December 20, 2010
Cataloging the New Testament's Hebraisms: Part 6 (Parallelism)
In Blog 4 of this series of blogs on Hebraisms in the New Testament, we began a discussion of parallelism. Parallelism is a beautiful and central feature of Hebrew poetry. Scholars have identified three types of Hebrew parallelism. In Blog 5 we discussed the first of these types: Synonymous Parallelism. In this article, we will discuss the second type: Antithetical Parallelism.
An antithetical parallelism is composed of balancing couplets, each of which is the antithesis of the other. This type of parallelism is distinguished by the contrast between the construction’s ribs, or sides. The elements of an antithetical parallelism express opposite sides of the same idea.
Before looking at possible examples of antithetical parallelism in the New Testament, let’s get a feel for it by examining instances where it exists in the Hebrew Scriptures:
The parallels are “integrity,” “the upright” and “guides them” and their antitheses, “crookedness,” “the treacherous” and “destroys them,” that is:
integrity | the upright | guides them
crookedness | the treacherous | destroys them
unjust man | an abomination to the righteous
he whose way is straight | an abomination to the wicked
he who lays in store | during the summer | a capable son
he who sleeps | during the harvest | an incompetent son
Not every element of one rib of an antithetical parallelism need be the antithesis of its parallel element in the other rib. Here, “summer” is a synonym for “harvest,” and not its antithesis.
the memory | of the righteous | is a blessing
the name | of the wicked | will rot
Here, one of the parallelism’s three elements, “memory,” is a synonym for “name,” and not its antithesis.
the way | a lazy man | a hedge of thorns
the path | the upright | paved
Here, “way” is a synonym for “path,” and not its antithesis.
Let’s search for examples of antithetical parallelism in the New Testament. Such examples are not difficult to find:
finds | will lose
loses | will find
This saying of Jesus appears another 4 times in the Synoptic Gospels (Mt. 16:25; Mk. 8:35; Lk. 9:24; 17:33), but Mt. 10:39 is the most Hebraic, and thus, apparently, the closest to the conjectured Hebrew undertext.
exalts | will be humbled
humbles | will be exalted
A second version of this saying is found in Mt. 23:12, but Lk. 14:11 appears to be the earlier form of the saying.
speaks a word against | the Son of Man | will be forgiven;
blasphemes against | the Holy Spirit | will not be forgiven
A second version of this saying is found in Mt. 10:32-33, but Lk. 12:8-9 appears to be the earlier form of the saying.
Like other types of parallelism, antithetical parallelism can be very complex and more extended than a single couplet. It is often compound, with many more lines of text than the examples above. Sometimes the parallel lines are arranged in such a way that if, for example, there are 6 lines, these are placed so that the 1st line corresponds to the 4th, the 2nd to the 5th, and the 3rd to the 6th. Thus, we get an ABCABC arrangement, e.g.,
a. Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth,
b. where moth and rust consume
c. and where thieves break in and steal,
a. but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven,
b. where neither moth nor rust consumes
c. and where thieves do not break in and steal. (Mt. 6:19-20; RSV)
A knowledge of Hebrew parallelism is one additional aid to investigators of the Synoptic Gospels since, when two or more versions of a saying of Jesus have been preserved, the greater perfection of the parallelism in one version may be key in determining it is the earliest, the closest to the text of that lost Hebrew biography of Jesus of which early church sources speak. Luke’s Gospel, like Matthew’s, contains the “treasures in heaven” saying. In Luke, it is: “Sell your possessions, and give alms; provide yourselves with purses that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys” (Lk. 12:33; RSV). However, the perfect balance and symmetry of Matthew’s version and its more numerous antitheses, indicate that Matthew’s version more faithfully preserves the supposed Hebrew undertext. Therefore, it is probable that Luke 12:33 is a revision of a text like Matthew 6:19-20.
Jesus often taught using intricate antithetical parallelisms like Mt. 6:19-20. Below are two more striking examples of extended antithetical parallelism found in the teaching of Jesus:
a. No one can serve two masters;
b. for either he will hate the one
c. and love the other,
c. or he will be devoted to the one
b. and despise the other.
a. You cannot serve God and mammon. (Mt. 6:24; RSV)
Here we find inverted antithetical parallelism, in an ABCCBA arrangement, with the first and last lines standing in synonymous parallelism.
An abbreviated version of this saying appears in Luke’s Gospel (Lk. 13:24). Matthew’s version is considerably more Hebraic than Luke’s, and its many antitheses, “wide gate” - “narrow gate,” “easy way” - “hard way,” “destruction” - “life,” “enter” - “find” and “many” - “few,” make it probable that Matthew has preserved an earlier version of the saying.
In the next blog, we will expand our discussion to include the third type of Hebrew parallelism, Synthetical Parallelism.
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Posted by David Bivin at December 20, 2010 04:48 AM