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Genesis

Genesis 37:18-36*.

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Note: we already have a substantial proposal for this section.  However, trying to get behind the Hebrew narrative I came across almost the same pattern from  J P Fokkelman, “Genesis 37 and 38: Structural Analysis and Hermeneutics”, in “Literary Structure and Rhetorical Strategies in the Hebrew Bible”, eds. de Regt, de Waard and Fokkelman, Van Gorcum and Comp, Netherlands, 1996. The second unit follows the literal Hebrew syntax.

 A. brothers’ conspiracy – 18 And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.19 And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh. 20 Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him : and we shall see what will become of his dreams.

B. Reuben proposes – 21 And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him. 22 And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again.

C. Joseph cast into pit – 23 And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him; 24 And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.

D. a caravan approaches – 25 And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.

E. Judah proposes to sell Joseph – 26 And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? 27 Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him;  for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.

D’. Joseph sold to caravan traders – 28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver:and they brought Joseph into Egypt.

C’. Reuben finds the pit empty – 29 And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes.

B’. Reuben expresses despair – 30 And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go?

A’. cover-up by the brothers – 31 And they took Joseph’s coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood; 32 And they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son’s coat or no. 33 And he knew it, and said, It is my son’s coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces.

A. 34 And Jacob rent his clothes,

B. and put sackcloth upon his loins,

C. and mourned

D. for his son many days.

E. 35 And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him;

E’. but he refused to be comforted;

D’. and he said, For I will go down [to my son]

C’. [mourning]

B’. into the grave (unto my son mourning).

A’. Thus his father wept for him.

36 And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, and captain of the guard.

Luke

Luke 4:14-44

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Note: this section of the Gospel mentions synagogues seven times. The middle section is a clear chiasmus previously posted.

A. the mission: teaching in the synagogues of Galilee
14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. 15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.

B. rejection in the home town synagogue in Nazareth
16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read …  20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him …

C. an unclean spirit the synagogue in Capernaum
31 And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days. 32 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power. 33 And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil…

B’. acceptance in a new home – Peter’s house in Capernaum
38 And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon’s house. And Simon’s wife’s mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought him for her. 39 And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them. 40 Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them …

A’. the mission continued: the synagogues of Galilee
42 And when it was day, he departed and went into a desert place: and the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them. 43 And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent. 44 And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee.

Isaiah

Isaiah 7:1-17

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Note: based on J A Motyer, The Prophecy of Isaiah, IVP, 1993.

A. The house of David threatened
1 And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up toward Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it. 2 And it was told the house of David, saying, Syria is confederate with Ephraim. And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind.

B. Isaiah’s son; northern powers’s plans
3 Then said the LORD unto Isaiah, Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shearjashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller’s field;  4 And say unto him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted for the two tails of these smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of the son of Remaliah. 5 Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have taken evil counsel against thee, saying, 6 Let us go up against Judah, and vex it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set a king in the midst of it, even the son of Tabeal:

C. YHWH’s assurance
7 Thus saith the Lord GOD, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass.  8 For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin; and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken, that it be not a people. 9 And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah’s son.  If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established.

D. response of unbelief
10 Moreover the LORD spake again unto Ahaz, saying,  11 Ask thee a sign of the LORD thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above.

12  But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the LORD.

C’. YHWH’s sign
13 And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also?  14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 15 Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.

B’.  Virgin’s son; destruction of the northern powers
16 For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings.

A’. the house of David destroyed
17 The LORD shall bring upon thee, and upon thy people, and upon thy father’s house, days that have not come, from the day that Ephraim departed from Judah; even the king of Assyria.

Jeremiah

Jeremiah 9:23-24

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Note: This passage is the basis for a significant quotation in 1 Corinthians 1:31. The threefold categories 0f 1 Cor 1:26-28 are taken from this passage. The second part  (A’-D’) is a proposal derived from the fact that wise “understand and know”, mighty “excercise” (do) and rich men “delight”.

23 Thus saith the LORD,

A. Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,

B. neither let the mighty man glory in his might,

C. let not the rich man glory in his riches…”

 24 But let him that glorieth glory in this,

A’. that he understandeth and knoweth me,

B’. that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth:

C’. for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.

Ruth

Ruth 1:22-2:23

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from Matt VD

A. 1:22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest. 2:1 And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband’s, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.

B. 2 And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi,

C. Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter. And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.

D. 4 And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee. 5 Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this?

E. 6 And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab: 7 And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves:

F. so she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house.

G. 8 Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens: 9 Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee?

H. and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn.

I. 10  Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?

X. 11 And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband:and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore. 12 The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.

I’. 13 Then she said, Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens.

H’. 14 And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar.

G’. And she sat beside the reapers:and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left. 15 And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not:16 And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.

F’. 17 So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley.

E’. 18 And she took it up, and went  into the city: and her mother in law saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth, and gave to her that she had reserved after she was sufficed.

D’. 19  And her mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee. And she shewed her mother in law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man’s name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz. 20 And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the Lord, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead.

C’. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen.

B’. 21 And Ruth the Moabitess said,

A’. He said unto me also, Thou shalt keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest. 22 And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter in law, It is good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, that they meet thee not in any other field.  23 So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and dwelt with her mother in law.

Ephesians

Ephesians 4:1-19

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Note: here is another proposal for Ephesians 4 using the three occurrences of “measure”.

A. the new life
4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

B. The gift of true leaders and teachers for the body of Christ
7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

C. the goal
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

B’.  growth and maturity of the body of Christ
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

A’. the old life
17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, 18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: 19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

Ephesians

Ephesians 3:1-12

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A. 3: 1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, 2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: 3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, 4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) 5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; 6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

B. 7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me

C. by the effectual working of his power.

B’. 8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given,

A’. that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; 9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: 10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, 11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: 12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.