https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/FiguresOfSpeechSuddenSilence.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n\tby Jeffrey W. Hamilton<\/p>\n\t
Text: Exodus 32:15-35<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I. The purpose of figurative speech is to add emphasis to what is being spoken or written.<\/p>\n A. It might make something more memorial, such as a parable giving a story to hang\na teaching upon.\n B. It might puzzle you or even startle you with an apparent breaking of normal\ngrammar rules to make you notice a point.\n
C. Sometimes it is to express emotions that are difficult to capture in words.<\/p>\n
II. Sudden Silence (aposiopesis<\/i>) is in the category of omissions.<\/p>\n A. It is when a speaker or writer suddenly breaks off what is being said, omitting the\nconclusion.\n
B. Reasons for doing this?<\/p>\n
1. The person doesn’t know how to finish the sentence<\/p>\n
2. He might be unwilling to finish the sentence<\/p>\n
3. There is too much emotion to finish the sentence<\/p>\n
4. The speaker thinks the listener can finish the thought on his own<\/p>\n
5. “Better imagined than described”<\/p>\n
C. Examples<\/p>\n
1. In a movie, the good guy says, “You dirty coward! I ought to …”<\/p>\n
a. Either he is not sure what he will do<\/p>\n
b. He doesn’t want to express it<\/p>\n
c. Knew that what he was thinking isn’t really appropriate<\/p>\n
d. It leaves the listener to imagine what might be threatened<\/p>\n
2. A woman is surprised by an engagement ring. “It’s beautiful! Oh! It’s …”<\/p>\n
a. The emotion is overwhelming<\/p>\n
b. Words are inadequate to express what she is feeling<\/p>\n
c. It leaves the listener to imagine the feelings<\/p>\n
III. Sudden Silence in the Bible<\/p>\n
A. Genesis 3:22<\/p>\n
1. What would happen if man lived forever while knowing good and evil?<\/p>\n
2. The implication is that it would be too horrible to contemplate<\/p>\n
B. Exodus 32:32<\/p>\n 1. Moses came from talking with God on Mount Sinai to find Israel\nworshiping a golden calf. He had dealt with the sin, but they still needed\nGod’s forgiveness.\n
2. If God would forgive their sins … What? <\/p>\n a. What could Moses offer? Service? Love? They already owe God\neverything\n
b. Besides Israel has already shown themselves to be fickle<\/p>\n
3. So Moses skips that part and moves on to the “if not”<\/p>\n
C. I Chronicles 4:10<\/p>\n 1. Jabez’s prayer is worthy to examine in detail, but for right now notice how\nsuddenly it stops. He asks, but he does not offer anything in return\n 2. What can we offer God, if God grants our requests? It isn’t that man can\nentice God or manipulate Him. There really isn’t anything we can offer in\nreturn that God needs from us.\n
D. Psalms 6:1-3<\/p>\n
1. David is in grief over his sins. <\/p>\n 2. He starts to acknowledge something about God, perhaps in contrast\nbecause he starts with a “but,” yet he never finishes the thought.\n
3. God is so much more than any man<\/p>\n
4. David finishes instead with a question: “How long?”<\/p>\n
a. How long will his punishment continue?<\/p>\n
b. How long before God rescue him from sin?<\/p>\n
c. How long must sin remain in the world?<\/p>\n
E. Daniel 3:15<\/p>\n 1. When Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego refused to bow to\nNebuchadnezzar’s image, he offered them another chance.\n 2. Many versions add “very well” or “very good” after “to fall down and\nworship the image that I have made.” But it isn’t in text.\n a. There was no point in Nebuchadnezzar stating what he would do if\nthe three Jews obeyed, that was what was expected of them.\n
b. He probably hadn’t even given it any thought<\/p>\n c. But he had given thought as to what he would do if they did not\nbow down.\n
F. Hoses 9:11-14<\/p>\n 1. Israel has become so rebellious that God decided to put the northern\nkingdom to an end – Hosea 1:4\n 2. Hosea is also angry with the people. He begins to ask God to punish them,\nbut with what?\n 3. He hadn’t given the matter enough thought. He was too emotional. He had\nto stop and collect his thoughts.\n
G. Luke 15:21<\/p>\n 1. The prodigal son never finishes his request of his father. We know what he\nplanned to say in Luke 15:19.\n
2. Perhaps he is too overcome with emotion at that moment.<\/p>\n 3. Perhaps the father doesn’t care what he would ask because he knows what\nhe will give; thus, he interrupts his son.\n
H. Luke 19:41-44<\/p>\n 1. What things that make for peace? They will never know because they were\nhidden by their rejection of the Messiah. \n
2. Instead tribulation will overwhelm them<\/p>\n
I. Luke 13:6-9<\/p>\n 1. Many translations add “well” or “fine” after “and if it bears fruit next\nyear,” but it isn’t in the text. \n 2. The owner hadn’t given thought what to do if the fig tree suddenly bears\nfruit. He appears certain that it isn’t going to happen. If it does bear fruit,\nhe doesn’t know what he will do with it\n
J. Acts 23:9<\/p>\n 1. Paul’s speech caused an uproar. A great argument broke out. The\nPharisees actually took Paul’s side against the Sadducees.\n
2. “Suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” <\/p>\n a. But they could not finish and say what should be the resulting\nconclusion. \n
b. It could be that in the uproar, they couldn’t finish their statement.<\/p>\n c. Perhaps they didn’t want to say out loud what that would mean,\nsince they didn’t like Paul.\n 3. The Byzantine manuscripts have “let us not fight against God.” Perhaps\nsome scribe thought to finish the thought. But the weight of the evidence\nseems to point to a purposeful Sudden Silence.\nIV. This was a lesson designed to bring a deeper appreciation for what is found in your\nBibles. But there is one more Sudden Silence I would like you to consider\n A. In John 6, Jesus was followed by a crowd look for more free food as Jesus had\nsupplied in the feeding of the 5,000 – John 6:26-27\n B. Jesus then proceeds to tell them that he is the true “food” – food for the soul – but\nthe crowd, focused on wanting a welfare program of free food like the when the\nIsraelites wondered in the wilderness, just could not grasp what he was saying.\n
