Parallelism is a beautiful and central feature of Hebrew poetry. Scholars have identified three types of Hebrew parallelism. In the previous article of this series, we discussed the first of these types: Synonymous Parallelism. In this article, we will discuss the second type: Antithetical Parallelism.
An antithetical parallelism is composed of balancing couplets, each of which is the antithesis of the other. This type of parallelism is distinguished by the contrast between the construction’s ribs, or sides. The elements of an antithetical parallelism express opposite sides of the same idea.
Before looking at possible examples of antithetical parallelism in the New Testament, let’s get a feel for it by examining instances of it in the Hebrew Scriptures:
The integrity of the upright guides them,
but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them. (Prov. 11:3; RSV)
The parallels are “integrity,” “the upright” and “guides them” and their antitheses, “crookedness,” “the treacherous” and “destroys them,” that is:
integrity | the upright | guides them
crookedness | the treacherous | destroys them
Paid Content
Premium Members and Friends of JP must be logged in to access this content: Login
If you do not have a paid subscription, please consider registering as a Premium Member starting at $10/month (paid monthly) or only $5/month (paid annually): Register
One Time Purchase Rather Than Membership
Rather than purchasing a membership subscription, you may purchase access to this single page for $1.99 USD. To purchase access we strongly encourage users to first register for a free account with JP (Register), which will make the process of accessing your purchase much simpler. Once you have registered you may login and purchase access to this page at this link:
