Sunday, January 26, 2014

Discovering Chiasms Challenge #5 from Genesis 12


This is the fifth analysis in the Discovering Chiasms Challenge series, intended to help you develop your pattern recognition skills using the Bible while having fun at the same time. (See my article What is a Chiasm? if you are already confused.) The four previous analyses included multiple verses which presented some complexity in itself. This is just a single verse based on a chiasm found in Chiasmus in the New Testament: A Study in the Form and Function of Chiastic Structuresby Nils Lund.

See if you can find the structure in the following verses. Click on "Show Structure" once you have your answer. Then click on "Analysis: Why is it there?" to compare your analysis with mine. I suggest that the Personal Reflection at the end of the lesson may be the most important part of this series.

16b … and he had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.
(Gen 12:16 ESV)



A  Sheep and oxen
  B  male donkeys
    C  male servants
    C′  female servants
  B′  female donkeys
A′  camels


Would you consider rating each of these "Discovering Chiasms Challenge" quizzes? Based on the feedback that you provide and that of others, I would like to indicate to others if a quiz is one star (* which means very easy) or up to five stars (***** which means very difficult. Your input in the comment section will be much appreciated.


Friday, January 24, 2014

Hints for Discovering Chiasms: How to Improve Your Ability to Identify Chiastic Structures in the Bible

I am glad to announce that the 'Discovering Chiasms' webpage has been completely revamped with more examples and better explanations. I sensed that some people need more help in properly identifying this unique sandwich-style structure in the Bible – this redesigned set of five webpages is my answer to that concern.

The five related webpages are:
The Discovery process
    http://bible-discernments.com/joshua/finding_chiasms.html

Five hints to help you find chiastic structures in the Bible
    http://bible-discernments.com/joshua/finding_chiasms_firstfive.html

Five more hints to help you find chiastic structures in the Bible
    http://bible-discernments.com/joshua/finding_chiasms_fivemore.html

Hints about variations of literary structure in the Bible
    http://bible-discernments.com/joshua/finding_chiasms_variations.html

Test your ability to find chiastic structures in the Bible
    http://bible-discernments.com/joshua/finding_chiasms_skills.html
Please let me know if you have further questions about discovering when a chiasmus appears in the Bible.

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Discovering Chiasms Challenge #4 from Genesis 2


This is the fourth analysis in the Discovering Chiasms Challenge series, intended to help you develop your pattern recognition skills using the Bible. (See my article What is a Chiasm? if you are already confused.) The three previous challenges combined chiastic structure with other literary devices. This one just involves a chiasm.

See if you can find the structure in the following verses. Click on "Show Structure" once you have your answer. Then click on "Analysis: Why is it there?" to check your analysis with mine. I suggest that the Personal Reflection at the end of the lesson can be the most important part of these quizzes.

5 When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up – for the LORD God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground,
6 and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground –
7 then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.
8 And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed.
9a And out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. (Gen 2:5-9a ESV)



A  No life, either shrubs or plants (v5a)
  B  Dry land (v5b)
    C  No man to work the ground (v5c)
      D  A mist watered the ground (v6)
    C′  The Lord breathed life into man (v7)
  B′  The Lord planted a garden with man (v8)
A′  The Lord caused plant life to spring up (v9a)


Would you consider rating each of these Discovering Chiasms Challenges? Based on the feedback that you provide and that of others, I would like to indicate to others if a quiz is one star (* which means very easy) or up to five stars (***** which means very difficult. Your input in the comment section will be much appreciated.


Thursday, January 16, 2014

Discovering Chiasms Challenge #3 from Exodus 2


This is the third challenge in a series intended to help develop and refine your ability to glean greater understanding of God's Words in the Bible. In the previous challenge Discovering Chiasms Challenge #2 from Deuteronomy 30, we looked at a chiasm that included an introductory epitome and a list. (See my article What is a Chiasm? if you are already confused.) This quiz is a more straight-forward chiastic structure ‐ the center-point again adds understanding.