C. And Jesus didn’t make it any easier.<\/p>\n
D. His own disciples told him that it was too hard – John 6:60<\/p>\n E. Were they going to leave because everything wasn’t going to be made easy for\nthem? – John 6:61-62\n
1. Just what would happen if they saw Jesus ascending to heaven?<\/p>\n
2. Would they then believe or would they still think it too hard?<\/p>\n
F. It is the words that are important because they give life.<\/p>\n
1. So many are focused on entertainment, food, benefits<\/p>\n 2. But with the evidence right before you that Jesus is the Son of God, will\nyou believe? Will you put every effort to move through the difficulties?\n
3. Isn’t it worth it all?<\/p>\n
\n
Sources:<\/p>\n
• “Figures of Speech – Aposiopesis (Sudden Silence),” TruthOrTradition.com<\/p>\n
• E. W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech Used in the Bible<\/i><\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Exodus 32:15-35 I. The purpose of figurative speech is to add emphasis to what is being spoken or written. A. It might make something more memorial, such as a parable giving a story to hang a teaching upon. B. It might puzzle you or even startle you with an apparent breaking of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[119,32],"tags":[1449,529],"class_list":["post-46539","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-audio","category-sermon","tag-figures-of-speech","tag-hermeneutics"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":46064,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/figures-of-speech\/","url_meta":{"origin":46539,"position":0},"title":"Figures of Speech","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 27, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Matthew 13:10-17 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A common confusion in reading the Bible is understanding text when figures of speech are used A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A bit odd because all languages of men contain figures of speech, so you think that people would be used to understanding figures B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Statements with literal meaning\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":56206,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/figurative-speech-the-kingdom-is-like\/","url_meta":{"origin":46539,"position":1},"title":"Figurative Speech: “The Kingdom Is Like …”","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 25, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"by Robert Turner Plain Talk, vol. 13, no. 10, pp. 4-5--December 1976 Is the church (God's people) the \"body of Christ\" (Ephesians 1:23); or is it like\u00a0(in some respects) a \"body,\" and since He is \"head over\" these people, therefore\u00a0like the body of Christ? Are we literally His hands, feet,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/HerodFox-200x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":19493,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/biblical-figures-of-speech-ellipsis\/","url_meta":{"origin":46539,"position":2},"title":"Biblical Figures of Speech: Ellipsis","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 31, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Text: Galatians 4:21-31 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0In our everyday speech, we employ figures of speech constantly and rarely think about what we are doing. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Figures of speech are important tools because they make points standout in a statement. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0When we recognize that a figure of speech in use, it helps us understand\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sermon"","block_context":{"text":"Sermon","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/sermon\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":54263,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-obadiah-saying-that-man-would-live-among-the-stars\/","url_meta":{"origin":46539,"position":3},"title":"Is Obadiah saying that man would live among the stars?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 19, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: On your website is a question about \"What does the Bible say about man inhabiting space?\" Wouldn't that include man living on other planets and their moons? I think Obadiah 1:4 in the New King James Version says it all: \"'Though you ascend as high as the eagle, And\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":47194,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/metaphors-for-god\/","url_meta":{"origin":46539,"position":4},"title":"Metaphors for God","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 1, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalms 18:1-19 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Figures of speech have long been used in communicating ideas. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Prior to the modern usage of font styles, the content of the text itself called the reader\u2019s attention to what was important. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Figures of speech grabs your attention because they depart from\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":63959,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/controlling-the-tongue\/","url_meta":{"origin":46539,"position":5},"title":"Controlling the Tongue","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 3, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"by PJ Anderson","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46539","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46539"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46539\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46539"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46539"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46539"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}