found: Here the third line forms a continuous sense with to this species of parallelism; and also for some the first, and the fourth with the second: the felicitous illustrations of passages in which it is youths and virgins, led out of doors by the vigour and buoyancy natural at their time of life, fall victims to the sword in the streets of the city; while infancy and old age, confined by helplessness and decrepitude to the inner chambers of the house, perish there by fear, before the sword can reach them.* The next passage, which is from the New Testament, is very striking; it is Rom. ii. 28, 29: For he is not a Jew, who is one outwardly; Neither is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; But he is a Jew, who is one inwardly; The idols of the heathen are silver and gold; They have mouths, but they speak not; Neither is there any breath in their mouths; Ps. cxxxv. 15—18. In the first line we have the idolatrous heathen; in the eighth, those who put their trust in idols; in the second line, the fabrication; in the seventh, And circumcision that of the heart, in the spirit, the fabricators; in the third line, mouths without not in letter; Whose praise is not from men, but from God. Here it will be seen that the first, third, and fifth lines are not only parallel, but keep up a continuous sense, though that is twice suspended, by the intervention of the second and fourth lines.+ (4) The Introverted Parallelism is that which is so constructed, that whatever be the number of its members, the first answers to the last, the second to the penultimate, or last but one, and so on throughout, in an order that looks inward, or, to borrow a military phrase, from flanks to centre. The following example is taken from Bishop Jebb, to whom we are indebted for recalling attention articulation; in the sixth, mouths without breath; a | And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit; | And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting a But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran, and worshipped him, &c. Here we have, in e and e, the chains of the Mr. Boys, an introverted parallelism of six memperson possessed; in d and d, his fetters; in cbers; but as it would occupy considerable space ande, the difficulty of binding or taming him; to go through the several parts of it, and point out in b and b, his places of resort and usual habits; its construction, a mere exhibition of its form in a and a, his meeting with Jesus. || The thir- must suffice. It is thus : tieth psalm is, according to the arrangement of * Jebb s Sacred Literature, p. 30. Ibid, rp. 199, 200. + Sacred Literature, p. 57. || Tactica Sacra, p. 6. B. 22.-Philemon's hospitality-Prayers of Philemon for St. Paul. (5) The parallelism of rhythm. This consists simply in the form or construction of the period; it affects not the internal thought, but merely the external dress: it consists in a certain measure in the words and lines; as for example, 2 Cor. xi. 21-29: 1. In whatsoever any one is bold, I also am bold. 2. Are they Hebrews? So am I. So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. measure: In prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Five times of the Jews received I forty stripes, save one. In dangers from rivers; in dangers from robbers; In dangers from my countrymen; in dangers from heathens; In dangers in the city; in dangers in the wilderness; In dangers at sea; in dangers among false 5. In labour and toil; in watchings often; 6. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn? The simply rhythmical parallelism holds the most prominent place in the Lamentations of Jeremiah. V. We have now adverted to the several kinds Thrice was I beaten with rods; once was I of parallelism found in the sacred writings; and stoned: attention to their principles will afford much Thrice was I shipwrecked; a night and a day assistance in the art of interpretation. Of this, have I spent in the deep. 4. In journeyings often. Key to the Book of Psalms, p. 127. some of the examples that have been given afford Tactica Sacra, pp. 61-68. unquestionable evidence. The correspondence very favourably received. Be this as it may, we have little doubt that it will ultimately be numbered among the direct aids to be employed in elucidating the obscurities and removing the difficulties of Scripture phraseology. existing between the different parts of these compositions has been seen to be of various kinds : sometimes it lies in affinity, sometimes in antithesis; sometimes in words, sometimes in ideas, sometimes in construction; but of whatever kind it may be, it is generally very marked and decisive, except in the constructive parallelism, which, as avady noticed, is sometimes very subtle and obscure, and must be developed by art and labour. The great use of the Scripture Parallelism is, to aid in ascertaining with precision what are the leading topics of a passage; what are the points which the sacred writer intends to urge, and what those which he only introduces in connexion with them; as well as to indicate in what sense an obscure or ambiguous word ought to be taken in a particular place. And the conjecture of Bishop Jebb is by no means unreasonable indeed, it has been borne out by facts-that these parallelisms may have been provided, among other purposes, as so many moulds and forms, by means of which shape and consistency may be given to passages at present, if not wholly unintelligible, at least hard to be understood. VI. Very nearly allied to the rhythmical parallelism, in its principle, and therefore furnishing similar aid in discovering the sense of language, is what is properly termed the COMMON REFERENCE. The chief difference between them is this; that the parallelism more particularly relates to the meaning of words; the common reference, to that of sentences. 