Positions of prominence

My review of chiastic structures suggest that each chiastic structure has its “position of prominence” or part that is to be emphasized.

Luke 24:8-11 forms a chiasmus that when read in conjunction with Luke 24:13-35, another chiasmus, makes Johanna a witness to the resurrection with Johanna at the vertex of the first stanza and together with the woman are treated prominently in the second stanza of the two part chiasmus. This is additional evidence that Johanna is someone important to Theophilus if an otherwise unknown person is the vertex of a chiasmus.

The proposed chiastic structure has not been previously recognized by scholars because two of the criteria set forth by Blomberg would be violated. The proposed chiasmus must solve a literary problem and the center of the chiasmus must be worthy of that position.

Johanna as a witness to the resurrection is worthy of that position. Danker noted that "Luke rugged syntax in v. 9 troubled copyists . . . ." Paul also employed a chiasmus in Colossian 4:7-9 to emphasize the importance of Tychicus whom he sends as a minister and servant.

Copyrighted 2006

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Gospel of Luke