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Rhetoric
Within Pattern Analysis, rhetoric is the persuasive portion of a literary unit based on its structure. Certain locations within each literary unit are potentially persuasive–they are presented below for the sake of analysis. Normally, many of the potential locations can be persuasive, but often not all. The student is encouraged to listen to what the Holy Spirit seems to be emphasizing.
Like the imperfect chiastic structures, imperfect parallel symmetries can also have a high impact upon a reader. When an element has been inserted, omitted, transposed to another location, or substantially varied, that then is an imperfect parallel symmetry. This makes the structure look less than totally symmetric. An additional emphasis should be found in an imperfect parallel symmetry at the place of asymmetry.
In a parallel symmetry, these are the two A elements, A-B-C-A'-B'-C'. Sometimes these are a place of emphasis.
An element was intentionally inserted into one of the two parts. For example, the C element in A-B-C-D-D'-B'-A' does not have a corresponding C' element, which means C is an extra. This anomaly only applies to chiastic and parallel symmetry structures. The extra is a place of rhetorical importance, whereas the corresponding element is missing.
In a parallel symmetry, these are the two A elements, A-B-C-A'-B'-C'. Sometimes these are a place of emphasis.
In a parallel symmetry, this is oftentimes a place of emphasis. For example, in an A-B-C-D-A'-B'-C'-D' structure, the two D elements are in the last/last position.
An emphasis or turning point that is at the logical center of a structure. It is either an X in the middle of a chiasm, parallel symmetry, immediate repetition, or list is a center point, or if two elements appear at the center of a chiasm rather than an X, those two elements are the center point. For example, X is the center point of A-B-C-X-A'-B'-C', and C-C' is the center point of A-B-C-C'-B'-A'.
Also known as conjugate pairs. It is any two elements that are paired with each other. In some cases, the pair may be emphatic even though they are not in a position of emphasis such as first/first or first/last. For example, in a chiastic A-B-C-X-C'-B'-A' structure, the two B elements might add considerable conviction to the reader or listener.
In a parallel symmetry, this is oftentimes a place of emphasis. For example, in an A-B-C-D-A'-B'-C'-D' structure, the two D elements are in the last/last position.
An emphasis or turning point that is at the logical center of a structure. It is either an X in the middle of a chiasm, parallel symmetry, immediate repetition, or list is a center point, or if two elements appear at the center of a chiasm rather than an X, those two elements are the center point. For example, X is the center point of A-B-C-X-A'-B'-C', and C-C' is the center point of A-B-C-C'-B'-A'.
In a chiasm, these are the two A elements: A-B-C-C'-B'-A'. Oftentimes an emphasis may be found in these locations.
An emphasis or turning point that is at the logical center of a structure. It is either an X in the middle of a chiasm, parallel symmetry, immediate repetition, or list is a center point, or if two elements appear at the center of a chiasm rather than an X, those two elements are the center point. For example, X is the center point of A-B-C-X-A'-B'-C', and C-C' is the center point of A-B-C-C'-B'-A'.
The word behold as a specific type of interjection. Behold often appears near the beginning of a sentence or phrase that emphasizes the remainder of the statement. The emphasis is to be found in the words immediately following the interjection.
A summarization that concludes a basic structure which is designated with the letters SUM. For example, A-B-C-A'-B'-C'-SUM. A closing summary is also known as a concluding epitome, final unit, and an epilogue. It serves two functions: to summarize and to motivate. It is always emphatic and should be easily detected.
In a chiasm, these are the two A elements: A-B-C-C'-B'-A'. Oftentimes an emphasis may be found in these locations.
An emphasis or turning point that is at the logical center of a structure. It is either an X in the middle of a chiasm, parallel symmetry, immediate repetition, or list is a center point, or if two elements appear at the center of a chiasm rather than an X, those two elements are the center point. For example, X is the center point of A-B-C-X-A'-B'-C', and C-C' is the center point of A-B-C-C'-B'-A'.