1. This topic has been but recently brought forward; and, if we may judge from the silence that has been observed about it, it has not been Likewise reckon ye also yourselves 2. That one clause in a sentence has a common reference to two or more clauses in the same sentence, is indeed, often too obvious to fail of being perceived; but the extent to which such a construction of sentences prevails in the sacred writings, has hitherto escaped the attention of critics. The translator and expositor who seems to have been the most fully alive to the subject, and who has the most frequently availed himself of the principle, to give shape and consistency to passages in the apostolic epistles, which he found involved in obscurity, is Macknight. But it is to Mr. Boys, the ingenious writer on the Scripture Parallelism, that we are more particularly indebted for having brought it under notice. He has developed, with much clearness, the principle of this kind of construction, and has illustrated its use by some striking examples. To the second of the Appendices to his Tactica Sacra, we are chiefly indebted for the selections that follow. 3. The first example we offer is from Rom. vi. 11, where the apostle says, "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." Now, according to this punctuation, the apostle is made to represent the fact of our being “alive to God," as resulting from "Jesus Christ our Lord;" but not so our being "dead unto sin." The first member of the sentence is severed from the last, but the second is united to it; it therefore reads thus: to be dead indeed unto sin, Such, however, is not the meaning of the apostle, who, as is evident from numerous other pasSages in his writings, intended to represent our -death to sin" as resulting, equally with our Likewise reckon ye also yourselves "living to God," from Jesus Christ our Lord. to be dead indeed unto sin, through Jesus Christ The eighth verse of the chapter confirms this little before, "If ye be dead with Christ" (chap. Few of the passage. There the apostle says, ii. 20). According to this view of the passage, a Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that shall also live with him;" connecting our death unto sin with Christ, as well as our living wat God. We find a further confirmation of this view of the passage in the Epistle to the Colossans; for there the apostle not only says, "If ye then be risen with Christ" (chap. iii. 1), but a comma must be inserted before the last clause, "through Jesus Christ our Lord;" and never, as Mr. Boys has remarked, did a comma make a more important difference. (2) Another passage deserving notice is in the same epistle, chap. xv. 7. This is uniformly pointed in the Greek text thus: "Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God," connecting the second clause with the third, but separating the first clause from it. Our translation, however, in some copies at least, presents the true sense of the apostle (by departing from the Greek punctuation), which is, that as Christ received us to the glory of God, we also should receive one another to the glory of God. The third clause has therefore a common reference to both the preceding ones. (3) Gal. iv. 7 furnishes another example; and here our authorised Version errs in following the punctuation of the common Greek text. The passage stands thus: "Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ." But surely the apostle had no intention to assert, that, while our heirship was derived "through Christ," our sonship was independent of him. This cannot be; and a slight alteration in the pointing will restore the true meaning: "Wherefore thou art no more a servant but a son, and if a son then an heir, of God through Christ." This shows the last member of the sentence to have a common reference to the two preceding ones : These are three examples of a word or clause of a | head, to which we have supposed the apostle to sentence having a common reference to two others; and it is very observable, that the two clauses to which the third refers, are in a greater or lesser degree parallel. Sometimes, however, there is a common reference of one clause to three others; and in such cases, the parallelism of the three is" which worketh all in all," is permitted to take equally obvious. refer, as well, indeed, as the entire sense of the passage, is altogether destroyed by the punctuation here adopted. For what purpose, it may be asked, are the Spirit and the Lord introduced into the first and second clauses, when the last clause, (4) The following example is very striking, and marks most distinctly the three persons in the blessed and undivided Trinity : "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord; and there are diversities of operations, but it is the sante God which worketh all in all," 1 Cor. xii. 4-6. But the distinction of the persons in the God as its antecedent, "the same God," of the third clause? So represented, the meaning of the apostle cannot be discovered. But if, in accordance with the principle we are now desirous to illustrate, this last clause be taken as having a common reference to the three preceding ones, the passage is rendered wholly intelligible, and assumes an important character. It may then be exhibited thus: Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit; The only alteration here made in the text is the omission of sor, it is, in the last clause; and the word is rejected by Griesbach upon good authority. The parallelism confirms his decision. 4. These examples will be sufficient to point out the nature of the common reference, and render manifest the kind of aid derivable from it, in the interpretation of the Scriptures.