TIP OF THE DAY 115: Analyze John 1:1; Speaking with style - aural figures

MJ. Smith

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QUESTION: What figures of speech are used in John 1:1?

ANSWER: pieced together from multiple requests to Gemini based on the Logos/Verbum figure of speech coding.

Heterosis: This figure involves a change in grammatical form, often a change in tense or case. In John 1:1, the use of the imperfect tense ("was") for "the Word was" emphasizes the Word's continuous existence in the past, contrasting with the beginning of creation. This subtle shift in tense carries significant theological weight.

Climax (or Gradatio): This figure involves a gradual increase in intensity or importance in a series of words or phrases. While not a classic example of a long, drawn-out climax, John 1:1 presents a concise yet powerful progression:

"In the beginning was the Word" - Establishes the Word's pre-existence.

"and the Word was with God" - Emphasizes the Word's relationship with God.

"and the Word was God" - Declares the Word's divine nature, reaching the climax of the verse.

Polyptoton: This figure involves the repetition of a word in different grammatical forms or cases. While not a direct repetition of the same word, the repeated use of "the Word" in different syntactical positions (subject, predicate nominative) creates a sense of emphasis and reinforces its central importance.

Anaphora (possible): Anaphora is the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses. While the clauses are very short, the repeated "and" could be considered a subtle form of anaphora, connecting the three statements and emphasizing their interconnectedness.

Ellipsis (possible): Ellipsis is the omission of words that are understood from the context. It could be argued that there's an ellipsis of the verb "to be" in the second and third clauses ("and the Word [was] with God," "and the Word [was] God"). This concise structure contributes to the verse's impactful delivery.

Epitasis: Epitasis is the addition of a phrase or clause for emphasis or amplification, often after the main statement has been made. It builds upon what has already been said, adding force or clarity.

In John 1:1: It's debatable whether there's a clear instance of epitasis in the strict sense. While the three clauses build upon each other, they are all essential parts of the core statement about the Word. None of them feel like an added "afterthought" for emphasis.

• However, one could argue that the entire verse acts as an epitasis to the implied idea of God's existence before creation. By stating "In the beginning was the Word," it emphasizes that the Word's existence predates even the very concept of a beginning.
• Another potential, though less clear, example could be the phrase "and the Word was God." This could be seen as an epitasis to the previous clause ("and the Word was with God"), further emphasizing the Word's divine nature.

Conclusion: While there might be a subtle sense of amplification, it's difficult to definitively classify any part of John 1:1 as a clear-cut example of epitasis in the traditional sense.

Hyperbaton: Hyperbaton is the inversion of the normal word order in a sentence. 1 It's used to create emphasis or stylistic effect.  

In John 1:1: There is a strong case for hyperbaton in the phrase "θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος" ("the Word was God"). In standard Greek word order, it would likely be "ὁ λόγος ἦν θεός" ("the Word was God"). The inversion places "θεὸς" (God) at the beginning of the clause, giving it significant emphasis.

• This word order is crucial for the theological implications of the verse. By placing "θεὸς" before the verb, it emphasizes the quality or nature of the Word, rather than simply stating an identity. It highlights that the Word was divine, not just that the Word equaled God in a simple equation.

The use of hyperbaton in the third clause is quite evident and contributes significantly to the theological weight and impact of the verse.

Metaphor (The Word/Logos): The most prominent figure of speech is the use of "the Word" (Greek: Logos). This isn't simply referring to spoken words. In this context, "Logos" carries layers of meaning:

Divine Reason/Thought: It represents the divine plan, wisdom, and self-expression of God.

Means of Creation: It signifies the agent through whom God brought the universe into being.

Revelation of God: It points to the way God makes Himself known to humanity.

Therefore, "the Word" is a powerful metaphor for God's active presence and self-revelation.

Personification: By referring to "the Word" with personal pronouns ("he," "him"), the verse personifies this divine attribute, giving it agency and personality. This is further emphasized by the phrases "was with God" and "was God."

Implied Metaphors: The verse also implies other metaphors:

In the beginning: This phrase evokes the idea of creation and a starting point, contrasting with the eternal nature of the Word.

Was with God: This suggests a relationship and communion between distinct persons within the Godhead.

Was God: This statement affirms the divine nature of the Word, equating it with God Himself.

By recognizing these figures of speech, we gain a deeper appreciation for the artistry and precision of the original Greek text. These figures are not merely stylistic flourishes; they contribute to the theological weight and impact of the verse. They emphasize the eternal nature, divine relationship, and essential divinity of the Word.

