{"id":1175,"date":"2014-04-16T14:43:39","date_gmt":"2014-04-16T19:43:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/figuresofspeechinthebible.net\/?page_id=1175"},"modified":"2022-02-12T04:43:32","modified_gmt":"2022-02-12T08:43:32","slug":"catabasis","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/figuresofspeechinthebible.net\/?page_id=1175","title":{"rendered":"Catabasis"},"content":{"rendered":"

or, GRADUAL DESCENT.
\nThe Opposite of Anabasis<\/a><\/strong>.<\/i><\/span><\/span>
\n
\nCat-ab’-a-sis<\/em>, a going down<\/em>: from \u03ba\u03b1\u03c4\u03b1 (kata<\/i>), down<\/i>, and \u03b2\u03b1\u03c3\u03b9\u03c2 <\/span><\/span>(basis<\/i>), a going<\/i>.
\nThis is the opposite of Anabasis, and is used to emphasize humiliation, degradation, sorrow, etc<\/em>.<\/span><\/span>
\nThe Latins called it DECREMENTUM, i.e<\/em>., decrease <\/em>\u2014 an increase in the opposite direction, an increase of depreciation<\/em>.
\n<\/span><\/span>
\nIsa. 40:31\u2014 \u201cThey that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;
\nthey shall mount up with wings as eagles,
\n<\/span><\/span>they shall run, and not be weary,
\n<\/span><\/span>they shall walk, and not faint.\u201d
\n
\n.<\/span>
\nThe figure Catabasis<\/i> here illustrates the effect of growth in grace.
\nAt first the believer flies<\/i>;
\nbut as his experience increases, he runs<\/i>, and at the end of his course he walks<\/i>.
\nLike Paul, who first said, \u201cI suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles<\/i>\u201d
\n(2 Cor. 11:5 ; 12:11). <\/span>Later he writes, I \u201cam less than the least of all saints\u201d<\/i> (Eph. 3:8); while at the end of his life he says, I am the chief of sinners<\/i>! (1 Tim. 1:15).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\nJer. 9:1 \u2014 \u201cOh that my head were waters,
\nand mine eyes a fountain of tears,
\nthat I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!\u201d
\n(See above.)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Lam. 4:1, 2 \u2014 \u201cHow is the most fine gold changed!
\n<\/span><\/span>The stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street.
\nThe precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold,
\nHow are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ezek. 22:18 \u2014 \u201cSon of man, the house of Israel is to me become dross: all they
\n<\/span><\/span>are brass,
\n<\/span><\/span>and tin,
\n<\/span><\/span>and iron,
\nand lead, in the midst of the furnace;
\nthey are even the dross of silver.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dan. 2\u2014The Figure Catabasis<\/i> is seen in the four successive world-powers,
\nshowing a deterioration and a growing inferiority. Gold, silver, brass, iron and clay. Not only is this deterioration in power and authority shown in the decrease of value, but in the decrease of specific gravity:\u2014Gold is equivalent to 19:3; silver, 10:51;
\nbrass, 8:5; iron, 7:6; and clay, 1:9. Down from 19:3 to 1:9.*<\/span><\/span><\/a>
\n<\/span><\/span>* See Ten Sermons on the Second Advent<\/strong><\/a>, by the same author and publisher.<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\nAmos 9:2, 3 \u2014 \u201cThough they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down:
\nAnd though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them
\nout thence:
\nAnd though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea,
\nthence will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\nThus powerfully is shown the impossibility of escaping from the judgments of God.
\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\nPhil. 2:6-8 \u2014\u00a0 \u201cWho, being in the form of God,
\n1. Thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
\n<\/span><\/span>2. But made himself of no reputation.
\n3. And took upon him the form of a servant,
\n4. And was made in the likeness of men,
\n5. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself,
\n6. And became obedient unto death,
\n7. Even the death of the cross.\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\nThese seven downward steps in the Saviour’s humiliation, are followed in verses 9-11 by seven<\/i> steps upward in His glorification.
\n<\/span><\/span>
\n
\nThe word \u201crobbery\u201d is \u1f01\u03c1\u03c0\u03b1\u03b3\u03bc\u1f79\u03c2 <\/span>(harpagmos<\/i>), and means, not the thing grasped or seized, but the act of seizing. The contrast is between the first man and the second:
\nthe first Adam and the last. The Tempter promised our first parents that they should \u201cbe as gods\u201d, (i.e<\/i>., as God Himself), and they grasped at equality with God.
\n
\nThe second man, on the contrary, did not yield to the temptation, but humbled himself, and reached the highest position in glory through suffering and death,
\neven the death of the cross.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\nThere is also probably a reference to John 6:15. Our Lord was perfectly aware that He was\u00a0 \u201ca born King\u201d (Matt. 2:2). And Herod and all Jerusalem knew it too. Hence the consequent alarm. But the Lord knew also that Caesar had, for the time, been allowed of God to lord it over His people, for their sins, and the fulfilment of His designs. He would therefore countenance no unauthorized attempt on the part of those who did not believingly own Him either as to His Divine or His human nature and rights. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\n.<\/span>Note also as to the words used: \u201cThought.\u201d The verb \u1f21\u03b3\u03b5\u1fd6\u03c3\u03b8\u03b1\u03b9 <\/span>(heegeisthai<\/i>), to
\nbring<\/i> one’s self to think<\/i>. Adam and his wife may have \u201cbrought themselves to think<\/i>,\u201d
\nat the serpent’s instigation, that the thing he suggested was something to grasp at<\/i>, and therefore worth the grasping effort<\/i>. Eve, at any rate, would seem to have thought so. Adam we cannot, perhaps, say the same of, for \u201cAdam\u201d, we are expressly told,
\n\u201cwas not deceived.\u201d Hence, apparently, his deeper guilt. But no \u201csubtil serpent\u201d could for a moment\u2014(notice the Aor. \u1f21\u03b3\u1f75\u03c3\u03b1\u03c4\u03bf<\/span>, He never once admitted the thought<\/i>)\u2014induce the\u00a0 \u201csecond Man,\u201d \u201cthe Lord from heaven\u201d, to think it possible to become<\/i> equal with God, any more than he could induce Him to deny or forget that essentially He was<\/i> so in His Divine nature: Son of God, as truly as Son of Man. Hence we may suggest such a rendering as this: \u201cWho, being originally in the form of God, never considered the being on an equality with God a usurping (or usurper’s) business.\u201d To be what one is is no usurping business. Nor is it so, either, to know and assert that one is so.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

