Biblical Poetry: Nature and Characteristics
Chapter 6
The Nature and Characteristics of Biblical
Poetry
Poetry in the New Testament
Structural Devices in Biblical Poetry
Stylistic Devices in Biblical Poetry
Wisdom Literature
Sample Exegesis: The Book of Job
Poetry is built around individual lines, which
commonly feature the heightened use of imagery
and figurative speech.
Parallelism: The practice of using similar language
of approximately the same number of words and
length, and containing a corresponding thought,
phrase or idea over succeeding lines.
Similar Parallelism: provides closeness of thought and
expression over parallel lines.
Antithetic Parallelism: displays a contrast between two
parallel lines.
Progressive Parallelism: a succeeding line (or lines)
supplements and/or completes the first line.
Terseness
Poets have a way of stating their thoughts so concisely
that the result is a polished and succinct presentation
free of unnecessary details.
Concreteness
“Poetry allows the reader to see, taste, touch, smell, or
hear the matters, which the poet portrays” (p. 279, citing
Michael Travers).
Imagery
By using an image, a poet portrays reality or expresses it
in more concrete terms that demand the interpreter’s
careful attention and interaction.
“Imagery is a concise way of writing, because an image
conveys not only information but also evokes an
emotional response” (p. 281, citing Tremper Longman).
The New Testament authors were all Jewish by
background. When it came to poetry, therefore,
they would likely think in terms of Old Testament
precedents.
For this reason the various parallel structures we
have already noted can be encountered in the New
Testament, whether (1) similar, (2) antithetic, or (3)
progressive.
Poetry may also be seen in the psalmic praises
clustered around the nativity (Luke 1:47–55, 67–79),
in many of the sayings of the New Testament (1
Tim. 3:16), and in its hymns and songs (Luke 2:14;
Rev. 11:15; 15:3). Some passages are recorded as
poetry in the New Testament (e.g., Phil. 2:5–11).
New Testament poetry likewise features
terseness and concreteness.
Imagery may be found throughout the pages of
the New Testament, especially in the sayings of
Jesus.
By appreciating the poetic nature of relevant
New Testament passages, the interpreter gains a
new perspective. Even theological discourses
become alive with new dramatic dimensions of
structure, sight, sound, and stylistic sensitivity.
John 1:1–18
Building Blocks
Poetic structure begins with the individual line known as a stitch,
verset, or colon.
Structural Indicators
Bookending
The technique of returning at the end of a unit to a theme, subject, or
word(s) mentioned at the beginning of that section.
Stitching
The author’s practice of linking successive units or subunits of a poem
by means of repeating a word, phrase, or idea.
Chiastic Structure
In chiastic structure, the second half of a composition takes up the
same words, themes, or motifs as in the first half, but in reverse
order.
Bi-fid Structure
The poet’s structuring of his material in two parts, each answering
to the other in similar or corresponding fashion and in the same
basic order.
Rhyme
Rhythm
Synonyms
Unusual word order
Allusion
Ellipsis
Fixed word pairs
1.
Note the author’s use of parallelism in accordance with
the type employed.
2.
In psalms and extended poetic pieces, read the entire
passage.
3.
Look for logical and formal structural devices.
4.
Learn to appreciate the author’s use of imagery and
figures of speech.
5.
Look for the author’s unifying theme and consider
carefully the flow of thought throughout the piece.
6.
Using sound exegetical procedures relative to poetic
medium, make proper application to the
contemporary situation. Consider the impact of the
author’s emphases to the spiritual life of the reader or
hearer.
Anthropomorphism
Anthropomorphism is the ascription of human
characteristics to God.
Psalm 34:15–16
Euphemism
Euphemism is the substitution of a less offensive term for
an offensive one.
1 Kings 18:27
Hypocatastasis
Hypocatastasis is a device in which the comparison is
implied by direct naming.
Nahum 2
Image
Image is a word picture that makes an abstract idea
concrete and reified.
Revelation
Metaphor
Metaphor is the imaginative identification of two
distinct objects or ideas.
Psalm 84:11
Metonymy
Metonymy is the substitution of one word for
another.
Psalm 45:6
History
Literature
Theology
1.
Take the literal meaning of statements of
comparison unless there are compelling
reasons to interpret them figuratively.
2.
Interpret each of the terms of the figure of
speech (vehicle and tenor) before attempting
to interpret what is intended by their
figurative association.
3.
Pay due attention to connotations, as well as
denotations, of the terms involved in the
figure of speech.
4.
Read the figure of speech carefully for all of its
import; do not “skim read” figures of speech
in the Bible.
5.
In cases where an explanatory propositional
statement follows a figure of speech, interpret
it in the light of the propositional statement.
6.
Pay careful attention to contexts—immediate
and far, linguistic and historical—in the
interpretation of figures of speech.