* SECTION VIII. THE SUBSIDIARY MEANS FOR DISCOVERING THE Direct Testimony not always Available or Satisfactory-Sub- THE two preceding sections have been devoted to a consideration of those sources which furnish which worketh all in all. direct testimony to the signification of words and the sense of particular expressions in the sacred writings. A very little consideration will suggest to the student that such testimony will not always be found adequate to the necessities of the interpreter. The usus loquendi, that is, the meaning which usage has attached to words, cannot always be found by these means. As Ernesti remarks, "Proper evidence respecting the usage of language is sometimes wanting; sometimes usage is variable or inconstant, even in the same age, or in the same writer; or there is an ambiguity of language, or Tactica Sacra, Bishop Horsley on Psalm ii. 4, and v. 3. "Nothing is more frequent in the Psalms," he remarks, “than that two verbs should have a common causal noun." See also his note on Psalın ix. 18, and on xii. 3. Psalm x. 1, and xiii. 4, may also be referred to. In no part of the Bible, perhaps, says Mr. Boys, do common references occur more frequently * On this subject the reader may consult, in addition to the than in the Psalms. of grammatical forms; or an obscurity covers the subject or thing treated of; or novelty of language occurs; or a neglect of the usus loquendi, which sometimes happens, even in the most careful writers." * In these exigencies, other means must be resorted to for eliciting the signification of words, and discovering the writer's meaning. Of these, the most important are, an examination of the scope of the author, of the context of the discourse, and of the analogy of Scripture. A few remarks upon each of these topics may be submitted. I. THE SCOPE or DESIGN of the WRITER. 1. To compare the design or scope of an entire passage, with the particular part of the composition under consideration, will often be found an important aid to discover its meaning. Every part of the sacred volume was penned for the attainment of a specific object; and a judicious writer will not often be found to say that which is inconsistent with his design. If this can be ascertained, therefore, we shall possess a clue to the import of the terms employed, where they are at all ambiguous, and a means of elucidating the argument and illustration of the writer. 2. The use of this aid, it should be remarked, requires particular care, and must never be permitted to supersede the employment of those means of discovering the sense of words, which have been already discussed. To those means the first place must be assigned, since they relate to direct and positive testimony; and no meaning which they have fairly elicited must be set aside by another meaning derived from the supposed scope or design of the author. The aid derivable from the scope, will not be in such frequent requisition in the interpretation of the historical books, as in that of the Psalms, the prophets, and the epistles; the method of the historian in those being determined by the order of time, or by the similarity of events. Nevertheless, it is not to be altogether laid aside, even in the study of the gospels, elucidating, as it sometimes will do, those beautiful discourses and parables of our Saviour, which were called forth by surrounding and local circumstances, and which had special reference to the character and pursuits of his immediate hearers. tained from his own express or implied statement ; (a) Sometimes the scope or design of a work will be found stated at its commencement; sometimes, near its close; and at other times, in both these places. Thus, John declares the scope or design of his gospel in express terms :-" These, are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that, believing, ye might have life through his name,” ch. xx. 31. So Peter:-"This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance; that ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of our Lord and Saviour," ch. iii. 1. The same may be remarked of John's first epistle, in which the writer declares, “These things have I written unto you, concerning them that seduce you," ch. ii. 14. Sometimes the scope is suggested by the title of the book; as in the Proverbs :- "The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel; to know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding ; to receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment, and equity; to give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion," ch. i. 1-4.† Now, if these books be read with an eye steadily fixed upon the scope, thus pointed out by their respective authors, much force and beauty will be perceived, which would otherwise be lost. : (b) More attention and care will be required where the scope is only implied in the historical circumstances mentioned by the writer. In illustration of this remark, we may refer to the Epistle to the Colossians, the scope of which is to be gathered from the circumstances 'referred to by the apostle. (1) He expressly mentions (ver. 3— 8) the conversion of the Colossians, effected under the ministry of Epaphras; and the accounts which had been given to him by that servant of God, concerning the present state of their church. (2) He declares, in express terms (ch. ii. 1), that he endured a great conflict for those churches which he had not seen in the flesh; and amongst the rest, for this church. No means, therefore, could have been adopted, better calculated to strengthen the Colossians, than letters from himself, who was now absent, and a prisoner. (3) 4. The scope of a writer may generally be ascer- He intimates (ch. ii. 7, 8), that the church was 3. The scope of an author is commonly distinguished as being either general or special; the former regards the entire work, and the latter, particular passages. This distinction, however, will not here be observed, as we are desirous to avoid burdening the memory with unnecessary rules. * Institutes, part 1, sect. 11, ch. 2, § 1. Franck's Guide to the Study of the Scriptures, p. 75. |