Category: Series Studies on biblical topics

Parallelism: A + B –part 2 on biblical poetry

Understanding how to begin exegeting Hebrew poetry is helpful in learning about the forms, especially that of parallelism. It is the most common form used in the Bible and perhaps the easiest to understand. It is the foundation and common literary feature in Hebrew poetry in that two or more lines are connected in some way. The simple formula tell us that line A is the main reference, followed by line B that has something added to it; Line B emphasizes line A, and connects to it. The phrase, A plus B, boils down to mean that something has been added to line B making the whole more significant (Fields, 2008, p. 266). Do not let this explanation overwhelm you. Try to take the time to look up the provided references in the Bible and you will be able to understand the process, This is not an easy task, but worth the effort when you “get it.”

There are several kinds of parallelisms in Hebrew poetry which include: synonymous, nearly identical thoughts in both lines of a couplet (Ps. 49:1); contrastive (antithetic),  line B is in contrast to  line A (Pro. 15:1); synthetic (temporal),  line B completes the thought of the line A (Pro. 4:23); synthetic (causal/climatic), proceeds by steps to a climax in thought (Ps. 103:1);        comparative/complementary, line B forms a simile of the line A (Ps. 103:12); and progressive; a new and related thought is introduced in line B (Job 3:17) (Fields, 2008, p. 266; Merrill, 2008, p.218). Only the synonymous parallelism will be discussed in the essay and I will give an example of this parallelism device and explain how it is used.

            The formula: “A plus B,” shows how B makes a connection to A. In a general parallelism, B is not a restatement, but additional information has been added to emphasize A.  Sometimes this is accomplished by using a contrasting B clause.  Following is an example of a general parallelism:

            Line A: “With God we will gain victory,

            Line B.   and He will trample down our enemies” (Psalm 60:12 NIV).

            The base (or reference point) is always line A. We can see in line A that God will be responsible for the victory. In line B, we see how this will come about — He will trample them. The relationship is logical and connective. God is a proper noun in the line A, and corresponds to that with He in line B. The relationship can also come about in either order with cause-effect or effect cause. Either way, line B needs to emphasize line A, the reference point (Fields, 2008, p. 266). Understanding that “A plus B,” means that something has been added to line B making the whole more connectively significant and makes the process of exegeting easier to perform (Fields, 2008, p. 266).

References

Fields, L.M. (2008). Hebrew for the rest of us. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Life Application Study Bible (NIV). (2005). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

Merrill, E.H. (2008). An historical survey of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic

Subjective and Non-Subjective Approaches Expression

Poetic truths exist on a different level than ordinary facts. It is a way of thinking that goes beyond the literal, straight forward approach. Example: My peach tree is in bloom, it is 20 feet high, and stands 30 feet from my house. This is factual and non-subjective. Poetry is mostly subjective in its truth and I will try to show that with this example following up with the same peach tree (please excuse my poor poetry; I am just trying to prove a point).

Peach Tree in Bloom

The sweet fragrance of its baby-pink blossoms —

God’s natural perfume — wafting on the breeze

As it tickles bright new leaves and flowers- to- be fruit

 As one would tickle a child – in gently playful joy

I inhale deeply and envision peaches

Like a gift from God to me in my little Eden.

The subjective helps us to grasp the true nature of things and better contact with reality. It paints a picture in the mind. Metaphors are usually the best element for defining poetry as they point to the truth by comparison to the reader. Emotion plays a part in poetry and usually sticks in your mind with its truth of the situation.

More about the Psalms

Copyright 2019 by Joan Berry

                Martin Luther said of the psalms that they formed a little Bible (Wright, p. 28). John Calvin went a step further and said they were the anatomy of all parts of the soul. “He was in touch with how profoundly the psalms had touched him; and how the psalms reflected our emotions. The psalms have endeared themselves to the hearts of God’s people throughout the centuries” (Futato, p. 59). The Psalms, also known as the Psalter, comprise 150 poems/songs that are placed into five main categories and each end with a doxology. Some of the psalms are very ancient originating from 1000 years prior to the Jesus Movement. It is thought that the Book of Psalms was closed in the fourth or third century B. C.  Approximately one third of the 360 quotes from the Old and New Testaments are taken from the Psalter (Sabornin, pp. v-vi, 164).

