Re: Matthew 5:12

From: Joe A. Friberg (JoeFriberg@email.msn.com)
Date: Fri Dec 03 1999 - 00:23:13 EST


----- Original Message -----
From: "Garland H. Shinn" <ghshinn@home.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 02, 1999 4:31 PM

> Perhaps not. The point I was making in my own crude way is that in order
> for a figure of speech to be effective, it must be clearly seen.
> Hendiadys appears to be an element that can be used or not used on the
> theological whim of the reader. I personally find such "figures of
> speech" suspect.

> "Joe A. Friberg" wrote:
> >
> > While its true that some cases of hendiadys appear pretty weak, I am
curious
> > about your perspective of the current candidate. Is there room for a
> > distinct theology here?

> > From: "Garland H. Shinn" <ghshinn@home.com>
> > > One man's hendiadys is another man's distinct theology.

When figures of speech are self-evident, the study of them is dull! They
may even be completely overlooked.

Yet because many figures of speech present roadblocks to understanding, the
study of figures in general is important! From those figures that are
trivial, we can learn the pattern of figures in the language in order to
have more tools to deal with the more enigmatic figures. To native speakers
of the language most all figures of speech are simplistic, while to second
language students, many figures present quandries; the study of the trivial
helps to clarify the obtuse.

Recognizing the presence of trivial cases of hendiadys is important because
it raises at least the *possibility* that hendiadys is the proper
explanation in some problematic passages. The existence of hendiadys raises
the question of the legitimacy of many a dichotomy in theology! That is,
theology is subject to the grammar of the language.

Recognition of hendiadys is a boon especially for Bible translations into
languages that do not use this figure of speech at all, and where a wooden
translation would lead to a confusing multiplicity of unintended
dichotomies.

God Bless!
Joe A. Friberg

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