,
Douglas Collins
Dr Mardy is probably referring to small 4 part chiasmi when he says that they can be marked with an X:
A B
. X .
B’ A’
Many of the chiasmi I have on this site are longer than that. The ‘X’ idea doesn’t seem to work for chiasmi having more than 4 parts.
I’ll have a look at the Psalm 119 chiasmus and let you know what I think.
I have a chiasmus on this site for Psalm 150. I’m not quite sure what you mean by the example above. Perhaps you could ‘lay it out’ for me. It would be interesting to see. Perhaps it’s available on-line? … Some chiasmi can utilize parallelism within their overall chiastic structure.
I hope this helps a bit. Feel free to ‘interact’ more.
I looked at Psalm 119:73-80. It could easily be a chiasmus. I would break it down like this: A (v 73) B (74) C (75) D (76) D’ (77) C’ (78) B’ (79) A’ (80). I like the strong ‘match’ in B and B’: “May those who fear You see me … ” / “May those who fear You turn to me …”. The center pairing, D and D’, are also relatively strong: “O may Your loving-kindness comfort me …” / “May your compassion come to me …”. It’s also possible the ‘affliction’ in C may be referring to the ‘lie’ in C’. Overall, this may very well be a chiasmus. It would probably be worth pursuing.
Thank you for your replies. I don’t remember where I first read about psalms 119:73-80 being a chiasmus. I can’t find it. And I am mad at myself for not putting it in my notes.
As for Psalms 150, the commentary that I quoted from was giving the different types of parallelism. One of them was called Climactic parallelism. He did not give psalms 150 as an example. I just assumed that it fell under that category because I couldn’t see it falling under any of the others.
The example that he did use was Psalms 96:7:
Give to the Lord, O families of peoples,
Give to the Lord glory and strength.
See how the first line is incomplete? It doesn’t tell you what to give to the Lord.
The second line repeats the first line (Give unto the Lord) and then completes the thought.
Now, that I have reread Psalms 150. I don’t think it falls under this category.
Sorry for the confusion. I cannot find anywhere on the internet what category psalms 150 would fall under.
I did find, however, a website that you might be interested in looking at. It lists a bunch of Chiasmi in the psalms. Here is the link:
http://www.valdes.titech.ac.jp/~h_murai/bible/19_Psalms_pericope_e.html
I also found a website where it appears that the writer believes that all of Psalms 119 is either a Chiasmus structure or reverse parallelism. Here’s the link for that:
http://www.alittleperspective.com/psalm-119105-112-chiastic-structure/
Please let me know if these links do not work. Thanks.
Again, I appreciate all your help, as well as the conversation. Love talking about God and His Word.
God Bless,
Douglas Collins
I found it. LOL!
Didn’t look hard enough!
Here’s the link:
http://bibleoutlines.com/blog/perseverance-in-waiting-for-gods-word-psalm-11973-80/