In this IMPERFECT PARALLEL SYMMETRY, the Lord used the illustration of two animals for each mammal, bird and snake as an example of how mankind should be designed. In verse 4, the root of the Hebrew word Nephilim is foolish for they had many wives and many children. They were not of God′s design, one man and one woman. But Noah had but three children and he took on the ark his one wife and his sons and his son′s wives.
1) The parallel symmetry substructure in the EXTRA B element is a discrete way of presenting God′s problem. Because there is no text in the B′ element, it opens the inspection of B for greater discernment. In the LAST/LAST b elements, the men took many wives for themselves, which could be construed as one man with many women. The b′ element identifies these as both young and older men. That is the wickedness that the Lord saw in verse 5.
2) The corruption of the land is stressed in the two C CORRESPONDING ELEMENTS. Their wickedness was great for that is what they all thought about. They were a violent people.
3) The LAST/LAST elements, D and D′, identify that the Lord is not only grieved at the wickedness but is intent on destroying them. That is, the Lord was so very upset with this wickedness that He decided to start again. The law of Moses had not yet been established so man could not be expected to follow that. But the idea of one man with one woman was the Lord′s expectation, even from Genesis 2. The FIRST/LAST a elements in verses 6:13 and 17 about destruction of the people begin with the INTERJECTION Behold. The way of those being destroyed are those of the flesh.
4) The CLOSING SUMMARY is a chiasm substructure. The FIRST/LAST elements a to a′ are about covenant for Noah did everything that the Lord commanded him to do. At the x CENTER POINT of that chiasm, the animals are presented. Show More Rhetoric Show Less Rhetoric
PARALLEL SYMMETRY (IMPERFECT):
... the Lord cursed and destroyed the corrupt people ...
a genealogy marker
BEGINNING MARKER: Noah was five hundred years old, (v5:32A)
Noah was the father of three
A
and Noah became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (v5:32B)
a change of time
sub-unit marker: Now it came about, (v6:1A)
men bore children
a
when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them, (v6:1B)
problem: the men took many wives
b
that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose. (v6:2)
man′s days shall not exceed 120 years
x
Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” (v6:3)
the fools (children of God) bore children
a′
The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. (v6:4A)
these were old, well-known men
b′
Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown. (v6:4B)
the Lord saw the corruption
C
Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (v6:5)
grieved, the Lord will blot out man from the earth
D
The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. The Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.” (v6:6,7)
Noah had the Lord′s favor
X
But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. (v6:8)
a genealogy marker
SUB-UNIT MARKER: These are the records of the generations of Noah. (v6:9A)
righteous Noah was the father of three
A′
Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God. Noah became the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (v6:9B,10)
no text
B′
God saw the corruption and violence
C′
Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence. God looked on the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth. (v6:11,12)
the Lord will destroy man from the earth
a
Then God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence because of them; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth. (v6:13)
protection for the ark
b
“Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make the ark with rooms, and shall cover it inside and out with pitch. (v6:14)
size of the ark
x
“This is how you shall make it: the length of the ark three hundred cubits, its breadth fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. (v6:15)
layout of the ark
b′
“You shall make a window for the ark, and finish it to a cubit from the top; and set the door of the ark in the side of it; you shall make it with lower, second, and third decks. (v6:16)
INTERJECTION: the Lord will destroy all earth
a′
“Behold, I, even I am bringing the flood of water upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life, from under heaven; everything that is on the earth shall perish. (v6:17)
the Lord will preserve Noah by covenant
a
“But I will establish My covenant with you; (v6:18A)
family shall enter the ark
b
and you shall enter the ark–you and your sons and your wife, and your sons′ wives with you. (v6:18B)
two of everything shall enter
x
“And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. Of the birds after their kind, and of the animals after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive. (v6:19,20)
take food onto the ark
b′
“As for you, take for yourself some of all food which is edible, and gather it to yourself; and it shall be for food for you and for them.” (v6:21)
Noah obeyed God′s covenantal commands
a′
Thus Noah did; according to all that God had commanded him, so he did. (v6:22)