Page 454 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

PARACLETE - PARALLELISM

12:42-48). The Barren Fig Tree (Lk. 13:6-9). The “(1) Repetition, expressed by identical or
Wedding Guest (Lk. 14:7-11). The Great Supper (Lk. synonymous parallelism. The two lines express the same
14:15-24). Counting the Cost (Lk. 14:25-35). The Lost or similar thought in different words. Is. 1:3b is a good
Coin (Lk. 15:8-10). The Prodigal Son (Lk. 15:11-32). example: ‘but Israel doth not know, my people doth not
The Unjust Steward (Lk. 16:1-13). The Unprofitable consider.’ You can see that the two lines show the same
Servant (Lk. 17:1-10). The Unjust Judge (Lk. 18:1-8). thought. It is repeated for clarity or emphasis. Ps. 33:2 is
The Pharisee and the Publican (Lk. 18:9-14). The similar in form: ‘Praise the Lord with the harp, sing unto
Pounds (Lk. 19:11-27). The shepherd (Jn. 10). The vine him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.’
and the branches (Jn. 15). (Some of the previous study Here is the same general idea, but the instrument is
was taken from Bruce Lackey’s Ten Ways to Study the different and there is a difference in the act as well.
Bible.) [For commentary on the parables of Matthew 13 “In this parallelism often one line throws light on the
see Tares.] [See Allegorical, Covenant, Kingdom of other one. There again is the principle of context. In Is.
God, Mystery, Prophecy, Tares, Type.] 45:7, the first line shows light and darkness as
PARACLETE. The Greek word for “advocate.” It is opposites. So peace and evil in the second line are
used of the Holy Spirit (Jn. 14:16,26; 15:26; 16:7) and doubtless opposites too. If so, then the evil is not moral
of Christ (1 Jn. 2:1). Paraclete speaks of a helper, evil but confusion or chaos, the opposite of peace. So
intercessor, comforter. [See Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ.] the verse does not say that God is the author of sin.
PARADISE. A place of bliss; a region of supreme “(2) Contrast, expressed by antithetic parallelism.
felicity or delight (Webster). Heaven is called “paradise” The two lines express contrasting thoughts, or even
three times (Lk. 23:43; 2 Co. 12:4; Re. 2:7). This is from those that are contradictory. Proverbs has a great deal of
“paradisos,” the Greek equivalent of the Armenian word this parallelism. Often the second line starts with ‘but,’
“pairidaeza” used by the Assyrians, Babylonians, and indicating the contrast. An example is Pr. 15:1, ‘A soft
Persians to describe the splendid botanical gardens and answer turneth away wrath, but grievous words stir up
zoos surrounding their palaces. Assurnasirpal II anger.’ See also Pr. 10, where each of the first 17 verses
described the paradisos in Calah as follows: “I irrigated is antithetic parallelism. The truth given in such verses
the meadows of the Tigris and planted orchards with all is made more emphatic and forceful by the contrasting
kinds of fruit trees in its environs. ... The canal cascades thoughts.
from above into the gardens. Fragrance pervades the “(3) Addition, expressed by synthetic parallelism. In
walkways. Streams of water as numerous as the stars of this the second line adds something to the first, a
heaven flow in the pleasure garden. Pomegranates complementary thought. Sometimes it gives the reason
which are bedecked with clusters like grape vines. ... I, for the first, beginning with the word ‘for.’ See Ps. 9:10.
Assurnasirpal, in the delightful garden pick fruit like a Or it may show purpose, beginning with ‘that’ or ‘so
squirrel” (Joan and David Oates, Nimrud: An Assyrian that.’ See Ps. 104:5. Though some students say this is
Imperial City Revealed, p. 33). At Cyrus’ gardens in not true parallelism, yet there are related lines and a
Pasargadae, water flowed through “a network of some balanced construction, so we may consider it as such.
3,600 feet of stone conduits into handsome square “(4) Expansion, expressed in climatic parallelism.
basins, hewed from a single block of dressed stone.” The The second line repeats part of the first but adds
water running beside the paths “kept the garden moist something fresh, a new step as it were. We can see it in
and added a glittering, fluid element” (Persians: Masters Ps. 34:4, ‘I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and
of Empire, Time-Life, 1995, pp. 62, 66). But these delivered me from all my fears.’
ancient pagan “paradisos” were as nothing compared to
“(5) Transformation, expressed by emblematic
the paradise of God! [See Heaven.] parallelism. Emblematic mans symbolic or representing.
PARALLELISM. An aspect of O.T. poetical thought. In it, one line is literal while the other is figurative. And
“The main feature of Hebrew poetry is a rhythm of commonly the two lines are talking of the same thing,
thought rather than of sound. It means simply that the so it is also synonymous parallelism. In one form you
poetry is written in couplets, two lines that are related will recognize a simile, for example Ps. 42:1, ‘As the hart
to each other in some way. Occasionally there are three panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after
lines (Is. 41:5) or even four (Ps. 27:1), but usually two. thee, O God.’ The simile of the thirsty deer adds beauty
‘Wash me throughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me and vividness to the Psalmist’s statement of his desire
from my sin’ (Ps. 51:2). The relation of the two lines to for God. Again the form may be that of metaphor, as in
each other is not always the same. In fact there are Is. 46:11, ‘calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man
different relationships, so we can speak of different that executeth my counsel from a far country.’ In effect
kinds of parallelism and different basic ideas. These he says the man of his counsel is a ravenous bird. Our
have their proper names that we must learn.

454 Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity