From: Jim West (jwest@Highland.Net)
Date: Sat Mar 24 2001 - 14:02:05 EST
At 01:25 PM 3/24/01 -0500, you wrote:
i wrote....
>the function of these overlong sentences seems to be an effort by the author
>to show his grammatical skill.
>
Matthew opined...
>Perhpas your answer wasn't an exhaustive explanation, but I'm not sure the
function of
>such excerpts as Heb. 1:1-4 and Eph. 1:3-14 is simply to "show grammatical
skill." It
>seems the rich theological content contained in them, coupled with the
context of the
>rest of their respective compositions requires a much more profound
function than
>that.
>
and i reply....
true-- these overly long sentences are full of theological significance.
but short sentences can accomplish the same thing.
for instance-
"A man cannot touch his neighbor's heart with anything less than his own."
"He who is on the road to heaven will not be content to go there alone."
"Heathen are true to false gods, while Christians are false to the true God."
"Christians are like tea; their strength is not drawn out until they get in
hot water."
"Christianity is a movement, not a condition; a voyage, not a harbor."
"A smile is a whisper of a laugh."
"The Christian is not ruined by living in the world, but by the world living
in him."
"Attendance is not for the building of records, but for the building of
Christians."
these sentences are short. but they are packed with some measure of
theological truth. lenght of sentence is not an indication of truth. long
sentences serve, then , not only the purpose of providing some truth. they
also demonstrate the skill of the writer. so, in my view, the author of
ephesians is trying to show off his learning, as is the writer of hebrews.
why? so that their audience is impressed not only with WHAT they say but HOW
they say it. this desire to be pleasing to the ear was common in the
greco-roman world.
best,
jim
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jim West, ThD
Home Page:
Biblical Studies Resources
http://web.infoave.net/~jwest
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