The reader will find it a fruitful exercise to attempt the classification of all the

questions that occur in a single book or epistle.

Dialogismos, or "Dialogue".--The name of the figure needs no explanation. As an

example, we may take Isa. 63: 1-6, where we have an alternation of question and

Aetiologia, or "Cause shown", from aitia, "a cause", and logos, "a description".--This

is a most important element in argumentation, and is often introduced by the words "for"

or "therefore". For example, in Rom. 1: 16-18:--

The apostle Paul is the most argumentative writer in Scripture. Every occurrence of

the words "for", "that", "therefore", "wherefore" is a challenge, and should be

carefully noted.

Another important Figure of Argumentation is Synchoresis or "Concession", from the

Greek sunchoreo, "to come together", or "agree".--The figure is used when a concession

of one point is made in order to gain another. A recognition of this figure is necessary for

a true understanding of the great parenthesis of Rom. 1: 18 - 3: 20. The apostle's

supreme object is to convict the Jew of his need of a righteousness without works, and, in

order to gain his point he "fetches a wide compass" and begins with the awful sinfulness

of the Gentile world (Rom. 1: 18-32). Again, in Rom. 2: 17-20 he concedes the claim of

the Jew as knowing the law, and being able to lead the blind, but only to give weight to

the argument that follows--that the Jew, with his self-confessed advantages, was more

desperately in need of righteousness than the Gentile who had no revelation of truth to

guide him. The reader should be on the look-out for this figure of Concession, but should

be careful not to confuse it with Epitrophe, which is a figure of Admission. When a point

is "conceded" we do not "admit" that we are wrong.

The figure Prolepsis or "Anticipation", which we considered at the end of our last

article must be considered again here. When it deals with Argumentation, it anticipates

the argument that it sees is being formulated. The figure has two forms, "Closed" and

"Open". In the Closed Prolepsis, we have the anticipated objection merely stated but not

answered. In the Open Prolepsis, the anticipated objection is both stated and answered.

First the Closed form: "I say then, Hath God cast away His people?" (Rom. 11: 1).