Bible Lexicons

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

Climax: or Radation

Repeated Anadiplosis

When Anadiplosis is repeated in successive sentences, it is called Climax, from κλῖμαξ (klimax), a ladder, a gradual ascent, a going up by steps.

Hence, in Latin, it is called SCALA, a ladder; GRADUS, a step; or, GRADATIO, a gradation.

By some, it is called EPIPLOCE (e-pip´-lo-ce), a folding upon.

There are two figures to which this name is sometimes given. There is a climax where only words are concerned, and a climax where the sense is concerned. A climax of words is a figure of Grammar; and a climax of sense is a figure of Rhetoric. We have confined our use of the word climax to the former; as there are other names appropriated to the latter. A Climax in Rhetoric is known as Anabasis (q.v. [Note: Which see.] ), where the gradation is upward; and Catabasis (q.v. [Note: Which see.] ), where it is downward: and these have other alternative titles. See below under figures of sense.

Climax relates to words; and is, as we have said, a repeated Anadiplosis, or a combination of successive Anadiplosis and Epanadiplosis: where the last word of one sentence is repeated as the first word of the next, and the last of this next sentence is repeated as the first word of the sentence following, and so on.

Sometimes there may be two or three words, only one of which is repeated; or the repeated noun may be represented by a pronoun.

It is a beautiful figure, very expressive; and at once attracts our attention to the importance of a passage.

Hosea 2:21.-"And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear. saith the Lord, I will hear

the heavens, and

they shall hear

the earth; and

the earth shall hear

the corn, and the wine, and the oil, and

they shall hear Jezreel."

Thus does the Spirit emphasize the blessing wherewith Jehovah will bless His People-when they shall obtain mercy, and He will betroth them unto Himself for ever.

Jezreel (i.e., Israel, by the figure of Metonymy, q.v. [Note: Which see.] ) shall cry out for and expect the corn and wine and oil; and these, by the beautiful figure of Prosopopœia (q.v. [Note: Which see.] ), are represented as hearing, and in their turn, crying out to the Earth to bring them forth: the Earth, in its turn, is represented as hearing them, and crying out to the heavens to send rain and heat and light and air; and these in their turn hear, and cry out to Jehovah, the giver of all, who in judgment had made the heaven as brass, the earth as iron, and the rain as powder and dust (Deuteronomy 28:23-24), but who in that day will first give repentance to Israel, and then their cry reaches to Jehovah, who will open the heavens, and give rain, and the Earth shall bring forth her fruit (Jeremiah 14:22).

Thus the figures Epizeuxis ("I will hear"), Polysyndeton, Climax, and Prosopopœia are heaped together to express the coming fulness of Israel’s blessing.

Joel 1:3-4.-The prophecy of Joel opens with the solemnity which this figure always gives. "Tell ye

your children of it, and let

your children tell

their children, and

their children another generation.

That which the palmerworm hath left hath

the locust eaten; and that which

the locust hath left hath

the cankerworm eaten; and that which

the cankerworm hath left hath

the caterpiller eaten."

John 1:1-2.-"In the beginning was

the Word: and

the Word was with

God: and

God

the Word was, and

the same [word] was in the beginning with God."

The order of the words as thus placed in the Greek exhibits, by the figure of Climax, a great solemnity in the measured rising of the sense, and emphasizes the fact that "the word was God," for the use of the article in the third proposition preserves the actual sense from being mistaken or hidden by the Climax, which is obtained by the inversion of the words from their natural order.

Thus, beautifully is the true Deity of the Lord Jesus affirmed.

His attributes and their effect are similarly marked in verses 4 and 5:-

John 1:4-5.-"In Him was

life; and the

life was the

light of men. And the

light shineth in

darkness; and the

darkness comprehended it not."

Romans 5:3-5.-"And not only so, but we glory also* [Note: See "Also": a Biblical Study, by the same author and publisher.] in

tribulations: knowing that

tribulation worketh

patience; and

patience [worketh]

experience; and

experience worketh

hope; and

hope maketh not ashamed."

Romans 8:29-30.-"For whom he did foreknow, he did

predestinate also to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom He did

predestinate, them he

called also; and whom he

called, them He

justified also; but whom he

justified, them he glorified also."

Romans 10:14-15.-"Whosoever shall

call upon the name of Lord shall be saved. How then shall they

call on him in whom they have not

believed? and how shall they

believe in him of whom they have not

heard? And how shall they

hear without a

preacher? And how shall they

preach, except they may be sent."

James 1:3-4.-"Knowing this that the trying of your faith worketh

patience. But let

patience have her

perfect work, that ye may be

perfect and entire, wanting nothing."

James 1:14-15.-"But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own

lust, and enticed. Then when

lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth

sin: and

sin when it is finished, bringeth forth death."

2 Peter 1:5-7.-"We have already considered this verse under the figure of Polysyndeton, which is almost inseparable from the figure of Climax. It is there very differently exhibited, however, to show that figure.

We need not further explain the passage here, but merely exhibit it to show the sevenfold Climax.

"Add to your faith

virtue: and to

virtue

knowledge: and to

knowledge

temperance: and to

temperance

patience: and to

patience

godliness: and to

godliness

brotherly kindness: and to

brotherly kindness, charity.