Bible Lexicons

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

Tapeinosis; or Demeaning

(A lessening of a thing in order to increase it)

Ta-pei-nô´-sis. Greek ταπείνωσις, a demeaning or humbling.

This differs from Meiosis in that in Meiosis one thing is diminished in order, by contrast, to increase the greatness of another, or something else.

Whereas, in Tapeinosis the thing that is lessened is the same thing which is increased and intensified.

The figure was also called ANTENANTIOSIS. Ant´-en-an-ti-o´-sis from ἀντί (anti), over against, or instead of, and ἐναντίος (enantios), opposite.

When the figure is used parenthetically, it is called ANAERESIS. See below under Parenthesis.

The figure is used in connection with nouns, verbs, and adverbs,

1. Positively.

2. Negatively.

1. Positively

ONE (אֶחָד) in the plural (in Heb.) is used for a few or some:-

Genesis 27:44.-"Tarry with him a few days, until thy brother’s fury turn away."

We learn from 29:20 that the love which he bore to Rachel is emphasized by speaking of the seven years in which he served for her as "a few days."

SOME (τις) in plural (in Greek) is used for the greater number:-

Romans 3:3.-"For what if some did not believe?" Our attention is by this at once pointed to the fact that it was in reality the very opposite. It was only "some" who believed, while the nation as a whole did not believe.

1 Timothy 4:1.-"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits (πνεύμασιν πλάνοις, wandering or deceiving spirits or angels), and teachings of demons:" i.e., a vast number of people will be deceived by evil angels and demons in these last days.

Galatians 2:6.-"But of these who seemed to be somewhat (τι)." They seemed to be something, really they were nothing (6:3).

SICK, for those who were dead in sins:

Romans 5:6.-"For when we were yet without strength" (ἀσθενῶν, asthenôn, sick). We were really "dead in sin," but are spoken of as infirm, because called "ungodly," "sinners" (verses 6-8), "enemies" (verse 10).

REBUKE, for the great punishment of excommunication.

2 Corinthians 2:6.-"Sufficient to such a man is this punishment" (ἐπιτιμία, eṕitimia), rebuke. See further under Idiom

2. Negatively

When the emphasis is made by the use of the negative in order to express the positive in a very high degree, this is the figure of Antenantiosis (see above).

When we say of a man that "he is no fool," we mean that he is very wise; or when we say of a thing, "it is not a hundred miles from here," we mean that it is quite close at hand. We thus emphasize that which we seem to lessen: e.g., when it is written, "I praise you not," it means I greatly blame you!

Exodus 20:7.-"The Lord will not hold him guiltless:" i.e., He will hold him guilty of breaking the whole law.

Numbers 21:23.-"And Sihon would not suffer Israel to pass through his border." Heb.: "would not give permission," i.e., he did more, he prohibited them, as the verse goes on to explain, and opposed them even to the extent of using force.

Psalms 43:1.-"Plead my cause against an ungodly (margin, Heb., ‘unmerciful’) nation." Heb. לֹא חָסִיד (lô chahseed), not merciful, i.e., cruel and malignant.

Psalms 51:17.-"A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise:" i.e., Thou wilt graciously accept and welcome and bless.

Psalms 78:50.-"He spared not their soul from death," i.e., He gave their life over to the pestilence.

Psalms 83:1 (2).-"Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God:" i.e., Arise, O God; and speak; vindicate and deliver me from mine enemies.

Psalms 84:11.-"No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly:" i.e., he will give them every good thing, and preserve them from all evil.

Psalms 107:38.-"And suffereth not their cattle to decrease:" i.e., will abundantly multiply their cattle.

Proverbs 12:3.-"A man shall not be established by wickedness:" i.e., he shall be overthrown.

Proverbs 17:21.-"The father of a fool hath no joy:" i.e., he hath plenty of sorrow.

Proverbs 18:5.-"It is not good to accept the person of the wicked," i.e., it is a very hateful thing in God’s sight to do so.

Proverbs 30:25.-"The ants are a people not strong," i.e., very weak.

Isaiah 14:6.-"And none hindereth," i.e., all help.

Isaiah 42:3.-"A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench:" i.e., He will strengthen the bruised reed and kindle to a flame the smouldering wick.

Jeremiah 2:8.-"The prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit:" i.e., that led to their ruin. So verse 11.

Zechariah 8:17.-"Love no false oath," i.e., hate every such oath.

Matthew 2:6.-And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda:" i.e., thou art the greatest!

Matthew 12:32.-"It shall not be forgiven him:" i.e., he shall have the gravest punishment in this life and in the life to come (Mark 3:29). Just as those, on the other hand, whose sins are forgiven are "blessed" (Romans 4:7).

John 6:37.-"Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out."

Here, there is very much more implied than is expressed in the literal words. Not only will I not cast him out, but I will by all means receive him and preserve him, and defend him: he shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck him out of My hand. Compare 10:28, and see further under Ellipsis (page 106) and Repeated Negation and Synonymia below.

