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The Importance of Repetition in the Bible
by Sam O'Neal
Have you noticed that the Bible often repeats itself?
I remember noticing as a teenager that I kept running into the
same phrases, and even whole stories,
as I made my way through the Scriptures.
I didn't understand why the Bible contained so many examples of
repetition, but even as a young man, I felt like there must be a reason for it
-- a purpose of some kind.
Repetition as a Storytelling
Tool
The reality is that repetition has been a key tool used by
writers and thinkers for thousands of years.
Perhaps the most famous example in the past century was
the "I Have a Dream" speech from Martin Luther
King, Jr. Look at this excerpt to see what I mean:
And so even though we face the difficulties of today and
tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American
dream.
I have a dream that one day this
nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We
hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the
sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit
down together at the table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a
state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of
oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in
a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the
content of their character.
I have a dream today!
I have a dream today!
Today, repetition is more popular than ever thanks to the rise
of marketing campaigns.
When I say "I'm lovin' it" or "Just do it," for example,
you know exactly what I mean.
We refer to this as branding or advertising, but it's really
just a concentrated form of repetition.
Hearing the same thing over and over helps you remember it and
can build associations with a product or idea.
So here's what I want you to remember from this article: Looking for repetition is a key tool for studying God's Word.
As we explore the use of repetition in the Bible, we can see two
distinct types of repeated text: large chunks and small chunks.
Large-Scale Repetition
There are several instances in which the Bible repeats larger
chunks of text -- stories, whole collections of stories, and sometimes even
whole books.
Think of the four Gospels,
Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Each of these books essentially does the same thing; they all
record the life, teachings, miracles, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
They are an example of repetition on a large scale. But why? Why
does the New Testament contain four large books that all describe the same
sequence of events?
There are several important answers, but I'll boil things down
to three key principles:
· First, the use of repetition in the Bible usually emphasizes the
importance of a person, theme, or event.
This makes sense for the Gospels because the story of Jesus'
earthly ministry and mission is the most important event in the history of the
world.
The presence of four distinct accounts of Jesus' life emphasizes
His importance.
· Second, the repetition of the Gospels offers greater credibility.
In the ancient world, legal testimonies were considered valid if
they could be substantiated by at least two or three witnesses (see Deuteronomy 19:15).
By having four separate accounts written by four distinct
witnesses, the Bible offers a highly reliable portrait of who Jesus was and
what He did on our behalf.
· Third, the use of repetition in the Gospels allowed the biblical
authors to approach Jesus' story from different angles and perspectives.
I've written a separate article that explains the primary
purpose and audience for each of the four Gospels. It's a worthwhile read if
you have the time.
These three principles explain most of the repeated chunks of
text throughout the Bible.
For example, the Ten Commandments are repeated in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5 because of their critical importance to the
Israelites and their understanding of God's law.
Likewise, the Old Testament repeats large portions of entire
books, including the books of Kings and Chronicles. Why?
Because doing so allows readers to explore the same events from
two vastly different perspectives -- 1 and 2 Kings were written before Israel's
exile to Babylon, while 1 and 2 Chronicles were written after the Israelites
returned to their homeland.
The important thing to remember is that large portions of
Scripture aren't repeated by accident.
They didn't come about because God has a lazy streak as a
writer. Rather, the Bible contains repeated chunks of text because repetition
serves a purpose.
Therefore, looking for repetition is a key tool for studying
God's Word.
Small-Scale Repetition
The Bible also contains several examples of smaller repeated
phrases, themes, and ideas.
These smaller examples of repetition typically are typically
intended to emphasize the importance of a person or an idea or to
highlight an element of character.
For example, consider this wonderful promise God declared
through His servant Moses:
“I will take you as My people,
and I will be your God. You will know that I am Yahweh your God, who delivered
you from the forced labor of the Egyptians.”
Exodus 6:7
Exodus 6:7
Now look at just a few of the ways that the same concept is
repeated throughout the Old Testament:
"I will keep My
covenant between Me and you, and your future offspring throughout their
generations, as an everlasting covenant to be your God and the God of your
offspring after you" (Genesis 17:7).
"I will walk among you and
be your God, and you will be My people" (Leviticus 26:12).
"I am Yahweh your God who
brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God; I am Yahweh your God" (Numbers
15:41).
"However, I did give them
this command: Obey Me, and then I will be your God, and you will be My
people" (Jeremiah 7:23).
"Then you will live in the
land that I gave your fathers; you will be My people, and I will be your
God" (Ezekiel 36:28).
God's covenant promise to the people of Israel is a major theme
in the Old Testament.
Therefore, the repetition of the
key phrases "I will be your God" and "You will be my
people" serves to regularly highlight that vital theme.
There are also many examples throughout Scripture in which a
single word is repeated in sequence. Here's an example:
“Each of the four living
creatures had six wings; they were covered with eyes around and inside. Day and
night they never stop, saying: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God, the Almighty, who
was, who is, and who is coming.”
Revelation 4:8
Revelation 4:8
Sure, Revelation can be a confusing book. But the reason for the
repeated use of "holy" in this verse is crystal clear: God is
holy, and the repeated use of the word emphasizes His holiness.
In summary, repetition has always been an important element in
literature. Therefore, looking for examples of repetition is a key tool for
studying God's Word.
Sam
O'Neal
Introduction
Author
or co-author of The Bible Answer Book and three other books
Content
editor for Lifeway Christian Resources
Editor
for "Christianity Today"
Experience
Sam
O'Neal is a former editor for Christianity Today and LifeWay Christian
Resources. Currently, Sam works as a senior editor at Thomas Nelson Publisher.
Sam has authored four books on Bible studies, including "The Bible Answer
Book."
Education
Sam
graduated from Wheaton College in 2002 with a bachelor's degree in English
literature. He is currently pursuing a master's degree in Christian Studies at
Union University in Hendersonville, Tennessee.
Publications
The Spiritual World of The Hobbit (co-authored with
James Bell)
The
Bible Answer Book (co-authored with James Bell)
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