            The five main categories the psalms fall into are Hymns, Laments, Songs of Thanksgiving, Divine Kingship Songs, and Wisdom Songs. Considered to be Royal Psalms are 2, 18, 20, 21, 45, 72, 89, 101, 110, 132, and 144.  Psalms also appear in the books of Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Lamentations, Song of Songs, Isiah, Minor Prophets except Jonah. In addition some appear in Exodus 15; Judges 5; and 2 Samuel 18 (Futato, p. 18).

            According to Wright (2011), “A good poem uses its poetic form to probe deeper into human experience than ordinary speech or writing is usually able to do, to pull back a veil and allow the reader or hearer to sense other dimensions. Sometimes, we are shocked or have to admit that we never considered that view before.”

            Psalm 23^rd  is considered to be one of the finest in the psalter because of its simplicity. It also breaks all the patterns of ‘form history.’ Being a pure psalm of confidence, it cannot immediately be classified under any of the categories or type of style history. It is a created poem that has its own form type” (Sabornin, p. 271).

Purpose of the Psalms

            It may be suggested that the Book of Psalms is a manual, guide/model for individual’s devotional needs; one reason is that it was influenced by wisdom tradition. Many psalms were believers’ praises and prayers to God, but once The Psalms became a canonical book, the texts became God’s word to the believers to teach us how to pray and praise Him (Futato, pp. 59, 68).  

             The word “psalms” comes from the Greek that denotes stringed instruments; “psalter” also comes from the Greek meaning stringed instruments, most likely the lyre. Accordingly, this indicates that many of the psalms were written for congregational worship. Churches throughout the centuries have used psalms as lyrics for hymns as well as liturgy for recitation (Creach, pp. 1, 2). Furthermore, there are two important characteristics that Creach (1998) brings to the forefront of this topic: 1) “They were not prayed privately or in isolation. When an individual speaks in a psalm, he or she prays from within a congregation, or on behalf of a group; 2) Many psalms speak about great suffering and persecution” (Creach, pp. 1,2). Americans residing in the United States have freedom of religion; however, it is correct to pray on the behalf of others who are poor and oppressed in the world. Recently, as most of us know, there is a war on Christianity in all parts of the world and yes, here too.

Note to new Bible students

            Be sure to interpret text in its original historic content, although some of it appears to relate to all ages.

Sources

Creach, J. F. D. (1998). Imprecation Bible Studies: Psalms. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press.

Futato, M. D. (2007). Interpreting the Psalms: An Exegetical Handbook. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications.

New King James Study Bible. (2nd.ed., 2007). Nashville, TN. Tomas Nelson, Inc.

Life Application Study Bible (2012). Carol Stream, IL. Tyndale House

Sabornin, S, J. (1979). The Psalms: Their Origin and Meaning. New York, NY: Alba House Publications.

Wright, N. T. (2011). The Case for Psalms: Why They are Essential. New York, NY: Harper One.

Churches Guilty of False Teaching for Centuries: The Curse of Noah

Copyright 2019 by Joan Berry

            For centuries, churches have erroneously taught that Noah cursed Ham to have black skin and he was to be a slave to his brothers. This was used as an excuse to justify slavery forever among peoples with black skin. To begin with, Ham’s skin was already black, and the curse was placed on Ham’s youngest son, Canaan. And then, there are the false claims against Ham and to clarify those: Ham did not UNCOVER his father’s nakedness; he was not cursed to be black; he did not commit sexual sins against either parent; and he did not castrate his father. These issues and more will be discussed in this paper. Skin color will be discussed first.

