01.01.01.16. CHAPTER XVI. OF A SYNECDOCHE OF THE WHOLE.
CHAPTER XVI. OF A SYNECDOCHE OF THE WHOLE. A SYNECDOCHE of the whole is, when an entire or integer is put for a member, or the whole for any part. Which may be distinguished as they respect, (1.) A person or men.
(2.) Certain things.
(3.) Places.
(4.) Times.
1. The whole person is put for part of him, as a man for his soul, Luke 16:23 where the rich man, Lazarus, and Abraham, are put for their souls. See Luke 23:43 Man is put for the body, Genesis 3:19, (see Ecclesiastes 12:7,) Genesis 23:19. So Jesus is pu* for his dead body, John 19:42; John 20:2, John 20:13, see John 20:12, and Luke 24:3.
Sometimes a thing is said of all, which yet concerns not some, as Matthew 19:28, "sitting upon twelve thrones," belongs not to Judas Iscariot, who yet was included because of the number twelve. It is said of the church of Corinth, that they were "sanctified by faith in Christ Jesus, called saints, enriched in all utterance and knowledge," 1 Corinthians 1:2, 1 Corinthians 1:5, when yet the following chapters evidence, that there were many hypocrites and notorious sinners among them, &c.
2. Part of a. thing is put for the whole; flesh is put for the skin, Psalms 102:5, which text describes extreme leanness, (see Lamentations 4:8.) Hence the common proverb is, he is but skin and bone.
3. A place is put for part of a place; as the world for the earth, which is a part of the world, 2 Peter 3:6; John 12:19; Romans 1:8; 1 John 5:19. See chap. 3. sect. 2. It is put for the land of Canaan, Romans 4:13, with Numbers 23:13. The whole earth is put for a great part thereof, Isaiah 13:11. For Chaldea, Isaiah 13:5. The land is put for Judea, Hosea 1:2; Hosea 4:1; Joel 1:2. For a certain city, Matthew 2:6, "And thou Bethlem (gh) the land of Juda," that is, a city of Judea. The east is put for the" Medes and Persians, and other Oriental countries, Ezekiel 25:4; 1 Kings 4:30; Isaiah 2:6; Matthew 2:1. The south of Egypt, with respect to Judea, Jeremiah 13:19; Daniel 11:5. Sometimes Judea is so called with respect to Babylon, Ezekiel 20:46-47. The north, for Chaldea, and Babylon, with respect to Judea, Jeremiah 1:13-15, Jeremiah 13:20, and Jeremiah 47:2, Zephaniah 2:13. The temple is put for the prime synagogue, Luke 2:46, see John 18:20.
4. Time is put for part of time, Genesis 6:4, "The giants from the age (so the Hebrew) were men of renown;" that is, of old, Genesis 17:8, "I will give unto thee, and thy seed after thee, the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession," that is, whilst the Jewish state remains, viz., to the coming of the Messiah, Genesis 49:10, Genesis 49:33; Exodus 21:6, "He shall serve him for ever," that is, to the year of jubilee, as the learned expound it See 2 Samuel 12:10; Daniel 2:4, "King, live for ever," that is, we wish you a long life. See chap. vi. 21, xronov, which signifies time, is put for a year, or some years, as Casauban thinks, Luke 20:8.