Dramatic Terms Used by a Greek Scholar
The Bible indeed holds supremacy over all other sources of literary allusion in the addresses and writings of public men. The Independent calls attention to a eulogy written by a prominent university professor in which were found, in an article of less than six pages, fourteen expressions from the Bible: "Every good word and work," "Fountain sealed," "Discernment of spirits," "Hid treasure," "Sinned with their lips," "Faith in his high calling," "Seeing him who is invisible," "Time would fail me," "Slept or slumbered," "Egyptian taskmaster," "Bloweth where it listeth," "Make a plain path," "Recompense of reward," and one direct quotation, "This is the way; walk ye in it." Against these fourteen cases is only one use of classical [{126}] phrases and one allusion each to Milton and Wordsworth. And Professor Gildersleeve is not known as a Bible scholar; he is past master of all our Grecians, and master also of a most delightful style. "He could have spattered his address over with Greek and Latin references and expressions without winking, so easy would it have been for him, but they could not have fitted into the serious purpose of plain and tender address as do the words of the two Testaments."
Superficial Knowledge of the Bible Prevalent
It makes no difference what a man's profession may be; whether he be a literary man, a lawyer, a teacher, or a clergyman, Bible words will unconsciously drop off his tongue, so familiar have the striking terms and phrases of the Bible become. And yet a mere superficial knowledge of the Book of books prevails to-day to such an extent that many grotesque mistakes and misquotations occur. London's leading newspaper solemnly affirmed one morning that if the Government of the day came to grief it would "fall, like the walls of Jericho, before the noise of empty pitchers." Can you discover the mistake in this simile? ([287 H.T.], [329 H.T.]) A great lecturer on one occasion alluded to "Pharaoh and his hosts being overwhelmed in the Jordan." What two events are confused in this quotation? ([184 H.T.], [285 H.T.])
Whenever such an expression presents itself and is found to be vague or confusing, turn to the following list of allusions, which are those in most common use, and arranged alphabetically for easy reference. [Footnote: Note there are two lists of allusions, both alphabetically arranged.] Clear up the obscurity by reading the Bible passage that explains the doubtful phrase.
Each of these allusions has been used many times in common speech or in our great English writings, as illustrated by the many quotations that follow. A knowledge of the meaning and derivation of such phrases opens up a new world of interest and understanding and the ability to use them correctly infuses speech and writing alike with a new power of graphic expression.
How many of these allusions recall definitely a certain incident or story to your mind?
| As strong as a spider's web. | [190 S.A.] |
| Ananias. | [335 L.J.] |
| Apples of gold in baskets of silver. | [504 G.B.] |
| Appeal unto Caesar. | [452 L.J.] |
| [{127}] | |
| Add a cubit to his stature. | [106 G.B.] |
| At their wits' end. | [132 S.A.] |
| All things to all men. | [438 S.A.] |
| As a lamb to the slaughter. | [289 S.A.] |
| As locusts for multitude, | [319 H.T.] |
| As a hart panteth after the water brooks. | [61 S.A.] |
| As sheep having no shepherd. | [144 L.J.] |
| As high as Haman. | [73 T.J.] |
| Balaam's ass. | [259 H.T.] |
| The beauty of holiness. | [505 T.J.] |
| Cast to the dogs. | [172 L.J.] |
| Clearer than the noonday. | [193 S.A.] |
| Carpenter of Nazareth. | [50 L.J.] |
| Cattle upon a thousand hills. | [73 S.A.] |
| City set on a hill. | [106 L.J.] |
| Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? | [77 L.J.] |
| Clothed and in his right mind. | [139 L.J.] |
| Cake not turned. | [364 S.A.] |
| Driving of Jehu. | [160 T.J.] |
| Doubting Thomas. | [306 L.J.] |
| The day of small things. | [404 S.A.] |
| Darkness which may be felt. | [171 H.T.] |
| Dan to Beer-sheba. | [339 H.T.], [342 H.T.] |
| Doorkeeper in the house of God. | [96 S.A.] |
| Delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. | [143 H.T.], [357 H.T.] |
| Draught of fishes. | [307 L.J.] |
| Earth thy footstool. | [343 L.J.] |
| Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard. | [502 T.J.] |
| Ebenezer. | [249 H.T.] |
| Eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. | [110 L.J.] |
| Earn thy bread by the sweat of thy brow. | [20 T.J.] |
| The ewe lamb. | [432 H.T.] |
| Every good and perfect gift. | [427 S.A.] |
| Faith hath made thee whole. | [140 L.J.] |
| Fishers of men. | [94 L.J.] |
| Flight into Egypt. | [45 L.J.] |
| Faithful unto death | [506 H.T.], [461 S.A.] |
