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shadows, with the reality that is found alone in the Lord Jesus. There was a measure of
grace in the Divine picture book of the Old Testament, but this only looked forward to
the coming of the Saviour in Whom is the true grace, the perfect thing. In connection
with the filling of Judas' place, the early disciples prayed concerning the Lord's chosen:
"That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by
transgression fell . . . . ." (Acts 1: 25).
Ministry and apostleship were not two separate forms of service. It would have been
better to recognize the figure Hendiadys and translate it apostolic ministry.
In Acts 14: 13 we have another example:
"Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands
unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people."
The Authorized Version (A.V.) leads one to think that the oxen and garlands were
brought separately to the gates. But not so; it was the heathen custom to put garlands
upon the animals to be sacrificed, and so the phrase should be "garlanded oxen", two
things expressed, but only one thing meant. Likewise in Rev. 5: 10, "kings and priests"
would be better translated "a priestly kingdom". Sometimes we have an idea represented
by three words and then we have Hendiatris:
". . . . . I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by
Me" (John 14: 6).
While it is perfectly true that the Lord can be considered as the Way, Truth and Life
separately, yet what He really meant was: "I am the True and Living Way", so
recognizing the figure Hendiatris, Weymouth renders it thus in his version.
Another frequently used figure is Metonymy or Change of Noun, where one thing is
put for another, frequently for emphasis. In I Thess. 5: 19, 20 we have:
"Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings."
When the word `spirit" stands by itself, it is difficult to know whether God the Holy
Spirit is intended, or the gift that He gives. I Thessalonians is an epistle written early in
the Acts period when evidential gifts were abundant. The reference to prophesyings,
prophecy being one of these gifts (I Cor. 12: 10), shows us that the word `spirit" refers
not to God, but to His gift. In any case it is beyond the power of any human being to
extinguish God. But His gifts can be so treated and this context gives this warning.
We have another example of Metonymy in Rev. 6: 9 :
". . . . . I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God."
Whatever ideas may be held concerning the meaning of the soul in the Bible, it will be
generally agreed that it cannot be seen by the eyes. Consequently a figure of speech must
be used here. "Soul" is put by Metonymy for "person", just as we talk of `souls on board