Bible Lexicons

Bullinger's Figures of Speech Used in the BibleBullinger's Figures of Speech

Anacoluthon; or Non-Sequence

A breaking off the sequence of Thought

An´-a-co-luû´-thon. Greek, ἀνακόλουθον, from ἀ or ἀν, negative, and ἀκόλουθος (akolouthos), following: i.e., not following, want of sequence or connection in a sentence, the latter part of which does not follow on or correspond with the former part.

This figure is so-called, because the construction with which a proposition begins is abandoned; and, either for the sake of perspicuity, emphasis, or elegance, the sentence proceeds in a manner, different from that in which it set out.

Human writings of deep thought or feeling or argument frequently have the figure Anacoluthon, which in these cases is mere irregularity attributable to inadvertence, arising from the negligence or carelessness of the writer.

But, in the case of the Scriptures, where the Holy Spirit is the Author, and all is perfect, the figure not only imparts grace, but strength and force to the language, and is intended to catch and fix the attention of the reader. In this case, of course, what is abandoned is not further necessary. It has served its purpose in arresting, and so the argument passes on to that to which the attention is to be given.

1. Sometimes the accusative stands alone at the beginning of a sentence

This is not an "accusative absolute," but is to be rendered "as for" or "as to."

Luke 21:6.-Here, the Lord says: "These things which ye behold": and then He turns off, and says: "There will come days." So that we must supply the words "As to" these things, etc.

Acts 10:36.-Here, again, the sentence begins with the accusative: "The word which He sent unto the children of Israel." Some MSS., not understanding the Anacoluthon, omit the relative pronoun "which." But the sense is "As touching the word which He hath sent," etc. Or it may depend on οἴδατε, ye know, in the next verse: "Ye know the word which He sent," etc.

Romans 8:3.-"For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh." Here, the argument breaks off to speak of what God has done: "God (by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin) did: namely, "He condemned sin in the flesh in order that the righteous-requirement (δικαίωμα, dikaiôma) of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not according to flesh (i.e., the Old nature), but according to spirit (i.e., the New nature)."

The figure requires the conclusion-this thing was impossible for the Law to do, because it was weak through the flesh: i.e., man, owing to the corruption of his nature, could not keep the Law; and the Law was powerless, because it could neither pardon the trangressor, nor alter his nature. This defect was overcome by God, Who condemned sin in the death of His Son (who was the sin-offering personified). His People, therefore, having died with Him, are discharged from the claims of the Law; and, being now "in Christ," fulfil in Him all its righteous requirements.

2. Sometimes the leading proposition is interrupted by a parenthesis, and, when the subject is resumed, the grammatical connection is changed

3. Sometimes the construction suddenly changes (without a paten. thesis) by a change of persons; or, from participles to finite verbs; or, from singular to plural, and vice versa

Mark 6:11.-"And whosoever shall not receive you … shake off the dust of your feet against them."

Here, the Anacoluthon is seen only when we take the Critical Text approved by T. [Note: . Tischendorf and his critical Greek Text.] Tr. [Note: r. Tregelles and his critical Greek Text.] A. [Note: . Alford and his critical Greek Text.] WH. [Note: H. Westcott and Hort, and their critical Greek Text.] , and R.V. [Note: The Revised Version, 1881.] viz., ὃς ἄν τόπος (hos an topos), whatsoever place (singular), instead of ὃσοι ἄν (hosoi an) whosoever or as many as (plural). So that the Anacoluthon is: "And whatsoever place (sing. [Note: ing. The Singular Number.] ) will not receive you … shake off the dust of your feet against them."

Luke 11:11.-"From which of you, the father, shall his son ask bread? Will he give him a stone?"

Here the plural "you" is broken off for the singular "he."

1 Corinthians 7:13.-"And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her," etc.

Here the break is from the feminine to the masculine.

2 Corinthians 5:6; 2 Corinthians 5:8.-Here the change is from participles to finite verbs:

"Being confident then always, and conscious that being at home [here] in the body, we are from home, away from the Lord (for by faith we are walking, not by sight). We are confident, however, and are content rather to be from home [here] out of the body, and to be at home with the Lord [there]."

These words are usually misquoted "absent from the body, present with the Lord," as though it meant that the moment we are absent from the body we are present with the Lord. But this is exactly what it does not say: and the Anacoluthon calls our attention to this.

