12/24/14

Hyperbole: A Common Biblical Figure of Speech by Kyle Butt, M.A.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=2407

Hyperbole: A Common Biblical Figure of Speech

by  Kyle Butt, M.A.

The Bible is by far the most popular book ever printed. As such, it is also the most read. Those who read the Bible are reading the inspired message of God (see Butt, 2007). Yet, even though the Bible is God’s inspired message, it contains figures of speech that commonly occur in secular writings. E.W. Bullinger wrote more than a thousand pages of material describing these figures of speech in his excellent volume Figures of Speech Used in the Bible (1968). In order to properly understand the Bible, a basic knowledge of commonly used figures of speech is important. Furthermore, such knowledge is often helpful in refuting erroneous claims, made by skeptics, that the Bible contains errors or discrepancies.
A common figure of speech used in the Bible is that of hyperbole. Bullinger defines hyperbole as: “when more is said than is literally meant” (1968, p. 423). He also calls hyperbole “exaggeration.” We who use the English language are quite familiar with the use of hyperbole, even though we may not be as familiar with the term itself. When a teenager explains to her parent that “everybody” is going to be at the party, does she mean that literally the world’s population of 6.6 billion people will be there? Of course she does not. She is intentionally exaggerating to make a point. When a teacher explains to his class that “everybody” knows who the first president of the United States was, does the teacher believe all toddlers can correctly answer the question? No. Once again, the teacher is simply using a well-understood figure of speech to convey a point.
In a similar way, the Bible uses hyperbole on numerous occasions. Take John 4:39 as an example. In this passage, a Samaritan woman spoke of Jesus and said: “He told me all that I ever did” (emp. added). Had Jesus really told that woman everything that she had ever done in her life? No, she was using hyperbole to make her point.
To illustrate further, consider Mark 1:4-5: “John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins” (emp. added). Taken literally, these verses would mean that John baptized every single person (man, woman, and child) in all of Judea and Jerusalem. But these verses are not to be taken literally. They are utilizing hyperbole, in which intentional “exaggeration” is employed to explain that John’s baptism was extremely popular.
The importance of understanding hyperbole can be seen when comparing another passage to Mark 1:4-5. In Luke 7:24-35, Jesus extolled the righteousness of John the Baptizer. Some of His listeners appreciated Jesus’ comments about John and some did not. Verses 29 and 30 explain: “And when all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.” Are we to conclude that the Pharisees and lawyers did not dwell in Judea and Jerusalem and that is why they had not been baptized—as Mark 1:4-5 would imply if taken literally? That would certainly be a stretch. The best answer in this case is to show that Mark’s use of hyperbole would allow some, such as the Pharisees and lawyers, to have rejected John and not to have received his baptism.
Another example of hyperbole is found in John 3:26. In that context, John’s disciples were telling John about the increasing popularity of Jesus’ ministry. They said to him: “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified—behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!” (emp. added). Was it true that literally “all” the people in the world were coming to Jesus? No, it was simply the case that John’s disciples were intentionally exaggerating, using hyperbole, to describe Jesus’ spreading fame. [NOTE: For more examples see Bullinger, 1968, pp. 423-428.]
Honest-hearted Bible readers can benefit greatly from knowing when and how the Bible writers used hyperbole. Many of the challenges of skeptics can also be answered based on such information. After all, everybody knows that great literature always uses figures of speech such as hyperbole to convey its message.

REFERENCES

Bullinger, E.W. (1968 reprint), Figures of Speech Used in the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker).
Butt, Kyle (2007), Behold! The Word of God (Montgomery, AL: Apologetics Press).

From Jim McGuiggan... A POX ON INFORMATIVE PREACHING


A POX ON INFORMATIVE PREACHING

     Henry S. Coffin spoke of the difference between guides who are pathetic and those who are truly in touch with what they are guides in and to. I'd like to say something about that with regard to preaching and teaching. Hand on my heart, I don't profess to preach well but I know down into my bones when I hear it done well and for the reason God willed it into being.

There are guides who take visitors around the great Continental cathedrals or magnificent buildings, to look at a much-talked-about statue or famed art gallery or any great historic site or to some marvellous place from which you can see half the world.

One kind is filled with patter, he’s rarely silent and for the 1000th time reels of the information he has read in a book and tells us what this or that expert or art critic has said. He regurgitates the facts, the dates, the places, the measurements and you come away overwhelmed with bits and pieces of information—and a very temporary recollection of some of the jumble of things he has said.

The other is in tune with the grandeur and mystique of it all—he experiences it, has entered into the heart of it, or at least he has us convinced that he has because it is more than stuff he has rattled off. He says something, enough, but he does more than that; he brings us to that “place” and “draws back the curtain” and we’re confronted with the “thing” itself. He steps aside and leaves us there to be stunned by someone or something from the hand of a master instead of a stream of someone else’s experience or opinion or judgement. With this guide we’re not deafened to the “real thing” by the “noise” of a prepared spiel, well-prepared chatter, of bored and speedy lecturing.

There’s so much religious talk, a lot of verses are thrown in that give it a biblical coloration but in the end it’s all a substitute for biblical preaching. We’re rarely confronted with “the master”. We hear lots of opinions from this commentator or that, this exegete or that, this theologian or that but it’s so much hearsay. Christ’s words to Pilate come to mind and we might think he asks the preacher, “Sayest thou this of thyself or did another tell thee?”

Edward Thomas Taylor preached a lot and preached a lot to sailors. One of them said: “When a man is preachin’ at me I want him to take something hot out of his heart and shove it into mine. That’s what I call preachin’.”
 
A pox on “delightful,” “interesting” and “informative” preaching!