White, Black, and Red Skin

Consensus among many anthropologists is that all early mankind had black skin [shades of brown were included in this category]. White skin was unusual and sometimes considered to be albino. Noah was not an albino. Red skin came as a combination of the colors. Due to intermarriages, they posit, skins began changing to various colors as well as eye color. Biblical scholars/anthropologists in tracing the genealogy of biblical families report that Abraham was black and had two black wives and then Sarah who was white. Moses married a black woman in Cush [Ethiopia/political]; Joseph married an Egyptian; sons of Jacob married Canaanite women of various colors. From these intermarriages, scholars/anthropologists say that we now have many skin and eye colors. Jesus is described as having skin the color of burnished brass [Revelation, Letter to Thyatira]. According to ethnologists, Noah’s children were black (Ham); Japheth, white like Noah; and Shem, brown).

The Controversy of the Curse

            The order of the events preceding the curse:

            Noah raised a vineyard and produced wine;

            He drank too much wine and passed out in his own tent;

            Ham entered the tent and SAW his father’s nakedness;

            Rather than leaving and not saying anything out of respect, he ran to his brothers and told them (making fun of Noah is indicated);

            Shem and Japheth took a cloth and walking backwards covered their father without seeing his nakedness;

            Later, when Noah woke up and found out what happened, he cursed Canaan, Ham’s youngest son. While he cursed Canaan, he indirectly cursed Ham, who was Noah’s youngest son. This act most likely hurt Ham more than being directly cursed. It must be remembered this was a curse by Noah (not God). It applied only to his son and grandson. And the curse was that Canaan would be subservient to Shem. The Land of Canaan was later given to Shem (Israelites) and the Canaanites exterminated.

Now the False Teaching

            False teachers insert a word from Leviticus into Genesis as their source to accuse Ham of untrue charges: “The nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother, shalt thou NOT UNCOVER: she is thy mother; thou shalt not UNCOVER her nakedness.” – Leviticus 18:7. The word for uncover is “galah” meaning uncover, remove, or expose. The word for saw is “raah” meaning appear, see, or become visible. Moses wrote Leviticus and Genesis and it is doubtful that Moses mixed up these words. Our Bibles use the correct word, “saw”, however that does not keep false teachers from perverting scripture. Ham did not uncover his father or molest either parent and his skin was already black.

The Tower of Babel

            Following God’s disbursement of Noah’s descendants after their attempt to build a tower to Heaven, Ham’s descendants migrated southward and their names can be seen in Africa, Eastern Mediterranean, and central Asia. A great migration occurred to Egypt, but Canaan settled in the land now called Israel. Canaan’s land was later ceded to Shem.

The three sons of Noah represent the three great races of mankind. A list of 70 individual founders is found in Genesis and divides them into three basic groups. Ethnologists generally agree that mankind is divided into three basic groups; the Bible divides them geographically.

Sources

Berry, J. (2019). Noah Before and After the Great Flood. Hamilton, OH: “The Original Love, Learn, Live in Christ” website by joan-berry.com

Book of Noah

Holy Bible from the Ancient Eastern Text. (1957). Lamsa, G. M. (trans). New York, NY: Harper –Collins Pub.

Josephus: The Complete Works. (1998). (trans.) Wm. Whiston, A. M. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson

Kaffi, A. (2000). Rethinking the significance of the Black Presence in the Pentateuch for Translation Study Bible.

Kass, L.P. (1992 & 2001). Seeing the Nakedness of His Father: Part 1. American Community, Vol. 3, Is. 93, 7p.

Life Application study Bible. (NIV, 2005). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Wheaton, Illinois

New King James Version Study Bible. (2007). Pub. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Sadler, R.S. Jr. (n.d.). Can a Cushite Change His Skin Color? “Racial Othering” and the Hebrew Bible. Charlotte, NC: Union-PSCE.

The Amplified Bible. (1987). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House

The Torah and its Commentary (Revised Ed.) (2005). New York, NY: Union for Reform Judaism

Williams, T. D. (2018). The Bible is Black History ISBN-13: 978-1792125881  ISBN-10: 1792125887

Books used from Bibles: Genesis, I Chronicles, Psalms 105: 23, 27; 106: 22.