The whole subject is resurrection, starting from 4:14. Our two bodies are contrasted in 5:1-5: viz.: "the earthly house of this tabernacle (i.e., this mortal body)" is contrasted with "our οἰκητήριον (oikeeteerion), our spiritual or resurrection body" (see Judges 1:6): viz.: "our house which is from heaven," the future body of glory being called a "house," as compared with the present body in which we groan, which is called a "tabernacle" or tent.

The argument is that, while we are in this "tabernacle" we cannot have that "house"; and that while we are in this tent we are away from our real eternal home, which is with the Lord.

There is no thought (here or elsewhere) of our being at home, or "with the Lord," apart from resurrection and our resurrection bodies.

Galatians 6:1.-"Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted."

Here the abrupt transition from the plural to the singular, which is a kind of Enallage (q.v. [Note: Which see.] ), makes the general precept applicable to each individual, in order to emphasize the absolute necessity of the "spirit of meekness" which is enjoined.

The figure calls our attention also to the fact that restoration is the object, and not judgment. Experience would lead us to believe that the text read: "Ye which are spiritual judge such an one in the spirit of bitterness and harshness, not considering thyself!" Hence the use of this figure to arrest our attention, and correct our error.

Ephesians 1:20.-"Having raised him … he set him."

Colossians 1:26.-"The secret which had been lying hid from the ages and from the generations, but lately was made manifest to his Saints."

Other examples may be found, e.g.:-

4. Sometimes the construction is broken off altogether, andis not completed at all

Mark 11:32.-"But if we shall say, Of men;-they feared the people."

Here, the reasonings of the rulers are broken off, and the sense must be supplied by Ellipsis (q.v. [Note: Which see.] ).

Romans 5:12.-This is usually given as an example of what appears to be an Anacoluthon; because the sense seems broken off at the end of verse 12: but the structure of the passage shows us the connection, and where the sense or argument is resumed. Many suppose that this is verse 15; but the Correspondence of subjects shows that it must be verse 18.

The section to which verse 12 belongs is that from verse 12 to 21, and is as follows:-

A a 12. By one man, sin: then, death upon all.

b 13. Sin not imputed where no Law exists.

c 14. The reign of death.

B 15. Not as the offence, so the gracious gift.

B 16, 17. Not as by one person, so the gift.

A a 18, 19. By one man’s offence, all men under condemnation; by one man’s disobedient act the many were constituted sinners; and the counterpart.

b 20. The offence abounded when Law came-and the counterpart.

c 21. The reign of sin-and the counterpart.

Here, we see that verse 12 corresponds with verses 18, 19, and consequently all between (viz., verses 13-17) is practically in a parenthesis. Moreover, note that the three members of A are stated with their counterparts, and are thus distinguished from the three in A. [Note: . Alford and his critical Greek Text.]

1 Timothy 1:3-4.-Here, the A.V. [Note: The Authorized Version, or current Text of our English Bible, 1611.] supplies the sense by adding "so do." The R.V. [Note: The Revised Version, 1881.] adds "so do I now."

5. Sometimes the change consists of a sudden transition from the indirect to the direct form of speech

Mark 6:9.-"But being shod with sandals; and put not on two coats.

Luke 5:14.-"He charged him to tell no man, but go and show thyself," etc.

This may be explained by the Ellipsis of the verb "say," "but [he said] go and show thyself," etc.

John 5:44.-"How can ye believe, receiving honour one from another? and the honour that is only from God, ye seek not."

Acts 1:4.-"Wait for the Father’s promise which ye heard of me." The A.V. [Note: The Authorized Version, or current Text of our English Bible, 1611.] and R.V. [Note: The Revised Version, 1881.] treat this as Ellipsis, supplying the words "which [saith or said he] ye have heard of me."

Acts 17:3.-"Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered and have risen from among the dead, and that this is the Christ whom I announce to you." The R.V. [Note: The Revised Version, 1881.] (and A.V. [Note: The Authorized Version, or current Text of our English Bible, 1611.] margin) treat this as Ellipsis, "whom [said he] I preach," etc.

6. Sometimes the change is from the direct form, which passes into the indirect

John 13:29.-"Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor."

Acts 14:22.- "Establishing the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many tribulations must we enter into the Kingdom of God."

See under Ellipsis.

Acts 23:23.-"Get ready two hundred soldiers that they may go to CAEsarea." The natural sequence would have been "and go."

7. Sometimes two equivalent constructions are united in the same proposition

It is scarcely necessary to present these in full. The student can readily search them out for himself.

And in the Old Testament the following may be noticed:-