First the author’s intent and its context--leading us to prefer larger passages then just isolated verses. But where do you begin? In this post, we’re going to discuss one important methods that help at getting to the meaning of a text: The literacy structure. In short this post in devoted to teaching you some understanding needed to understand a text's structure.
Structure
A. First let us ask, what is structure? It is the form a passage takes to make its point.
B. We want to ask ourselves two questions when trying to discern a passage’s structure:
1. How has the author divided his material into sections?
2. How do those sections fit together?
a) This can be done to whole books, or smaller sections of verses
b) Note - Don’t rely on your bible’s chapter and verse divisions ... start with a blank slate (ignoring chapter divisions, paragraph breaks, etc.)
C. Sometimes the text gives clear indications of where it breaks up, “like grooves in chocolate bars that show where they snap more easily.” [1]
1. Example One: John 1.19-51 splits the narrative into four sections, repeatedly using the phrase, “the next day” to begin a new section (verses 29, 35, and 43) In narrative, like above the passing of time is a good indicator.
2. Example Two: Isaiah 40.3-11 has three voices calling out (verses 3, 6, and 9) more sermonic passages like the prophets are more difficult but not impossible. You can look for rhetorical devices such as “voices” as in Isaiah. Also look for changes in tone or main ideas and themes.
D. Sometimes we do not have explicit clues the text and we must make informed judgements based upon the type of literature we are reading.
1. Narratives ... Notice the key portions of a story like changes of scene.
2. Dialogues (Psalms, Proverbs, etc.) ... You can often divide the text based upon who is speaking.
3. Some texts, like Paul’s writings or the other epistles can be divided into stages of argument, each building upon the other Or the presentation of a doctrine with a therefore connecting the doctrinal thought to an application of the doctrine in the life of the hearer.
E. Occasionally, you will encounter larger sections where the important ideas are not laid out sequentially, but should instead be divided thematically by identifying two or three major themes and considering the whole passage under those headings. Always remember, the western minds think in vastly different ways than the biblical writers.
F. Having identified the sections, now briefly summarize each section in the margin (1-2 sentences) and then work on understanding how these sections fit together.
G. One last note – The bible was to be read, over and over again. In doing this we give the Spirit more to work with and we get the word deeper in us. It is through this over reading process that the structure of a passage or book slowly becomes clear. We see the little pointers that show the structure because bit by bit we get inside the writers words. I have had to learn this the hard way – foolishly jumping to conclusions and then having to admitting my mistake.
H. Two common structures in the bible
1. Bookends and Sandwiches
a) Biblical authors will sometimes use the same, or similar phrases at the beginning and end of a section ... these can be used to help you understand a passage’s structure:
Example: Romans 1.5 says, “Through him and for his name’s sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.”
Romans 16.26 says, “... But now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the Eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey him.”
b) In addition to poetic symmetry, these bookends indicate that everything in between belongs together and is connected
Example: The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5.3-10), begins with, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,” and ends with, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
These bookends help us understand Jesus’ teaching by showing us that the poor in spirit, those who morn, the meek, etc. are not just “good” people, they are the citizens of the kingdom of heaven!
2. Chiasms or “Sandwich structure”
Hebrew writing often uses literary structures, and a Rhetorical Device. It is helpful in identifying the main point (in didactic and dialectic writings) or climax of a narrative, and this is called a Chiasm (Kee-as-`em). Named after the Greek letter “chi,” a chiasm forms an “X” pattern, with the most important thought embedded or sandwiched between two or more supporting phases. It is a way first century people structured something to make a point (Rhetorical device) Chi is a Greek letter that is shaped like an X. Brings new meaning to X marks the spot (Lol). Parallel phrases are first introduced in order and then again in reverse order to make an important point. The pivotal middle thought either appears twice in succession (ABB’A’) or only once (ABXB’A’). A classic example of the latter is found in 1 John 3:9.
A whoever is born of God
___B does not sin
______X for His seed remains in him
___B’ and he cannot sin
A’ because he has been born of God
(1) Old Testament example: The tower of Babble in Genesis 11
(2) One of the tastiest Sandwiches in Mark
Mark write the shortest gospel – often called a simple narrative. As the shortest gospel we understand Mark was selective in structuring what he left in the Jesus’ story. In His storytelling, Mark used the chiasm as a literary device more than nine times. Where he appears to sandwich two unrelated and separate events, Mark actually is skillfully storytelling to make a key theological point.
Mark sandwiched Jesus' cleansing of the Temple (Mk 11:15-19) between his cursing of the fig tree and its’ subsequent withering (vv. 12-14 and 20-26). This chiasm reveals that Mark was interested in strongly associating these two events in the minds of his readers. Add a little cultural background, the fig tree is a well-known symbol for Israel and you have an elegant denouncement of religion. Religious life of Jerusalem at that time was judged for not bearing fruit of the faith they claimed to believe. So also the Temple (representing religious life within it) was cleansed and judged for not bearing the fruit of faithful worship.
When you sprinkle a little geographic understanding that from the road to bethel you can see the temple mount, it gives us clarity into the Mountain Jesus spoke of we could move by faith in Him: The mountain of dead lifeless religion that seeks power and control and oppresses the weak.
With this chiasm, Mark reveals that Jesus’ clearing of the Temple accomplished more than brazing up some thieves and robbers posing as pragmatic leaders and religious business men. It was a prophetic act signifying Jesus’ unique Christological authority to bring judgment on religion, crouched in an elegant order.
(3) Try it yourself:
(a) John 1.1-2
(b) Jonah 1.4-15
[1] Nigel Beynon and Andrew Sach, Digging Deeper: Tools to Unearth the Bible’s Treasure, pp. 43, Inter-Varsity Press, 2005
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