Rhetoric and the NT: Introduction to Figures of Speech in the Gospel of Luke

Figures of Speech in the Gospel of Luke

I. What are Figures of Speech? (Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria, 8.6-9.3; Pseudo Cicero, Rhetorica ad Herennium, 4.10-4.55).

1. Tropes: “the artistic alteration of a word or phrase from its proper meaning to another” (Quintilian, Inst. 8.6.1).

a. Metaphor: “Go tell that fox,” (Luke 13:32).
b. Synechdoche: Whole from the part, or part from the whole, singular from plural, plural from singular: “into the hands of men” (Luke 9:44)

2. Figures of Speech: figures of speech are the uncommon ordering of words for rhetorical ornament.

a. Antithesis: “Watch therefore lest the light in you be darkness” (Luke 11:35)
b. epanalepsis: repetition of a word twice in a row, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killer of the prophets…” (Luke 13:34)

a. Brevitas: using the minimum number of words to convey a thought, “I desire, be cleansed” (Luke 5:13).
b. Simile: comparison using like or as, “as sheep among wolves” (Luke 10:3).

1. Epanaphora, antistrophe, interlacement: repetition of first word in two clauses, repetition of last word in two clauses, combination of epanaphora and antistrophe.

a. Luke 6:21: Blessed are those who hunger now, Because you will be filled. Blessed are those who weep now, Because you will laugh.

a. Do you not know that it is necessary for me to be in my father’s house? (Luke 2:49)
b. Why do you call me: Lord Lord, and you do not do what I say? (Luke 6:46)
c. And if you love those who love you, what good is it for you? (Luke 6:32)

a. Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. (Luke 5:31)
b. But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you. (Luke 6:27)
c. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. (Luke 11:23)

a. Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? (Luke 6:41) (Also Rhetorical Question)
b. Fear came over all their neighbors, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea. (Luke 1:65)
c. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. (Luke 8:37)

a. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it. (Luke 9:24)
b. Indeed, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last. (Luke 13:30).
c. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. (Luke 14:11)

1. Homoteleuton/Homoeoptoton: similar endings without case endings, similar endings with case endings.

a. Οὐ γάρ ἐστιν δένδρον καλὸν ποιοῦν καρπὸν σαπρόν, οὐδὲ πάλιν δένδρον σαπρὸν ποιοῦν καρπὸν καλόν. (Luke 6:43)
b. τυφλοὶ ἀναβλέπουσιν, χωλοὶ περιπατοῦσιν, λεπροὶ καθαρίζονται καὶ κωφοὶ ἀκούουσιν, νεκροὶ ἐγείρονται, πτωχοὶ εὐαγγελίζονται· (Luke 7:22)
c. κἂν ἐν τῇ δευτέρᾳ κἂν ἐν τῇ τρίτῃ φυλακῇ ἔλθῃ καὶ εὕρῃ οὕτως, μακάριοί εἰσιν ἐκεῖνοι. (Luke 12:38)

a. ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέν σε. (Luke 7:50, 8:48, 17:19, 18:42)
b. ὁ σπείρων τοῦ σπεῖραι τὸν σπόρον αὐτοῦ. καὶ ἐν τῷ σπείρειν αὐτὸν ὃ μὲν ἔπεσεν παρὰ τὴν ὁδὸν. (Luke 8:5)
c. καλέσας δὲ δέκα δούλους ἑαυτοῦ ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς δέκα… (Luke 19:13)

3. Polytptoton (under paronomasia in Rhet. Her.): inflecting the main subject in different cases.

a. καὶ ἥξουσιν ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν καὶ δυσμῶν καὶ ἀπὸ βορρᾶ καὶ νότου καὶ ἀνακλιθήσονται ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ θεοῦ. (Luke 13:29)
b. καὶ οὐ μισεῖ τὸν πατέρα ἑαυτοῦ καὶ τὴν μητέρα καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα καὶ τὰ τέκνα καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς καὶ τὰς ἀδελφὰς ἔτι τε καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν ἑαυτοῦ, (Luke 14:26)
c. ἤσθιον, ἔπινον, ἐγάμουν, ἐγαμίζοντο, ἄχρι ἧς ἡμέρας εἰσῆλθεν Νῶε (Luke 17:27)

A. Figures of speech are like verbal caution signs; they are designed to catch the attention of the audience.
B. Figures highlight what the author deems is important.
C. Repeated figures, forming a certain pattern, might tell us important things about how an author wrote, what he wanted to emphasize.
D. In certain cases, like the parable of the prodigal son, a figure of speech (polyptoton) might tell us what the main subject of a section is.
E. Figures of speech can convey emotion: e.g., asyndeton with a quick delivery displays vigor or force. Apostrophe, in which the speaker turns from a general audience to a specific audience might display pleasure, or anger.
F. Figures of speech can simply be pleasant to listen to, making the audience more likely to be attentive.
G. What other functions can you think of for figures of speech?

A. Familiarize yourself with the figures by reading the sections in Institutio Oratoria and Rhetorica ad Herennium. See also rhetoricandthent.blogspot.com.
B. Select a manageable passage.
C. Read it in Greek first for understanding (you don’t want to get tripped up over grammar or vocabulary)
D. Read the passage in Greek aloud, both looking for and listening for patterns. Is there repetition of a specific word or thought? Is there rhyme? Is there a repetition of certain consonantal or vowel sounds?
E. If you think you might have a figure, then check it with the handbooks.
F. Good hunting!

Rhetoric and the NT