From Mark Copeland... The Way To Greatness (Mark 9:33-37)

                          "THE GOSPEL OF MARK"

                     The Way To Greatness (9:33-37)

INTRODUCTION

1. Quietly passing through Galilee, Jesus and His disciples came to
   Capernaum...
   a. On the way, Jesus foretold His suffering a death a second time
      - Mk 9:30-32
   b. Also on the way, the disciples disputed who would be the greatest
      - Mk 9:33-34

2. Jesus took this opportunity to teach His disciples the way to true
   greatness...
   a. A way involving servitude
   b. A way involving humility

[Like many other paradoxes found in the Scripture (e.g., Mt 5:4-5), the
way to greatness in the kingdom of God is different than the way to
greatness in the kingdoms of men.  From Jesus we learn it involves...]

I. THE WAY OF SERVITUDE

   A. IMPORTANCE OF SERVITUDE...
      1. "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and
         servant of all." - Mk 9:35
      2. Greatness in Christ's kingdom is different than kingdoms of men
         - cf. Mt 20:20-26
      3. To be first (great), we must serve, just as Jesus served - cf.
         Mt 20:27-28
      -- The way of servitude is the way to greatness!

   B. EXAMPLES OF SERVITUDE...
      1. Serve others in evangelism
         a. Someone led you to Christ, can you not lead another to Him?
            - Jn 1:35-42
         b. Begin by being hospitable, offering acts of kindness and
            service
         c. At the very least:  invite to services, offer a Bible
            correspondence course
         d. Open your home to host Bible studies
         e. Hone your skills in personal evangelism, seek to improve
            your ability to share the gospel
      2. Serve others in edification
         a. Many have contributed to your spiritual growth, can you help
            others? - Ep 4:16
         b. Begin by being present at every service, greeting every one
            present
         c. Take special interest in those who are new, encourage them
         d. Offer to teach the children, even if only to assist another
            teacher
         e. Volunteer whatever service you can render in the work and
            worship of the church
      3. Serve others in benevolence
         a. Has anyone ever showed you kindness?  "Be kind to one
            another" - Ep 4:32
         b. Visit the sick or elderly, at home and in the hospital
         c. Render service such as cleaning, transportation, errands,
            etc.
         d. Minister to the poor, the hungry, or those otherwise in need
      -- These are just a few ideas of how we can serve others

[In order to offer the kind of service that really pleases God, and
thereby makes one great in the kingdom of God, the virtue of humility is
required.  And so Jesus taught His disciples...]

II. THE WAY OF HUMILITY

   A. IMPORTANCE OF HUMILITY...
      1. Jesus used a little child to teach the importance of humility
         - Mk 9:36-37
      2. The humility of small children provides an example for us - cf.
         Mt 18:1-4
      3. Like servitude, humility is a cardinal virtue in the kingdom
         - cf. 1Pe 5:5
      4. When we humbly receive others in Jesus' name, we receive both
         Him and His Father in heaven - Mk 9:37
      -- The way of humility is the way to greatness!

   B. EXAMPLES OF HUMILITY...
      1. In the area of evangelism
         a. Be open to opportunities to learn how to do personal work
         b. Ask others if you can accompany them as they teach others
         c. Reach out to those who are different than you
         d. Especially those less fortunate than you - cf. Jm 2:5
      2. In the area of edification
         a. Gladly accept subservient roles in teaching, preaching,
            worship
         b. Encourage and assist those who teach our children
         c. Warmly welcome those below or above your "social status"
            - Jm 2:1-4
         d. Help with mundane tasks (e.g., cleaning the building)
      3. In the area of benevolence
         a. Help those less fortunate than you - Lk 14:12-14
         b. Perform menial tasks where needed
         c. Offer to babysit, provide meals, help with expenses, etc.
      -- These are just a few ideas of how we show humility toward
         others

CONCLUSION

1. It may not seem like much, but the way to greatness is not possible
   without...
   a. A servant heart and servant hand
   b. A humble heart and humble hand

2. Jesus proved the greatness of service and humility by His own
   example...
   a. Coming to this earth in the form of a servant - Php 2:5-7
   b. Humbling Himself to the point of death on the cross - Php 2:8
   c. Thereby being highly exalted by God - Php 2:9-11

If we desire to be great in the kingdoms of men, we are setting
ourselves up for a fall:

   "For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles
   himself will be exalted." - Lk 14:11

If we desire to be great in the kingdom of God, let us humbly serve one
another and those in the world...
 
Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

From Gary... Please stand by.


Today, everyone wants instant gratification.  Patience has almost become a thing of the past and very often we are willing to sacrifice quality for speed. How do these things apply to a follower of Jesus? Lets begin with something JESUS said.

John, Chapter 10 (WEB)
 7  Jesus therefore said to them again, “Most certainly, I tell you, I am the sheep’s door.   8  All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them.   9  I am the door. If anyone enters in by me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out, and will find pasture.   10 The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.

A real life could be defined as a life really worth having. And that takes time. But, how do these statements relate to the quoted passage. Well, you can merely exist or you may fully live- your choice.  Christians realize that knowing God and living on HIS TERMS is what's life is all about. We don't invent how we are to live, but follow the creator of all life. His way, his terms- no but's. Sometimes, fulfilling God's will for our lives takes time. Consider, that Moses spent forty years in Egypt, then forty years as an exile and then forty years leading God's chosen people.  

I can only tell you that upon reflection I can see God working throughout the various decades of my life, preparing me for what I am right now. And with this, I also realize that somehow I am being molded for something better in the future. At the very least (or most, depending on your perspective) this will be heaven. And when I get there, it will be because of Jesus and his example of following God's will. Humm, maybe the sign should read: Please be patient-Loading, a new, exciting realm of existence- HEAVEN!!!