What to Observe: Grammar

The philosopher Wittgenstein wrote, “Like everything metaphysical the harmony between thought and reality is to be found in the grammar of the language.”  My high school English teacher would say he was on to something.

Without grammar, it would be difficult to communicate.  For example, we wouldn’t have verbs.  Just subjects.  All the time.  No action.  Maybe objects.  Short sentences, though.  Loads of confusion.  Mass hysteria.  Need for clarity.  Little talking.  Aw, shoot; I couldn’t do it.

So once you’ve observed the words of a Bible text, you can move on to observing how the author put those words together into sentences.  This means observing the grammar.

“Grammar” can be a scary word, invoking memories of pimples, bullies, and parental pressure as we look back (sometimes unfondly) on what used to be known as “The Wonder Years.”  I’m here to tell you, however, that grammar can be fun.  Grammar can be exciting.  Grammar can, in fact, be the gateway into fruitful observation of the Bible.

Let’s take Luke 2:1-21, NET as our text again.  Let’s observe just the subject and main verb of each sentence (in other words, let’s do some simple grammar).  Look at what you get:

• A decree went out
• This was the first
• Everyone went
• Joseph also went
• He went
• The time came
• She gave birth…and wrapped…and laid
• There were shepherds
• An angel appeared…and the glory shone…and they were
• The angel said
  • Don’t be afraid
  • Listen
  • Your Savior is born
  • He is Christ
  • This will be a sign: you will find
• An army appeared
• The shepherds said
  • Let us go and see
• They hurried off and located…and found
• They related
• All were astonished
• Mary treasured up
• The shepherds returned
• Everything was just
• He was named

What is the point of this exercise?  Simply that, by stripping away the detail and observing the basic sentence structure (subject and verb), we end up with a pretty good outline of the story in Luke 2.  Before we can move to interpretation (figuring out what the text means), we must observe what it says.  One way to identify what the author says is to observe the grammar.  This skill is important as we learn how to study the Bible.

Observing the grammar isn’t just for narrative, like that in Luke.  It helps in other genres as well.

For example, look at Philippians 2:5-11.  Boiling it down to the basic grammar gives us:

• You should have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had
  • Who did not regard equality with God as somethingto be grasped
    • but emptied himself…
    • [and] humbled himself…
  • As a result, God exalted him

What does Paul want us to do here?  Be like Jesus.  When we give up what we deserve (empty ourselves) and take on what we don’t deserve (humble ourselves), there’s no telling what God might do in our community.