Basics 19: Comparison and Contrast Words

Checking with the Experts

After writing Bite 68, Jeremy proofread it, like usual. One of his comments to me was, “Looks like you need a Basic on contrast words.” Oh, ok.

So I first consulted my friends in their books: Stein, Sproul, Zuck. The only mentions of contrast words were in association with antithetical parallelism. Which isn’t disheartening because I think there are cross-overs. There are squishy places in literature where the author uses various forms and genres of literature within a short segment of text. And principles apply from poetry to prose, depending on how the author uses his words. However, I was hoping to find someone to hold my hand as I try to explain the significance of contrast words to you.

Nope. I think that’s partly because it is considered a norm of our language. But have you noticed that some of us in our culture today have forgotten what we might have learned back in school about the norms of language? Or (shocked gasp) we were never taught them?

Let’s take a quick look in this Basic at how comparing and contrasting words help us to observe and interpret within the pages of Scripture. Actually, it’s helpful for any other written or spoken word, too.

Comparison/Contrast in Ephesians 4:11-16

Let’s first read the section we’ve been studying where we see examples of the principles we’re discussing. I’ve made bold the words I want us to notice for the sake of brevity.

11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, 
the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 
12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, 
for building up the body of Christ, 
13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith 
and of the knowledge of the Son of God, 
to mature manhood, 
to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 
14 so that we may no longer be children, 
tossed to and fro by the waves
 and carried about by every wind of doctrine, 
by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 
15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, 
we are to grow up in every way into him 
who is the head, into Christ, 
16 from whom the whole body, 
joined and held together by every joint 
with which it is equipped, 
when each part is working properly, 
makes the body grow 
so that it builds itself up in love.1

Opposites

First thing to notice as we observe in a passage are the opposites. Optimally, this would take place initially as we are observing. I didn’t happen to notice these as I was observing in my own study, but later on in interpretation there was a moment of, “Hey, wait a minute! There are opposites here.”

“Better late than never” says the adage, right?

Between verse 13 and 14 in our section above, Paul talks about growing to mature manhood and then immediately follows it with not being children. No matter what goofiness our culture comes up with, it is not okay for a standard issue human being to grow up and be a boy who shaves. Maybe he shaves. He probably should shave if he still acts like a boy because that can get pretty unsightly. Anyway.

One is what is: the saints are children in faith. The other is the target: mature manhood in faith. Opposites. Notice them. Embrace the word pictures the author presents.

Indicators

The author usually posts road signs when he is using comparison and contrast. In our section, we have words like so that, no longer, and rather.

These are the types of words that jump up and down, waving at us to get our attention that the author isn’t just telling us something. He’s going out of his way to paint word pictures. Instead of one picture, he paints two. Not this way, but this way.

This is only a tiny sample of indicators. As you read and study, now that I brought them to your attention, I bet you’ll see them everywhere. Which, by the way, is called the Baader-Meinhoff Phenomenon. Check it out here, if you’re interested.

Extended Comparison

Or contrast. Or both. The names of what literary devices happen are not the point.

As we continue to read through the section of scripture, there aren’t specific words that are comparisons or contrasts, but there is a lengthy description of comparison. Paul says that the Jesus-given workers for the saints are to equip until a certain point. What’s the point? To unity, to maturity, to the measure of the stature of Christ himself. Nothing like a little job security, huh?

So noticing specifically the mature manhood aspect, we already observed that being children is not the goal, and then that indicator word rather shows up. Rather what?

Paul then spends a couple of sentences to explain the ultimate earthly goal. We are to grow up…into Christ. So in the end, it isn’t mature manhood that we children are aiming for, it’s Christ.

There is a lot there to consider about what being grown up in Christ looks like, but our focus in this Bite is learning to see the literary device even exists.

Anywhere Else?

There is obviously the compare/contrast business happening in our passage in Ephesians 4. Like I said earlier, I’m pretty sure you’re going to start seeing this literary technique everywhere now that we’ve discussed it, but let’s just quickly see if we can easily find any other examples to examine briefly.

Jesus in the NT

I spent less than five minutes reading through some of Jesus’ preaching in Matthew. Contrasts, comparisons galore! Trying to find one to discuss succinctly was the challenge. Let’s glance at the contrast Jesus builds in Matthew 7:13-14.

“Enter by the narrow gate. 
For the gate is wide and the way is easy 
that leads to destruction, 
and those who enter by it are many.
For the gate is narrow and the way is hard 
that leads to life, 
and those who find it are few. 2

Proverbs in the OT

First, Comparison

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, 
and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.3

This is going overlap into the genre of poetry, since this is actually an example of synonymous parallelism. But that is what synonymous parallelism is: synonyms next to each other. AKA comparison.

Line A: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

Line B: The knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

What does this proverb mean by fear? Knowledge. How does the proverb define Lord? The Holy One. What is another way to say the beginning of wisdom? Insight.

See how that works? As students of the Word, we have the ability to understand more if we understand this tool of comparison and contrasts. And now that I mention it again, let’s find a contrast.

Second, Contrast

A wise son makes a glad father, 
but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.4Proverbs 10:1 (ESV)4

Just a few verses further we find a contrast. You can see better what the proverb is saying when there are opposites like wise and foolish. And there is that indicator word, isn’t there? But…

A caveat: we want to be careful not to get carried away with it. This particular proverb isn’t saying anything about which parent gets which emotion. Remember to consider the point of the truism. The mom would be glad too. And the dad would lament as well. The point is that wisdom in a child is a joy to his folks. The one who isn’t wise, he heaps sorrow and pain of all sorts and kinds on his folks.

Wrap Up

As you can begin to see, these comparisons and contrasts are all over scripture. Have a ball noticing them and learning from the biblical authors and their inspired artistry with words. And enjoy the benefit of having another tool in your toolbox to help you learn, understand, and apply in your own life.

Thanks for studying with me today. If you find this article useful, would you please share it with another student of the Word? It would help me out!

1. Ephesians 4:11–16 (ESV)
2. Matthew 7:13-14 (ESV)
3. Proverbs 9:10 (ESV)