See if you can find the structure in the following verses. Click on "Show Structure" once you have your answer. Then click on "Analysis: Why is it there?" to check your analysis with mine. I suggest that the Personal Reflection at the end of the lesson can be the most important part of these quizzes.

11 One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their burdens, and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people.
12 He looked this way and that, and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.
13 When he went out the next day, behold, two Hebrews were struggling together. And he said to the man in the wrong, "Why do you strike your companion?"
14 He answered, "Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?" Then Moses was afraid, and thought, "Surely the thing is known."
15 When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian. And he sat down by a well.
(Ex 2:11-15 ESV)



A  Moses understands people's burdens (v11a)
  B  An Egyptian oppresses a Hebrew (v11b)
    C  Moses stops Egyptian oppression (v12)
      D  Two Hebrews are being hostile (v13a)
      D′  Moses stops their hostility (v13b)
    C′  Exposed: Moses stopped Egyptians (v14)
  B′  Pharaoh oppresses Moses (v15a)
A′  Moses flees from people's burdens (v15b)


Would you consider rating each of these Discovering Chiasms Challenges? Based on the feedback that you provide and that of others, I would like to indicate to others if a quiz is one star (* which means very easy) or up to five stars (***** which means very difficult. Your input in the comment section will be much appreciated.


Thursday, January 9, 2014

Discovering Chiasms Challenge #2 from Deuteronomy 30


This is the second challenge in a series intended to help develop and refine your ability to glean greater understanding of God's Words in the Bible. In the previous quiz Discovering Chiasms Challenge #1 from John 16, we looked at some asymmetry within a chiasm and the effect it had on the analysis of the passage. (See my article What is a Chiasm? if you are already confused.) This quiz looks at balance of the levels.

See if you can find the structure in the following verses. Click on "Show Structure" once you have your answer. Click again on "Analysis: Why is it there?" to check your analysis with mine. I suggest that the Personal Reflection at the end of the lesson can be the most important part of these quizzes.

6 "… love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.
7 Also the Lord your God will put all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you.
8 And you will again obey the voice of the Lord and do all His commandments which I command you today.
9 The Lord your God will make you abound in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your land for good. For the Lord will again rejoice over you for good as He rejoiced over your fathers,
10 if you obey the voice of the Lord your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this Book of the Law, and if you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul."
(Deut 30:6-10 NKJV)



A  Love the Lord with all your heart and soul, that you may live and your enemies will be cursed (v6b,7)
  B  Obey the voice of the Lord your God and do all His commands (v8)
    C  The Lord will make you abound (v9a)
      1) in the work of your hand (v9b)
      2) in the fruit of your body (v9c)
      3) in your livestock(v9d)
      4) in your produce (v9e)
    C′  For the Lord will again rejoice over you (v9f)
  B′  Obey the voice of the Lord your God and keep all His commandments and statutes (v10a,b)
A′  Turn to the Lord with all your heart and soul (v10c)


Would you consider rating each of these Discovering Chiasms Challenges? Based on the feedback that you provide and that of others, I would like to indicate to others if a quiz is one star (* which means very easy) or up to five stars (***** which means very difficult. Your input in the comment section will be much appreciated.


Thursday, January 2, 2014

Discovering Chiasms Challenge #1 from John 16


This is the first analysis in the "Discovering Chiasms Challenge" series. See if you can find the chiastic structure in John 16:27-30. (See my article What is a Chiasm? if you are already confused.) Click on "Show Structure" once you have your answer. You will be able to compare your answer with mine:

27 "… because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.
28 I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father."
29 His disciples said, "Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech!
30 Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God." (John 16:27-30 ESV)


A  You have loved me and have believed that I came from God (v27b)
  B  I came from the Father (v28a)
    C  I have come into the world (v28b)
    C′  I am leaving the world (v28c)
  B′  I am going to the Father (v28d)
A′  Disciples confess their belief that Jesus came from God (v29-30)


Would you consider rating each of these Discovering Chiasms Challenges? Based on the feedback that you provide and that of others, I would like to indicate to others if a quiz is one star (* which means very easy) or up to five stars (***** which means very difficult. Your input in the comment section will be much appreciated.