On the use of chiastic outlining in Scripture?

[RamistThomist]

What is your opinion on using (or finding) chiastic outlines in Scripture (or even ancient texts in general)? I used to be in proximity (geographical) to a lot of FV guys before they were FV guys and they were big on chiasms. On that basis I would be tempted to reject it, but I've seen a lot of other scholars from Jewish guys to Evangelical Baptists to mainline Protestants use chiasms as well, so i don't think it is a Jim Jordan thing. On one hand, it does make sense that ancients would organize the text this way, since it saves space (which they didn't really have) and provides a ready-made mnemonic device. I have to questions, though:

1. The charge of arbitrariness always looms in the background.
2. How do you preach from it?


In case one doesn't know, a chiastic outline would look like this

a.
b.
c.
c.
b.
a.

(or some variant).

As to arbitrariness, while that's a problem, I'll freely admit that a lot of passages of Scripture do not lend themselves to an easy "3 points and a poem."

 

[jwithnell]

How is that any different than recognizing other literary forms? That seems like one of the elements to consider when properly interpreting the text.

 

[py3ak]

Dr. Leland Ryken was lecturing here not long ago, and he took a potshot at its overuse. I gather he doesn't object to identifying chiasms, but wants people to bear in mind that other structures are also used. Some very broad or interrupted chiasms do seem like they rather arise from a quest to find more than from an objective presence in and significant influence on the text.

I imagine the value for preaching of such structural features is with regard to clarity and memorability - the content will hopefully dictate what is preached; but just like knowing a sonnet has 14 lines and how the rhyme scheme goes might help you keep it straight and complete in recitation, so knowing you have to finish or fill in the chiasm might help you in knowing how to distinguish and correlate your several points, or help someone to remember what they were.

 

[MW]

For literary structures I have a general rule which I follow. Can you hear it? The problem with many structures is that they derive from a reading analysis. Yet it is apparent that the structures in Scripture were intended by and large for the purpose of aiding hearers. I think this helps to filter out more refined and artful interpretations.

 

[KMK]

For literary structures I have a general rule which I follow. Can you hear it? The problem with many structures is that they derive from a reading analysis. Yet it is apparent that the structures in Scripture were intended by and large for the purpose of aiding hearers. I think this helps to filter out more refined and artful interpretations.

Thank you, Rev Winzer. That is profound advice for preachers!