John 14:18.-"I will not leave you comfortless," i.e., I will certainly come to you by My Holy Spirit and be your ever present help and defence. Moreover, I will come again and receive you to Mine own self.

Acts 20:12.-"And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted:" i.e., they were very greatly comforted.

Acts 21:39.-"A citizen of no mean city:" i.e., a very important city.

Tarsus was celebrated as a distinguished seat of Greek Philosophy and Literature. According to Strabo it ranked with Athens and Alexandria in the number of its schools and learned men.

Acts 22:18.-"Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me:" i.e., they will not only reject it, oppose it to the uttermost, but will seek to kill thee.

Acts 26:19.-"I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision": i.e., I was immediately and altogether obedient. He thus makes his own obedience more emphatic; while by stating it negatively he denies what his enemies implied. They implied that he ought to have been disobedient; but he meets this by asserting that he was "not disobedient," i.e., most obedient.

Romans 1:13.-"I would not have you ignorant, brethren."

This means very much more than a mere negative wish. It is a strong positive and earnest desire that they might assuredly know and be well instructed.

Ignorance is man’s special human infirmity. Animals know more than man (Isaiah 1:3). No animal is so helpless as man in the years of infancy.

It is remarkable, therefore, that in connection with the Church of God, and the epistles addressed to churches as such, containing the special instruction neccssary in consequence of man’s ignorance concerning the church as the mystery of God, there are six different occasions on which it is written: "I would not have you ignorant, brethren."

"SIX" is the number specially significant of man. Man was created on the sixth day; and, wherever in Scripture we have this number or any multiple of it, it always stamps the subject as having to do with Man.* [Note: Many illustrations of this will be found in Number in Scripture, by the same author and publisher.]

The significance of these six occurrences of this weighty expression will be seen by those who have patience to work them out in the order in which they are given to us by the Holy Spirit.

Romans 1:13. Of Paul’s purpose to prosecute his great mission and ministry to the saints in Rome. So chap. 15:23.

Romans 11:25. That blindness in part is happened to Israel.

1 Corinthians 10:1-11. That the camp in the wilderness was the type of the baptized assembly under the preaching of the kingdom.

1 Corinthians 12:1. Concerning spiritual things connected with the Church as the Body of Christ by the baptism with the Holy Spirit.

2 Corinthians 1:8. Of the trouble at Ephesus, at the close of his ministry there (Acts 19:1-41), when his preaching the kingdom ends and the revelation of the Mystery begins.

1 Thessalonians 4:13. Concerning those that are asleep. Their resurrection and translation with the saints that are alive at the coming of the Lord, to be for ever with Him, when the Mystery is completed.

Romans 1:16.-"I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ:" i.e., I count it my highest honour and glory to proclaim it, and to suffer for it, while I have full confidence in its power to accomplish all God’s purposes of grace.

Romans 4:19.-"And being not weak in faith": i.e., Abraham being very strong in faith.

Romans 5:5.-"Hope maketh not ashamed": i.e., it enables us to "rejoice in hope of the glory of God" (verse 2), and to "joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ." This hope, therefore, is no false hope, but will prove a great and eternal reality.

Romans 10:2.-"They have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge."

By lessening the terms of the expression, the truth is more strongly stated; and the emphasis is thrown on their blindness and ignorance, which is enlarged upon in the next verse, while zeal and ignorance are combined in verse 19. Hence the expression, "not according to knowledge," by the figure of Tapeinosis means really with great blindness.

Romans 13:10.-"Love worketh no ill to his neighbour": i.e., it refuses to work ill, and not only so, but it works good for his neighbour.

1 Corinthians 2:14.-"The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God": i.e., he does more than this, he rejects them, he will not have them: why? "For they are foolishness unto him." This on the one hand constitutes the guilt of man in the invariable result of the exercise of his "free-will": while on the other hand it is equally true as to God’s sovereignty; "neither can he know them (lit., get to know them), because they are spiritually discerned."

1 Corinthians 11:22.-"I praise you not": i.e., I condemn you in this thing.

2 Corinthians 2:11.-"We are not ignorant of his devices," i.e., we are very well aware of them.

Galatians 5:21.-"They which do such things, shall not inherit the kingdom of God": i.e., they shall not only not inherit the kingdom, but shall be cast out into outer darkness and destroyed without remedy.

Hebrews 11:16.-"Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God": i.e., God is well-pleased to be their God, and to own them as His chosen people.

Hebrews 13:2.-"Be not forgetful to entertain strangers": i.e., make it your business to remember to show hospitality.

Revelation 12:11.-"They loved not their lives unto the death." The fact implied is that they disregarded their life to the point of death, and that because there was One whom they loved more than life and for whose sake they willingly gave it up.

Revelation 18:7.-"I am no widow": i.e., I am well-husbanded and prosperous.