The Nature of Wisdom
Hokma
and
sophia
Biblical wisdom “sought in the first place, to provide
guidance for living by propounding rules of moral
order and, in the second place, to explore the
meaning of life though reflection, speculation, and
debate” (p. 308, citing R. B. Y. Scott).
The fear of the Lord as the beginning and goal of
wisdom.
Wisdom literature employs many different literary
techniques.
Proverbs
Proverbs are short memorable statements of the
true state of things as perceived and learned by
human observations over extended periods of
experience.
In terms of the biblical Book of Proverbs, this refers
to an apophthegm (a short, witty, and instructive
saying) that has currency among those who fear the
Lord.
Select Types of Proverbs
Descriptive proverbs
Prescriptive proverbs
Comparative proverbs
Contrastive proverbs
Conditional proverbs
Declarative proverbs
Instructional proverbs
Numerical proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Written for the most part as poetry, Ecclesiastes contains
the usual features of poetry such as various types of
parallelism as well as terseness, concreteness, figures of
speech, and abundant imagery.
An unusual feature of Ecclesiastes is the author’s double
approach in searching for ultimate reality.
Utilizing these poetic devices, “The writer of Ecclesiastes
has set for himself the task of making us feel the
emptiness of life under the sun and the attractiveness of
a God-filled life that leads to contentment with one’s
earthly lot” (p. 319, citing Ryken).
Utilizes repetition, such as “under the sun.”
Job
Job is written in poetry.
Job is concerned with the sufficiency of God. Can he
be trusted for every situation in life?
Job is chiefly an example of disputation literature:
“Specifically, we hear the lengthy disputation
speeches in which the speakers debate the cause of
Job’s suffering” (p. 320, citing Klein, Blomberg, and
Hubbard).
Job includes psalmic materials, proverbs, satire,
rhetorical questions, and widespread imagery.
Yet, Job is also a story with a setting, plot, and
characterization.
Wisdom Elsewhere in the Old Testament
Blessings of the patriarchs
Historical books
Prophetic books
Wisdom Psalms
Declarative
Hortatory
Reflective
Wisdom in the New Testament
Jesus as wisdom teacher par excellence
Wisdom literature in teachings, parables,
aphorisms of the epistles, especially James
Author’s basic purpose and central themes
Pain and suffering
Problem of evil
Issues of justice and injustice
Limitations of human wisdom
Overall message
The sovereign God is sufficient for all of life’s
circumstances.
History
The story is set in the patriarchal period.
Geographically, the action takes place in the land of
Uz, best associated with the northern Arabian
Peninsula and the land of Edom.
Literature
Plot
Denouement
Resolution
Characterization
Basic lesson
The wise person will surrender to the sovereign,
holy, and wise Lord of the universe and find him
sufficient for all of life’s needs.
Theology
If we see things from God’s point of view and put
our trust in him, we will find him sufficient in all of
life’s trials.
1.
Determine the central purpose of any wisdom
piece.
2.
In Proverbs, note the type involved and the
specific advice for godly living it is teaching.
3.
Evaluate the general maxims of Proverbs in the
light of the proverb’s ancient setting as well as in
comparison with other scriptural teachings.
4.
Remember that proverbs are designed to be
general guidelines and are not always applicable
to every situation and circumstance.
5.
Where instruction is the proverb’s chief goal, take
seriously the truths and moral standards it is
teaching.
6.
When interacting with Ecclesiastes, the
interpreter should take careful note of both the
positive and negative teachings of the book,
balancing each in the light of the book’s central
purpose.
7.
In Job, the interpreter must come to grips with
the central message of the book and evaluate the
contribution of each part to the book’s ultimate
purpose.
8.
In Job, the interpreter should be careful to apply
the rules of interpretation relative to storytelling
such as setting, plot, and characterization. He
should seek to determine what lessons are to be
learned form the standpoint of each portion in
the dialogue.
9.
The interpreter should be alert to occurrences
of wisdom throughout the pages of the Bible.
Especially to be noted are the teachings of
Jesus. One should pay close attention to the
theological and moral truths embedded in his
teaching as crucial for the development of
Christian character and conduct.
10.
In every wisdom piece of literature, determine
the chief goal of the instruction. Be careful to
evaluate it in the light of the total scriptural
revelation in order that proper application of
its truths and moral lessons may be applied
properly to contemporary living.
Poetry in the Bible is rich in imagery, using parallelism and concise language to convey deep meaning. This form of writing allows readers to engage with the text on various sensory levels, enhancing the overall interpretative experience. In the New Testament, the tradition of biblical poetry continues with authors drawing from Old Testament precedents, employing similar structural and stylistic devices. By exploring the poetic elements within the sacred texts, readers can gain fresh insights into theological discourses and narratives, illuminating the profound beauty and depth of biblical wisdom literature.
