. .IV. When a Whole Clause is omitted in a Connected Passage.
. 1. When the first member of a clause is omitted.
Matt. 16:7 — “And they reasoned among themselves, saying,
It is because we have taken no bread.”
Here the first member of the latter clause is wanting.
It is supplied in the A.V. by the words “It is” The R.V., not seeing this Ellipsis,
has boldly omitted the ὅτι (hoti) because, and translated:— “And they reasoned among themselves, saying, We took no bread” (giving the A.V. in the margin). The Ellipsis of the first member is properly filled up thus:—“And they reasoned among themselves, saying [Jesus Spoke thus, verse 6], because we have taken no bread.”
See further under Hypocatastasis.
Mark 3:30 — “Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.”
Here the first clause is omitted:— “[Jesus said this unto them], because they said,
He hath an unclean spirit.”
Luke 9:13 — “He said unto them, Give ye them to eat.
And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people.”
There is something wanting here, which may be thus supplied: — “We have no more than five loaves and two fishes; [therefore we are not able to give to them to eat] except we should go and buy meat for all this people.”
John 5:7 — “The impotent man answered him. Sir, [I am indeed willing, but],
I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool,” etc.
2 Thess. 2:3 — “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first.” (Lit., the apostasy.) The R.V. fills up the Ellipsis of the prior member, by the words “it will not be,” which is weak and tame compared with the A.V.
What is referred to is the day of the Lord,* mentioned in the preceding verse.
“Let no man deceive you by any means: for [the day of the Lord shall not come]
except there come the falling away first:” i.e., the great apostasy, which is the subject of many prophecies, must precede the day of the Lord. But it does not precede the day of Christ. Hence the saints in Thessalonica might well be troubled if the day of the Lord had set in, and they had not been previously gathered together to meet the Lord in the air in the day of Christ, as had been promised (1 Thess. 4:16, 17; 2 Thess. 2:1).†
* Not “the day of Christ,” as in A.V. The R.V. and the Ancient MSS. and Critical Texts read correctly “the day of the Lord.”† See Four Prophetic Periods, by the same author and publisher.
This is not the popular teaching, but it is the truth of God. Popular theology is very different. It says, “That day cannot come until the world’s conversion comes.” The Scripture says it cannot come until the apostasy shall have come. Popular theology says the world is not good enough yet for Christ to come. The Scripture teaches that the world is not yet bad enough! The Thessalonian saints believed their teachers, and are an example for all time for holiness of walk and for missionary zeal. People today believe their teachers, and all men see their works!
From “Figures Of Speech Used In The Bible” by E. W. Bullinger,
(Public Domain) pages 51-53. Adapted for website compatibility.
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