Late yesterday I came across the following "
parenthetical chapter" and saw that a notation was made on it's meaning. On first glance I thought perhaps this is indeed something added by man, something to be discarded but after further study today I now see it as this:
- Exodus (18:1 When Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father in law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel His Peopke, and that the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt;
snip
18:27 And Moses let his father in law depart; and he went his way into his own land.)
The above is a
parenthetical chapter. It is
not designated as such in one copy of the King James (
for the brackets are not displayed) but is in the
King James, Companion Bible - E.W. Bullinger for Bullinger makes note of it. The verse which is the subject of this topic
is shown in brackets
in both publications of the King James, as shown below.....
- John 4:1-2 When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized mroe disciples than John, (Though Jesus Himself baptized not, but His disciples,)
Concerning the parenthetical chapter in Exodus, Bullinger commented in a side note. He said, "
This chapter is a parenthesis (Ap.6). Introduced here because Jethro, though he lived among the Amelekites, yet was not under their curse (17:14-16)." So, I went to the appendix....
- Appendix 6, Figures of Speech, states..... Parenthesis; or, Parenthesis (2 Pet.1:19). Insertion of a word or sentence, parenthetically, which is necessary to explain the context.
Well, my question would be...who inserted the word or sentence? He answered that here...
Figures of Speech
- It is most important to notice these. It is absolutely necessary for true interpretation. God's Word is made up of "words which the Holy Ghost teacheth" (1 Cor.2:13, 1 Thess 2:13, etc.)
A "figure of speech" relates to the form in which the words are used. It consists in the fact that a word or words are used out of their ordinary sense, or place, or manner, for the purpose of attracting our attention to what is thus said. A figure of speech is a designed and legitimate departure from the laws of language, in order to emphasise what is said. Hence, in such Figures we have the Holy Spirit's own marking, so to speak, of His own words. This peculiar form or unusual manner may not be true, or so true, to the literal meaning of the words; but it is more true to their real sense, or truer to truth. Figures are never used but for the sake of emphasis. They can never, therefore, be ignored. Ignorance of Figures of speech has led to the grossest errors, which have been cause either from taking literally what is figurative, or from taking figuratively what is literal.
From that I understand that
man places the parenthesis, the punctuation but the Words are His Words. Bullinger, who studied the text, notes additions, changes, etc. from the original and also makes note of how they were written, when special attention was placed on certain phrases, etc. So, instead of us ignoring the parenthetical words, sentences, etc. we are instead to pay special attention to them. At least...that is my understanding from this.
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