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Presentation Transcript
Chapter 6 A WORD FROM THE WISE: POETRY AND WISDOM
CHAPTER OUTLINE The Nature and Characteristics of Biblical Poetry Poetry in the New Testament Structural Devices in Biblical Poetry Stylistic Devices in Biblical Poetry Wisdom Literature Sample Exegesis: The Book of Job
THE NATURE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF BIBLICAL POETRY Poetry is built around individual lines, which commonly feature the heightened use of imagery and figurative speech. Parallelism: The practice of using similar language of approximately the same number of words and length, and containing a corresponding thought, phrase or idea over succeeding lines. Similar Parallelism: provides closeness of thought and expression over parallel lines. Antithetic Parallelism: displays a contrast between two parallel lines. Progressive Parallelism: a succeeding line (or lines) supplements and/or completes the first line.
THE NATURE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF BIBLICAL POETRY Terseness Poets have a way of stating their thoughts so concisely that the result is a polished and succinct presentation free of unnecessary details. Concreteness Poetry allows the reader to see, taste, touch, smell, or hear the matters, which the poet portrays (p. 279, citing Michael Travers). Imagery By using an image, a poet portrays reality or expresses it in more concrete terms that demand the interpreter s careful attention and interaction. Imagery is a concise way of writing, because an image conveys not only information but also evokes an emotional response (p. 281, citing Tremper Longman).
POETRY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT The New Testament authors were all Jewish by background. When it came to poetry, therefore, they would likely think in terms of Old Testament precedents. For this reason the various parallel structures we have already noted can be encountered in the New Testament, whether (1) similar, (2) antithetic, or (3) progressive. Poetry may also be seen in the psalmic praises clustered around the nativity (Luke 1:47 55, 67 79), in many of the sayings of the New Testament (1 Tim. 3:16), and in its hymns and songs (Luke 2:14; Rev. 11:15; 15:3). Some passages are recorded as poetry in the New Testament (e.g., Phil. 2:5 11).
POETRY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT New Testament poetry likewise features terseness and concreteness. Imagery may be found throughout the pages of the New Testament, especially in the sayings of Jesus. By appreciating the poetic nature of relevant New Testament passages, the interpreter gains a new perspective. Even theological discourses become alive with new dramatic dimensions of structure, sight, sound, and stylistic sensitivity. John 1:1 18
STRUCTURAL DEVICES IN BIBLICAL POETRY Building Blocks Poetic structure begins with the individual line known as a stitch, verset, or colon. Structural Indicators Bookending The technique of returning at the end of a unit to a theme, subject, or word(s) mentioned at the beginning of that section. Stitching The author s practice of linking successive units or subunits of a poem by means of repeating a word, phrase, or idea. Chiastic Structure In chiastic structure, the second half of a composition takes up the same words, themes, or motifs as in the first half, but in reverse order. Bi-fid Structure The poet s structuring of his material in two parts, each answering to the other in similar or corresponding fashion and in the same basic order.
STYLISTIC DEVICES IN BIBLICAL POETRY Rhyme Rhythm Synonyms Unusual word order Allusion Ellipsis Fixed word pairs
GUIDELINES FOR INTERPRETING BIBLICAL POETRY Note the author s use of parallelism in accordance with the type employed. In psalms and extended poetic pieces, read the entire passage. Look for logical and formal structural devices. Learn to appreciate the author s use of imagery and figures of speech. Look for the author s unifying theme and consider carefully the flow of thought throughout the piece. Using sound exegetical procedures relative to poetic medium, make proper application to the contemporary situation. Consider the impact of the author s emphases to the spiritual life of the reader or hearer. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
TYPES OF FIGURES OF SPEECH IN THE BIBLE Anthropomorphism Anthropomorphism is the ascription of human characteristics to God. Psalm 34:15 16 Euphemism Euphemism is the substitution of a less offensive term for an offensive one. 1 Kings 18:27 Hypocatastasis Hypocatastasis is a device in which the comparison is implied by direct naming. Nahum 2 Image Image is a word picture that makes an abstract idea concrete and reified. Revelation
TYPES OF FIGURES OF SPEECH IN THE BIBLE Metaphor Metaphor is the imaginative identification of two distinct objects or ideas. Psalm 84:11 Metonymy Metonymy is the substitution of one word for another. Psalm 45:6
SAMPLE EXEGESIS: PSALM 18 History Literature Theology
GUIDELINES FOR INTERPRETING FIGURES OF SPEECH IN THE BIBLE Take the literal meaning of statements of comparison unless there are compelling reasons to interpret them figuratively. Interpret each of the terms of the figure of speech (vehicle and tenor) before attempting to interpret what is intended by their figurative association. Pay due attention to connotations, as well as denotations, of the terms involved in the figure of speech. 1. 2. 3.