QUESTION: Give some examples of the tagging of figures of sound in the Bible.

ANSWER: Drawn from the list of common Biblical figures and tropes shared earlier.

Note that parallelism rather than sound is the foundational element of Hebrew poetry. Note also that figures of sound in the original languages often is not reflected in the translation.

Alliteration: Repetition of initial consonant sounds

Example: Judges 5:3

figureofSpeech:(description:Alliteration AND name:Homoeopropheron)

Assonance: Repetition of vowel sounds (using paromoeosis as the closest Bullinger equivalent)

Example: Matthew 11:17

figureofSpeech:(description:"Like-Sounding Inflections" AND name:Paromoeosis)

However, Parks, James. Wordplay in the Bible. Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, 2021 does use the term assonance

Paronomasia: Wordplay or pun

Example: Genesis 1:2

figureofSpeech:(description:Rhyming-Words AND name:Paronomasia)

Gen. 1:2.—“And the earth had become tohū (תֹהוּ) and bohū (בֹהוּ).” For[1]

Onomatopoeia: Words that imitate sounds

Not included in Bullinger

Rhyme: Correspondence of sound at the end of words

See assonance/paromoeosis above.

QUESTION: As the term assonance is not used in the Bullinger scheme (rather is uses paromœosis), list other figures that are based on sound.

ANSWER: from Silva Rhetoricae:

Many figures rely for their effect through some emphasis upon the aural qualities of expression. These include:

alliterationRepetition of the same sound at the beginning of two or more stressed syllables. paroemionAlliteration taken to an extreme—every word in a sentence begins with the same consonant. assonanceRepetition of similar vowel sounds, preceded and followed by different consonants, in the stressed syllables of adjacent words. paromoiosisParallelism of sound between the words of adjacent clauses whose lengths are equal or approximate to one another. consonanceThe repetition of consonants in words stressed in the same place (but whose vowels differ). Also, a kind of inverted alliteration, in which final consonants, rather than initial or medial ones, repeat in nearby words. onomatopoeiaUsing language whose sound imitates that which it names.

QUESTION: So where do I find examples of onomatopoeic words?

SOFTWARE: An all search on onomatopo* shows that the UBS Handbook Series often identifies this figure.

ANSWER: example of Matthew 6:6 from Newman, Barclay Moon, and Philip C. Stine. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. UBS Handbook Series. New York: United Bible Societies, 1992.:

Heap up empty phrases (TEV “use a lot of meaningless words”) translates one verb in Greek. It occurs only here in the New Testament, and apparently there is only one known occurrence of its usage in Greek literature outside the New Testament. The meaning is somehow related to for their many words at the end of the verse. Some scholars see in the verb the meaning “speak stammeringly, say the same thing over and over again.” At least one scholar understands the verb to be onomatopoeic, that is, it sounds like its referent. In Greek the verb consists of two parts, a stem meaning “speak,” and a prefix batta, which is not a meaningful word. If the verb is taken to be onomatopoeic, the sense will then be “go on and on saying ‘batta, batta, batta.’ ” Others see a probable connection between this word and a word found in an Aramaic papyrus from Qumran which means “without effect.” Several scholars follow yet another interpretation. Inasmuch as the prayers of pagans (and not hypocrites) is in focus, they take this as a reference to the pagan practice of heaping up names or terms for God to insure that the correct name of God would not be omitted during their prayers. Since it is impossible to be conclusive, the translator is advised to follow one of the standard translations. For example: “do not go babbling on like the heathen” (NEB), “do not babble as the pagans do” (JB), “do not rattle on like the pagans” (NAB), and “don’t use a lot of words like the heathen do” (GeCL 1st edition). Other models translators can follow include “Don’t use a lot of words that don’t make sense,” “Don’t go on repeating strange sounds (or, words).” This sentence may be restructured in some translations: “The way you should pray, it is not by using a lot of words that don’t make sense. That is what the pagans do.”[2]

[1] Ethelbert William Bullinger, Figures of Speech Used in the Bible (London; New York: Eyre & Spottiswoode; E. & J. B. Young & Co., 1898), 308.

TEV Today’s English Version

NEB New English Bible

JB Jerusalem Bible

NAB New American Bible

GeCL German common language version

[2] Barclay Moon Newman and Philip C. Stine, A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew, UBS Handbook Series (New York: United Bible Societies, 1992), 166.