Talbert’s List

A major chiastic structure identified by Talbert, more than thirty years ago, in which the “the elements (parables) are balanced in chiastic fashion” is not easily described in words. Set forth below is the list created by Charles H. Talbert, “though it conforms at many points with the contentions of Goulder and Morgenthaler.”

Luke 10:21 to 13:30 . . . . . . . . . . Luke 14:1 to 18:30

10:21-24 . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . .18:15-17

10:25-37. . . . . . . . . . . .2 . . . .18:18-30

10:38-42. . . . . . . . . . . .3. . . . 18:9-14

11:1-13. . . . . . . . . . . . 4. . . . 18:1-8

11:14-36. . . . . . . . . . . .5. . . . 17:11-37

11:37-54. . . . . . . . . . . .6. . . . 17:1-10

12:1-48. . . . . . . . . . . . 7. . . . Ch. 16

12:49-13:9. . . . . . . . . . .8. . . . 14:25-15:32

13:10-17. . . . . . . . . . . .9. . . . 14:1-6

13:18-30. . . . . . . . . . . 10. . . . 14:7-24

13:31-33. . . . . . . . . . . 11. . . . 13:34-35

The first parallel given in the list above is the correspondence of Luke 10:21-24 to 18:15-17. In both elements, the Kingdom is accessible only to babes.

Luke uses the Greek word nepios in 10:21 and brephos in 18:15. In most translations, nepios is translated as babes while brephos is translated as infants. Plummer translates verse 15 as follow: "Now people were bringing to Him even their babes." However Plummer does not mention Luke 10:21-24 in his discussion nor does he discuss why he chose to translate brephos as babes rather than as infants which is the choice of most translations. Yet Plummer, whose translation is not incorrect, implicitly links these two pericopes closer than anyone else. For, instance, Bock in his discussion of children and faith 18:15-17 does not mention Luke 10:21-24.

Copyrighted 2006

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Gospel of Luke