| Flesh pots of Egypt. | [192 H.T.] |
| Friend of publicans and sinners. | [154 L.J.] |
| A far country. | [203 L.J.] |
| The grass withereth, the flower fadeth. | [284 S.A.] |
| [{128}] | |
| Gathered unto his fathers. | [59 H.T.] |
| Gallows fifty cubits high. | [70 T.J.] |
| The hills melted like wax. | [502 T.J.] |
| High calling. | [504 H.T.] |
| Half hath not been told. | [481 H.T.] |
| He that trod the sea. | [148 L.J.] |
| He that ruleth his spirit is better than he that taketh a city. | [502 G.B.] |
| His enemies shall lick the dust. | [88 S.A.] |
| Hearing of the ear. | [231 S.A.] |
| Ishmaelite. | [395 H.T.] |
| Job's comforters. | [197 S.A.] |
| Kill the fatted calf. | [204 L.J.] |
| Kick against the goad, kick against the pricks. | [458 L.J.] |
| Loaves and fishes. | [147 L.J.] |
| Love is strong as death. | [239 S.A.] |
| Leaven in the lump. | [439 S.A.] |
| Law of the Medes and Persians. | [207 T.J.] |
| Lift up your heads, O ye gates. | [503 H.T.] |
| Let another man praise thee. | [504 G.B.] |
| Let your speech be yea, yea; and nay, nay. | [109 L.J.] |
| Looking for a sign. | [92 L.J.] |
| Man of sorrows. | [288 S.A.] |
| Mighty in words and works. | [341 L.J.] |
| A merry heart is a good medicine. | [503 G.B.] |
| Mighty man of valor. | [352 H.T.] |
| More than conquerors. | [508 H.T.] |
| Man goeth to his long home. | [245 S.A.] |
| Macedonian cry. | [396 L.J.] |
| A mother in Israel. | [54 T.J.] |
| Man shall not live by bread alone. | [70 L.J.] |
| Manger lowly. | [37 L.J.] |
| Man wise in his own conceit. | [504 G.B.] |
| Man hasty in his words. | [504 G.B.] |
| My lines are fallen in pleasant places. | [24 S.A.] |
| Not slothful in business. | [505 L.J.] |
| Not by might, nor by power. | [404 S.A.] |
| Outer darkness. | [246 L.J.]. |
| One having authority. | [118 L.J.] |
| Prophet without honor. | [92 L.J.] |
| Pride goeth before destruction. | [502 G.B.] |
| Philistines be upon thee. | [177 T.J.] |
| Passover. | [173 H.T.] |
| [{129}] | |
| Purple and fine linen. | [257 S.A.], [206 L.J.] |
| Pitched his tent toward Sodom. | [25 H.T.] |
| Prince of demons. | [171 L.J.] |
| Pass by on the other side. | [88 L.J.] |
| Quit yourselves like men. | [345 H.T.], [505 H.T.] |
| Rain on the just and the unjust. | [110 L.J.] |
| Rod of iron. | [476 S.A.] |
| Sounding brass and tinkling cymbal. | [425 S.A.] |
| Speak with the tongues of men and of angels. | [425 S.A.] |
| Salt of the earth. | [106 L.J.] |
| Stone which the builders rejected. | [239 L.J.], [141 S.A.] |
| Sweeter than honey and the honeycomb. | [31 S.A.] |
| Sojourners in a strange land. | [340 L.J.] |
| Spirit descending as a dove. | [69 L.J.] |
| She hath done what she could. | [230 L.J.] |
| Sackcloth and ashes. | [67 T.J.] |
| A soft answer turneth away wrath. | [502 G.B.] |
| Sow the wind and reap the whirlwind. | [365 S.A.] |
| Sharper than a two-edged sword. | [504 T.J.] |
| Seat of the scornful. | [19 S.A.] |
| Shineth more and more unto the perfect day. | [255 S.A.] |
| Seed that fell on stony ground. | [133 L.J.] |
| Smite the Egyptian. | [341 L.J.] |
| Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. | [264 L.J.] |
| Son of perdition. | [262 L.J.] |
| The Sower. | [133 L.J.] |
| Take up thy bed and walk. | [128 L.J.], [167 L.J.] |
| Tell it not in Gath. | [426 H.T.] |
| Tongues of fire. | [325 L.J.] |
| The twelve. | [94 L.J.] |
| Thirty pieces of silver. | [248 L.J.] |
| Tents of wickedness. | [96 S.A.] |
| The truth shall make you free. | [194 L.J.] |
| Turn the other cheek. | [110 L.J.] |
| Take up his cross. | [504 H.T.] |
| To thy tents, O Israel. | [239 T.J.] |
| They that go down to the sea in ships. | [131 S.A.] |
| Thine enemies thy footstool. | [328 L.J.] |
| To the ant, thou sluggard. | [255 S.A.] |
| The Lord will provide. | [41 H.T.] |
| Trees choosing a king. | [333 H.T.] |
| Unto the half of my kingdom. | [154 L.J.] |
| [{130}] | |
| The unjust steward. | [204 L.J.] |
| The upper room. | [249 L.J.] |
| Unprofitable servant. | [246 L.J.] |
| A very present help in trouble. | [68 S.A.] |
| Widow's mite. | [243 L.J.] |
| The wings of the wind. | [26 S.A.] |
| Wolf shall dwell with the lamb. | [303 G.B.] |
| Wiles of the devil. | [506 H.T.] |
| The way of all the earth. | [451 H.T.] |
| The wings of the morning. | [164 S.A.] |
| Without money and without price. | [507 T.J.] |
| Whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth, | [502 T.J.] |
| We shall reap, if we faint not. | [506 L.J.] |
| We piped unto you, and ye did not dance. | [153 L.J.] |
| Where moth and rust doth corrupt. | [115 L.J.] |
| Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. | [379 S.A.] |
From reading these literary passages can you clearly explain the incident or story each Bible phrase suggests?
| Aaron's Serpent. | [152 H.T.] |