This week we will read from chapter 2 through chapter 8 of Second Corinthians. Craig Blomberg has identified a chiasm in chapters 1 through 7. Here is his structure:
A Confidence in His Motives 1:12-22
B Sorrow for Those Punished 1:23-2:11
C Upcoming Travel 2:12-13
D The Spirit vs. the Letter 2:14-4:6
E Present Afflictions vs. Coming Glory 4:7-5:10
F Core of Ministry – Reconciliation 5:11-21
E’ Present Afflictions vs. Present Glory 6:1-10
D’ Christ vs. Belial 6:11-7:4
C’ Travel Plans (Resumed) 7:5-7
B’ Sorrow Among the Corinthians 7:8-13a
A’ Confidence in the Corinthians 7:13b-16
The Church Library has a book Grasping God’s Word by Duvall and Hays that explains chiasms but here’s a brief discussion:
“A third rhetorical device of biblical narrative is chiasm, a literary device named after the Greek letter chi (χ). It is named for the crossing, or inversion, of related elements within parallel constructions, thereby yielding forms like a-b-c with c-b-a.
Chiasms may involve the inversion of anything from words or clauses in two parallel lines of poetry to a series of dialogues or even of a series of chapters of narration. It is easiest to identify chiasms where the same words, clauses, or phrases are reversed….[see Isa. 11:13b].
Another type of chiasm goes beyond such parallelism in single verses. It exists also in chapters, sections, and sometimes even whole books of the Bible. Far from being merely a superficial decorative ornament, chiasm is one of the major artistic conventions used for narratives in the Bible. As such it can be a key in detecting the author’s aims, for the main event or principal idea typically appears in the apex—that is, in the middle of the story.”
If Blomberg’s chiasmic structure is correct, then the main point to be found in chapters 1 through 7 is found in 2 Cor. 5:11-21. Let’s look briefly at this section. 2 Cor. 5:14 doesn’t say Christ’s love for us should compel/control us, it says Christ’s love for us does compel/control us. Christ died for all therefore all died. In other words, He took our place on the cross and gave His life for us. That’s the Good News. In theology it is referred to as the Penal Substitutionary Sacrifice of Christ. It results in us living for Him and not for ourselves v.15. This is because when we repent and place our faith in Christ, we become new creations v. 17. God has through this process reconciled us to Himself. That is a relationship that had been broken through Adam’s sin and ours has now been restored v.18. The message of this reconciliation has been committed to us to share with the world v.19 & 20. When you read these chapters this week do you think Blomberg is correct and this is a chiasm and the ‘main point’ Paul wants to make?
A Confidence in His Motives 1:12-22
B Sorrow for Those Punished 1:23-2:11
C Upcoming Travel 2:12-13
D The Spirit vs. the Letter 2:14-4:6
E Present Afflictions vs. Coming Glory 4:7-5:10
F Core of Ministry – Reconciliation 5:11-21
E’ Present Afflictions vs. Present Glory 6:1-10
D’ Christ vs. Belial 6:11-7:4
C’ Travel Plans (Resumed) 7:5-7
B’ Sorrow Among the Corinthians 7:8-13a
A’ Confidence in the Corinthians 7:13b-16
The Church Library has a book Grasping God’s Word by Duvall and Hays that explains chiasms but here’s a brief discussion:
“A third rhetorical device of biblical narrative is chiasm, a literary device named after the Greek letter chi (χ). It is named for the crossing, or inversion, of related elements within parallel constructions, thereby yielding forms like a-b-c with c-b-a.
Chiasms may involve the inversion of anything from words or clauses in two parallel lines of poetry to a series of dialogues or even of a series of chapters of narration. It is easiest to identify chiasms where the same words, clauses, or phrases are reversed….[see Isa. 11:13b].
Another type of chiasm goes beyond such parallelism in single verses. It exists also in chapters, sections, and sometimes even whole books of the Bible. Far from being merely a superficial decorative ornament, chiasm is one of the major artistic conventions used for narratives in the Bible. As such it can be a key in detecting the author’s aims, for the main event or principal idea typically appears in the apex—that is, in the middle of the story.”
If Blomberg’s chiasmic structure is correct, then the main point to be found in chapters 1 through 7 is found in 2 Cor. 5:11-21. Let’s look briefly at this section. 2 Cor. 5:14 doesn’t say Christ’s love for us should compel/control us, it says Christ’s love for us does compel/control us. Christ died for all therefore all died. In other words, He took our place on the cross and gave His life for us. That’s the Good News. In theology it is referred to as the Penal Substitutionary Sacrifice of Christ. It results in us living for Him and not for ourselves v.15. This is because when we repent and place our faith in Christ, we become new creations v. 17. God has through this process reconciled us to Himself. That is a relationship that had been broken through Adam’s sin and ours has now been restored v.18. The message of this reconciliation has been committed to us to share with the world v.19 & 20. When you read these chapters this week do you think Blomberg is correct and this is a chiasm and the ‘main point’ Paul wants to make?
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