42. V. ILLUSTRATIONS OF STRUCTURE: 2 Cor. v. 6, 7

We are thus narrowing down the issue, which is now seen to lie in the member marked "f" (ch. iv. 1--v. 11).

The subject of this member is Support under afflictions; and its Structure is a repeated alternation, as follows:

Support under Afflictions.

(2 Cor. iv. 1--v. 11.)

f | g¹ | iv. 1--6. Confidence (Neg.). "We faint not."

h² iv. 7--15. Grounds. "Earthen vessels." The working of death in them (iv. 12), with pledge of Resurrection (iv. 14).

g² | iv. 16-. Confidence (Neg.). "We faint not."

h² iv. -16--v. 5. Grounds. "Earthly house." The working of afflictions (iv. 17), and the working of God, in Resurrection (v. 5).

g³ | v. 6--11. Confidence (Pos.). "We are confident."

We need not pursue these expansions further, though we might well do so.

We can see very clearly now, that the wonderful ground of support of Paul and Timothy in their afflictions was the consideration of the "unseen" things, as outweighing the "things seen"; so that though the "earthen vessels" of their bodies were dissolved there was the "excellency of the power" of God which would be put forth in Resurrection.

It is thus seen how the break between chapters iv. and v. destroys the connection: in fact, breaks in two the one member, "h²" (ch. iv. -16--v. 5), which has only one subject, viz., Resurrection, as the ground of the confidence, and the reason for not fainting in their labours of ministry.

We might have included this under the head of rightly dividing the Word of truth as to its literary form, as shown by the division into chapters (pages 34, 35). We might also have included it under the heading of the importance of the Scope of a passage (Canon I.). We might have included it under the heading of the importance of the Context (see below, Canon III.). It belongs to all three; but considering that the Structure is necessary to the crowning proof, we have given this illustration here.

P

It is little less than a crime for anyone to pick out certain words and frame them into a sentence, not only disregarding the Scope and the context, but ignoring the other words in the verse, and quote the words "absent from the body present with the Lord" with the view of dispensing with the hope of Resurrection (which is the subject of the whole passage), as though it were unnecessary; and as though "presence with the Lord" is obtainable without it!

Apart from the doctrine involved, and apart from the teaching of Tradition (true or false), it is a literary fraud thus to treat the words which the Holy Ghost teacheth.

We see therefore, for it must be clear to us, that the Scope of a passage is the key to its words; and that the Structure of a passage is the key to its Scope.

This will show us the importance of our second Canon.

How great must be our loss if we fail to use this key to the wonderful words of God.

Like all His works they bear the minutest searching out.

All the works of God are perfect. And the microscope and telescope can both be used to examine them; though neither of them can ever exhaust the wonders of God's works. In both directions an increase of the power of the lens will reveal new beauties and fresh marvels.

The Word of God, being one of His works, must have the same phenomena: and nothing exhibits these phenomena like the Study of its Literary Structure.

To us, God's Word is the greatest and most important of all His works. If we understand all His other works (which no one does or can) and yet know not His Word, our knowledge will not carry us beyond the grave.

But we must not lose sight of the great underlying lesson, and the great outcome of the whole of this subject, which is this: If the external form be so perfect, what must the inward truth be: if the setting be so valuable, how valuable must be the jewel: if the literary order be Divine, how solemn must be the warnings, how important the truth, how faithful the promises, how sure the words of which the Word is made up.

CANON III.