Figures of Speech in the Bible: Part 3

Now this one is very interesting to learn and I've honestly mentioned the source of the information at the end as well.

Speech-Act theory

It is a way how words can be used to present information but also to carry out actions.

Locution, Illocution and Perlocution:

Locution is the literal meaning of the words that are actually uttered.

Illocution is the intended or implied result of the statement.

Perlocution is the actual effect.

Here, locution is making a statement that can use any words, phrases or figures of speech. Illocution is the intended message or goal of the statement being made. Hence, intended meaning is of importance and not the words used in the statement. Perlocution is the effect after realizing the intended message. This is very common in our context as well.

A famous idiom in Nepali is: मेरो त जहाज नै डुब्यो!

Here, we don’t ask the architecture or brand or any other mechanical aspect of the ship but we clearly understand something worst has happened. Then we step ahead for response. There are many such examples in our own context.

God used the familiar languages of contemporary time to meet his people where they are.

Few examples:

Locution	Illocution	Perlocution
God watches over us from above! Psalms 121:8	God is in control.	Do not fear.
My kidneys will rejoice when your lips speak what is right. Proverb 23:16	My inner most being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.	I want you to speak what is right.
The fountains of the deep and the windows of the heavens were closed, the rain from the heavens was restrained. Genesis 8:2	The rain stopped.	Realize it stopped raining.
Let there be raqia in the midst of the waters. Genesis 1:6	God has ownership of the sky.	God controls the cosmos.
And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Genesis 2:22	God created Adam and Eve to be a beautiful image of two equal parts, side by side with no subordination or inequality.[i]	They were designed to serve God as equals.[ii]

Source: Inspiring Philosophy[iii]

Hence, the above table gives some beautiful examples of how the Bible uses languages to imply its theological message to us.

There only few figures of speech described here with examples from the scripture. We are living in a world of information and its is our duty to move on in our further study ahead! After getting glimpse of these literature works used in the Bible, we do hope it also answers criticism of our critics![iv]

We can understand from our own culture how magnificent is using these figures of speech to add beauty and realistic expression to our intended message! Why do we then leave the Bible aside and later get thousands of questions to criticize its weird sounding verses? Have we ever questioned to news reporter for telling the time of Sun rise and Sun set?

Bibliography:

Bradshaw, Robert I. “Figures of Speech in the Bible” (1997). Accessed July 5, 2022. https://biblicalstudies.org.uk/article_idioms.html.

Carmichael, Alex. “What Kinds of Literary Techniques Are Used in the Bible?” Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry, May 24, 2012. Accessed July 5, 2022. https://carm.org/about-the-bible/what-kinds-of-literary-techniques-are-used-in-the-bible/.

C.S. Lewis Institute. John Lennox How Does the Biblical Story of Creation and Science Fit Together?, 2019. Accessed July 5, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oC5gEJ2l34Y.

InspiringPhilosophy. The Ancient Cosmos: Cultural Context of the Biblical World, 2020. Accessed June 8, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EK8Ma83g5g.

Karki, Sarah. “Figures of Speech in Poetical Books Part 1.” Sarah Karki, July 12, 2020. Accessed July 5, 2022. https://sarah.com.np/figures-of-speech-in-poetical-books-part-1/.

Kimball, Dan, and Sean McDowell. How (Not) to Read the Bible: Making Sense of the Anti-Women, Anti-Science, pro-Violence, pro-Slavery, and Other Crazy-Sounding Parts of Scripture, 2020. Accessed May 31, 2022. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&scope=site&db=nlebk&db=nlabk&AN=2980238.

“An Analytical Insight on विज्ञानको नजरमा वेद र बाइबल,” n.d. Accessed July 4, 2022. https://apologeticsimpact.blogspot.com/2022/06/an-analytical-insight-on.html.

[i] Dan Kimball and Sean McDowell, How (Not) to Read the Bible: Making Sense of the Anti-Women, Anti-Science, pro-Violence, pro-Slavery, and Other Crazy-Sounding Parts of Scripture, 2020, 190, accessed May 31, 2022, https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&scope=site&db=nlebk&db=nlabk&AN=2980238.

[ii] Ibid., 191.

[iii] InspiringPhilosophy, The Ancient Cosmos.

[iv] “An Analytical Insight on विज्ञानको नजरमा वेद र बाइबल,” n.d., accessed July 4, 2022, https://apologeticsimpact.blogspot.com/2022/06/an-analytical-insight-on.html.