Task 3. Develop a structural diagram.
Essence of the Task
This task seeks to structure the passage in a somewhat visual way according to the biblical author’s thoughts. By organizing the components of the passage in this way it is more likely to clarify the author’s logical composition. If you were able to perform a syntactic, rhetorical, or narrative analysis in the previous task, this step will be considerably easier and more accurate.
Detailed Description
Beginning with the original language, if you can, create a simple outline that will help you visualize as best as possible the composition of the passage in the original. Since languages are not identical in their grammatical structures, translations will not always be able to reflect certain relationships that exist, such as, for example, dependencies between one clause and another. As a result, one may inadvertently end up thinking that a certain clause is the main one, when in the original, it actually depends on another.
Again, David Alan Black states it clearly.
The aim of a structural analysis is to rearrange the words of a passage in such a way that the central theme of the text becomes evident. The analysis will also reveal the relationships that exist between the main clause and any dependent clauses that may be present in the text.David Alan Black, Using New Testament Greek in Ministry: A Practical Guide for Students and Pastors (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1993), 101.
This task can be accomplished in a number of ways and if one analyzes the relevant literature, he or she will soon discover that many are very similar even though they have different names. The essential factor is to develop a diagram (in whatever form) that makes the structure of the original clear. In addition, it can have more or fewer levels of detail according to the interpreter’s criteria. For example, one could leave the matter at the level of the clauses or create additional levels by moving sentences to other lines. It all depends on the degree of detail one would like to have.
To Do
Since this task follows from the previous one, much of what you do now is dependent on what you have already done.
- If in the previous task you identified the syntactic relationships in the passage, that will help you determine which are the main and secondary clauses, which phrases depend on which words, and so on.
- On the other hand, if you did not get around to studying the syntactic relationships (whether due to lack of time, training, or whatever) you will have to rely more on direct analysis at this point. However, by comparing several translations, you will be able to make good progress.
- Another option has to do with getting a computerized syntactic resource such as Logos Bible Software, which traces these relationships in the original languages superbly. Simply by studying these diagrams for each sentence, clause, and phrase, one can make a fairly reliable structural diagram in English.
- At the rhetorical level, pay attention to whatever kinds of discourse markers you identified previously. Items that, for example, such as attention getters, direct address, elaborations, foregrounding or backgrounding, emphasis, and the like.
- At the narrative level, try to make sure that your diagram picks up on major plot elements, like scene changes or character development, dialog, and narrative commentary.
The procedure is simple. Perhaps the best way to illustrate it is with an example. In the tutorials we will be able to see how this works in the software, but here I will simply show a fragment of the passage I have been studying, specifically, 1 John 2:14.
The structural diagram I prepared appears below. I developed it very directly from a resource in Logos entitled, The Lexham Syntactic Greek New Testament: Sentence Analysis, but it is clear that, in this case at least (although that will not always be the case), I could also have achieved very similar results by working directly with my English translations. For that matter, most modern translations structure the verse in a similar way by default.
- I write to you, fathers,
- because you know him who is – from the beginning.
- I write to you, young men,
- because
- you are strong,
- and the word of God lives – in you,
- and you have overcome the evil one.
- because
Obviously, this verse is not very complicated, but it serves well to illustrate what this task is all about. For example, among other things, it highlights the following:
- This verse contains 2 sentences.
- Each sentence has an independent clause.
- Each sentence has a dependent clause, denoted by the word «because.»
- Each sentence contains a prepositional phrase, which I put after the hyphen (I could have also put them below the phrase or word they modify).
- The dependent clause in the second sentence is composed of three parallel segments.
To Keep in Mind
As I have already pointed out, in some cases, the value one gets by preparing such a structural diagram from the original language is not much more than what would be possible by examining good translations. In other cases, the marked difference might be greater. Nevertheless, what I do get from doing it this way is a fairly significant degree of certainty.
However it is carried out, the main value of this task is to be able to see the relationships between concepts. This helps us to emphasize the main thing. For example, in this case (along with vv. 12-13) we can see that it would be reversing John’s priorities to argue that this passage tells us about spiritual warfare, when «overcoming the evil one» appears in the background and parallel with other things that are true of these believers in their relationship with God. This also gives us a clue that, in this case, «overcoming the evil one» probably has another meaning that is quite different from that of «spiritual warfare».
Then, at the level of usage, it prepares me very well for the subsequent steps. For example, with 1 Jn 2:14, I know perfectly well that I have two affirmations, and my preaching can be fleshed out that way. Of course, I also have four earlier parallel statements in vv. 12-13 that I need to take into account. Here we have only illustrated one of the verses.
What is more, this structural outline is pretty well limited to the syntactical elements of a brief poem incrusted in prose. Were we working with larger portions of poetry or narrative we would need to give greater weight to features of poetic style and plot. (Perhaps in the future I will include some representative samples of these other major genres.)
In many cases, the diagram that comes out of this step will shape the structure of a lesson or sermon. This need not always be the case, as I argue elsewhere (see, e.g., «Two defining ideas for my outlines»). However, an expository sermon can never ignore the structure without running the risk of detracting from the message.
And speaking of the message. In the next step we will begin to summarize the author’s thoughts (in our own words) based on the structure we have determined. And so we begin to reap the firstfruits of our exegesis.