Verbum 9 Tip 9aj: Guide section: Parallel passages

MJ. Smith · July 2021

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Reading lists: Catholic Bible Interpretation

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Parallel Passages

Definition[quote]

Parallel passage

Parallel passages are two or more passages that record the same event or teaching (McQuilken, 210). For example two or more Gospels that record a particular discourse or miracle of Jesus would be regarded as parallel passages.

Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.—Phil. 1:27, NASB

I … implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called.—Eph. 4:1, NASB ^{^[1]}

Use of parallel passages[quote]

Actualization, already practiced within the Bible itself, was continued in the Jewish tradition through procedures found in the Targums and Midrashim: searching for parallel passages (gezerah shawah), modification in the reading of the text (‘al tiqrey), appropriation of a second meaning (tartey mishma’), etc.

In their turn, the fathers of the church made use of typology and allegory in order to actualize the biblical text in a manner appropriate to the situation of Christians of their time.

Modern attempts at actualization should keep in mind both changes in ways of thinking and the progress made in interpretative method.^{^[2]}

Examples of ancient parallel passages resources:[quote]

AMMONIAN SECTIONS. Most Greek and Latin manuscripts of the four gospels contain divisions into longer or shorter sections, which can be collocated in parallel columns to reveal synoptic correspondences. These are called “Ammonian Sections,” since Eusebius* of Caesarea attributes to Ammonius of Alexandria an edition of Matthew containing parallel passages from the remaining three gospels in the margin. Eusebius himself numbered the sections and arranged them into his ten “canons.” This Ammonius (c.220?) was neither the Neoplatonist philosopher nor the commentator on Daniel, John, and Acts. It is uncertain how far Eusebius himself was responsible for the divisions.^{^[3]}

[quote]EUSEBIAN CANONS. A system devised by Eusebius of Caesarea to facilitate the location of parallel passages in the gospels. Each gospel is divided into sections, numbered consecutively (355 in Matthew, 233 in Mark, 342 in Luke, 232 in John), and the sections, indicated by these numbers, are listed in parallel with the corresponding sections of other gospels. There are ten lists or canons. The system may have been suggested by the work of Ammonius of Alexandria (c.200)—they are sometimes called the Ammonian Sections*—and is explained by Eusebius in a letter to Carpianus.^{^[4]}

From Verbum Help:[quote]

Parallel Passages Section

This section lists passages that cover the same material as the guide key, such as narrations of the same event in the synoptic gospels. The results display the name of the resource, an article heading linking to the relevant section of the resource, and the verses it is parallel to. Most of the displayed results are hyperlinks to the relevant parts of the Library.

This section is available in the Passage Guide, Sermon Starter Guide, and Exegetical Guide.^{^[5]}

Prerequisite reading: none

Related interactives:

Jackson, Jeffrey Glen, ed. New Testament Use of the Old Testament. Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, 2015.
Parallel Gospel Reader. Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, 2014.
Jackson, Jeffrey Glen, ed. Synopsis of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles. Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, 2015.

Resources included: resources of type:Bible Harmony e.g.

Eusebio de Cesarea. Cánones de Eusebio. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2011.
Philipps, H. David. Citas Del Antiguo Testamento En El Nuevo Testamento. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2011.
Jones, David A. Citas Y Referencias Al Antiguo Testamento En El Nuevo Testamento. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2011.
Boisen, Sean. Composite Gospel: Parallel Passages. Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, 2017.
Eusebius of Caesarea. Eusebian Canons. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009.
McGarvey, John William, and Philip Y. Pendleton. The Four-Fold Gospel. Cincinnati, OH: The Standard Publishing Company, 1914.
Copple, Glen M. Getting to Know Jesus: Harmony of the Gospels. New Hope Gospel Ministries, 2006.
Wright, Arthur. The Gospel according to St. Luke in Greek: After the Westcott and Hort Text. London; New York: Macmillan and Co.; The Macmillan Company, 1900.
Throckmorton, Burton H., Jr. Gospel Parallels-NRSV: A Comparison of the Synoptic Gospels. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995.
Breen, A. E. A Harmonized Exposition of the Four Gospels. Revised Edition. Vol. 1. Rochester, NY: John P. Smith Printing Company, 1908.
Breen, A. E. A Harmonized Exposition of the Four Gospels. Revised Edition. Vol. 2. Rochester, NY: John P. Smith Printing Company, 1908.
Breen, A. E. A Harmonized Exposition of the Four Gospels. Revised Edition. Vol. 3. Rochester, NY: John P. Smith Printing Company, 1908.
Breen, A. E. A Harmonized Exposition of the Four Gospels. Revised Edition. Vol. 4. Rochester, NY: John P. Smith Printing Company, 1908.
Crockett, William. A Harmony of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles: The Books of the Kings of Judah and Israel. New York; Chicago; Toronto; London; Edinburgh: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1897.
Cox, Steven L., and Kendell H. Easley. Holman Christian Standard Bible: Harmony of the Gospels. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2007.
Robertson, A. T. A Harmony of the Gospels. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009.
Burton, Ernest DeWitt. A Harmony of the Synoptic Gospels for Historical and Critical Study. New York; Chicago; Boston: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1917.
Jackson, Jeffrey Glen. Judas - Segunda Pedro. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2011.
Jackson, Jeffrey Glen. Jude-2 Peter Parallels. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009.
Jones, David A. Old Testament Quotations and Allusions in the New Testament. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009.
Bratcher, Robert G., ed. Old Testament Quotations in the New Testament. 3rd rev. ed. Helps for Translators. New York: United Bible Societies, 1984.
Philipps, H. David. Old Testament Quotes in the New Testament. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009.
Geneste, Maximilian. The Parallel Histories of Judah and Israel, with Copious Explanatory Notes. Vol. 1. London: Samuel Bagster and Sons, 1843.
Geneste, Maximilian. The Parallel Histories of Judah and Israel, with Copious Explanatory Notes. Vol. 2. London: Samuel Bagster and Sons, 1843.
Brannan, Rick. Parallel Passages in the Pastoral Epistles. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009.
Zacharias, H. Daniel, and Rick Brannan. Parallel Passages in the Pauline Letters. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016.
Warren, Robert M. Parallel Pericopes, n.d. Note this is a personal book of the NRSV parallel pericopes from a .docx file shared in the Logos forums.
Brannan, Rick. Pasajes Paralelos En Las Epístolas Pastorales. Bellingham, WA: Software Bíblico Logos, 2011.
Sharman, Henry Burton. Records of the Life of Jesus Book I: The Record of Mt--Mk--Lk, Book II: The Record of John. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009.
Aland, Kurt. Sinopsis de Los Cuatro Evangelios. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2011.
Jackson, Jeffrey Glen. Sinopsis Del Antiguo Testamento. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2011.
Jackson, Jeffrey Glen. Synopsis of Matthew, Mark and Luke. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009.
Aland, Kurt. Synopsis of the Four Gospels. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009.
Sievers, Joseph. Synopsis of the Greek Sources for the Hasmonean Period: 1–2 Maccabees and Josephus, War 1 and Antiquities 12–14. Vol. 20. Subsidia Biblica. Rome: Editrice Pontificio Istituto Biblico, 2001.
Jackson, Jeffrey Glen. Synopsis of the Old Testament. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009.
Robertson, A. T. Una Armonía de Los Evangelios. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2011.
Crockett, William Day. Una Armonía de Samuel, Reyes Y Crónicas. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2011.
Dittmar, Wilhelm. Vetus Testamentum in Novo: Die Alttestamentlichen Parallelen Des Neuen Testaments Im Wortlaut Der Urtexte Und Der Septuaginta. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1903.