GUIDELINES FOR INTERPRETING FIGURES OF SPEECH IN THE BIBLE Read the figure of speech carefully for all of its import; do not skim read figures of speech in the Bible. In cases where an explanatory propositional statement follows a figure of speech, interpret it in the light of the propositional statement. Pay careful attention to contexts immediate and far, linguistic and historical in the interpretation of figures of speech. 4. 5. 6.
WISDOM LITERATURE The Nature of Wisdom Hokma and sophia Biblical wisdom sought in the first place, to provide guidance for living by propounding rules of moral order and, in the second place, to explore the meaning of life though reflection, speculation, and debate (p. 308, citing R. B. Y. Scott). The fear of the Lord as the beginning and goal of wisdom. Wisdom literature employs many different literary techniques.
WISDOM LITERATURE Proverbs Proverbs are short memorable statements of the true state of things as perceived and learned by human observations over extended periods of experience. In terms of the biblical Book of Proverbs, this refers to an apophthegm (a short, witty, and instructive saying) that has currency among those who fear the Lord.
WISDOM LITERATURE Select Types of Proverbs Descriptive proverbs Prescriptive proverbs Comparative proverbs Contrastive proverbs Conditional proverbs Declarative proverbs Instructional proverbs Numerical proverbs
WISDOM LITERATURE Ecclesiastes Written for the most part as poetry, Ecclesiastes contains the usual features of poetry such as various types of parallelism as well as terseness, concreteness, figures of speech, and abundant imagery. An unusual feature of Ecclesiastes is the author s double approach in searching for ultimate reality. Utilizing these poetic devices, The writer of Ecclesiastes has set for himself the task of making us feel the emptiness of life under the sun and the attractiveness of a God-filled life that leads to contentment with one s earthly lot (p. 319, citing Ryken). Utilizes repetition, such as under the sun.
WISDOM LITERATURE Job Job is written in poetry. Job is concerned with the sufficiency of God. Can he be trusted for every situation in life? Job is chiefly an example of disputation literature: Specifically, we hear the lengthy disputation speeches in which the speakers debate the cause of Job s suffering (p. 320, citing Klein, Blomberg, and Hubbard). Job includes psalmic materials, proverbs, satire, rhetorical questions, and widespread imagery. Yet, Job is also a story with a setting, plot, and characterization.
WISDOM LITERATURE Wisdom Elsewhere in the Old Testament Blessings of the patriarchs Historical books Prophetic books Wisdom Psalms Declarative Hortatory Reflective
WISDOM LITERATURE Wisdom in the New Testament Jesus as wisdom teacher par excellence Wisdom literature in teachings, parables, aphorisms of the epistles, especially James
SAMPLE EXEGESIS: THE BOOK OF JOB Author s basic purpose and central themes Pain and suffering Problem of evil Issues of justice and injustice Limitations of human wisdom Overall message The sovereign God is sufficient for all of life s circumstances.
SAMPLE EXEGESIS History The story is set in the patriarchal period. Geographically, the action takes place in the land of Uz, best associated with the northern Arabian Peninsula and the land of Edom. Literature Plot Denouement Resolution Characterization
SAMPLE EXEGESIS Basic lesson The wise person will surrender to the sovereign, holy, and wise Lord of the universe and find him sufficient for all of life s needs. Theology If we see things from God s point of view and put our trust in him, we will find him sufficient in all of life s trials.
GUIDELINES FOR INTERPRETING WISDOM LITERATURE Determine the central purpose of any wisdom piece. In Proverbs, note the type involved and the specific advice for godly living it is teaching. Evaluate the general maxims of Proverbs in the light of the proverb s ancient setting as well as in comparison with other scriptural teachings. Remember that proverbs are designed to be general guidelines and are not always applicable to every situation and circumstance. Where instruction is the proverb s chief goal, take seriously the truths and moral standards it is teaching. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
GUIDELINES FOR INTERPRETING WISDOM LITERATURE When interacting with Ecclesiastes, the interpreter should take careful note of both the positive and negative teachings of the book, balancing each in the light of the book s central purpose. In Job, the interpreter must come to grips with the central message of the book and evaluate the contribution of each part to the book s ultimate purpose. In Job, the interpreter should be careful to apply the rules of interpretation relative to storytelling such as setting, plot, and characterization. He should seek to determine what lessons are to be learned form the standpoint of each portion in the dialogue. 6. 7. 8.
GUIDELINES FOR INTERPRETING WISDOM LITERATURE The interpreter should be alert to occurrences of wisdom throughout the pages of the Bible. Especially to be noted are the teachings of Jesus. One should pay close attention to the theological and moral truths embedded in his teaching as crucial for the development of Christian character and conduct. 10. In every wisdom piece of literature, determine the chief goal of the instruction. Be careful to evaluate it in the light of the total scriptural revelation in order that proper application of its truths and moral lessons may be applied properly to contemporary living. 9.