Section heading bar

The section heading bar and menu are the minimal defaults – no settings, no saving.

Interactions on data

Visual cue	Data element	Action	Response
Blue text	More	Click	Adds another block of data to the content of the guide.
	Resource title	Mouse over	Opens a standard popup preview of the Bible harmony resource
		Click	n/a
		Right click	n/a
		Drag and drop	n/a
	Parallel passage unit title	Mouse over	Opens a standard popup preview of the parallel passage unit content.
		Click	Opens the resource to the parallel passage unit title (1)
		Right click	Open Context Menu
		Drag and drop	Opens the resource at the parallel passage unit title in a location of the user’s choice.(1)
	Bible reference	Mouse over	Opens a popup preview of the contents of the Bible reference in the highest priority Bible.
		Click	Open your highest priority Bible to the passage referenced.
		Right click	Open Context Menu
		Drag and drop	Open your highest priority Bible to the passage referenced in the location selected by the user.

(1) Example of Bible Harmony resource

Search

A search for the passage against the Bible Harmony resources should duplicate the results in the Parallel Passages guide.

Supplemental materials

Parallel Gospel Reader

This interactive allows you to select any one of six gospel harmonies, to select the Bible translation, and to select which Gospel texts you wish to view.

Eusebio de Cesarea. Cánones de Eusebio. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2011.
Cox, Steven L., and Kendell H. Easley. Holman Christian Standard Bible: Harmony of the Gospels. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2007.
Burton, Ernest DeWitt. A Harmony of the Synoptic Gospels for Historical and Critical Study. New York; Chicago; Boston: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1917.
Robertson, A. T. A Harmony of the Gospels. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009.
Aland, Kurt. Synopsis of the Four Gospels. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009.
Jackson, Jeffrey Glen. Synopsis of Matthew, Mark and Luke. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009.

Synopsis of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles

This interactive deals with a portion of:

Jackson, Jeffrey Glen. Synopsis of the Old Testament. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009.

One can select the translation to be shown, the Biblical books to be displayed, and the sequence of the results.

New Testament Use of the Old Testament

This interactive uses a different definition of “parallel passages” but one common in Biblical studies. Here “parallel passage” means an allusion, echo, citation, or quotation. As this interactive allows the selection of translation, the inclusion of original language texts, sort sequence, and selection by facet, it’s behavior is too complex for a one sentence description.

Note that Pauline parallels, parallels in Synopsis of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles outside the key books, personal book parallel pericopes, etc. have no interactive reader. They are available only in their resource page format.

NASB New American Standard Bible

^{^[1]} James D. Hernando, “Parallel Passage,” Dictionary of Hermeneutics: A Concise Guide to Terms, Names, Methods, and Expressions (Springfield, MO: Gospel Publishing House, 2012), 30.

^{^[2]} Pontifical Biblical Commission, The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church (Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1993).

^{^[3]} J. D. Douglas, Earle E. Cairns, and James E. Ruark, The New International Dictionary of the Christian Church. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1978), 36.

^{^[4]} J. D. Douglas, Earle E. Cairns, and James E. Ruark, The New International Dictionary of the Christian Church. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1978), 355–356.

^{^[5]} Verbum Help (Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, 2018).