From \u201cFigures Of Speech Used In The Bible\u201d by E. W. Bullinger,
\n(Public Domain) pages 432-434. Adapted for website compatibility.
\nSee original at link. \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 Stream<\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Download<\/a>.
\n.<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

figuresofspeechinthebible.net <\/span>\u00a9<\/span><\/span> 2013-2022. All rights reserved. Material in public domain may be freely copied and distributed without charge for educational, non-commercial purposes.
\nThis website, and those referenced by this site as sources of public domain material, are to be referenced. Material that is not in public domain, and indicated as such, is the property of its rightful owner(s), and\/or originator.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

or, GRADUAL DESCENT. The Opposite of Anabasis. Cat-ab’-a-sis, a going down: from \u03ba\u03b1\u03c4\u03b1 (kata), down, and \u03b2\u03b1\u03c3\u03b9\u03c2 (basis), a going. This is the opposite of Anabasis, and is used to emphasize humiliation, degradation, sorrow, etc. The Latins called it DECREMENTUM, i.e., decrease \u2014 an increase in the opposite direction, an […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":332,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1175","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/figuresofspeechinthebible.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1175","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/figuresofspeechinthebible.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/figuresofspeechinthebible.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/figuresofspeechinthebible.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/figuresofspeechinthebible.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1175"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/figuresofspeechinthebible.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1175\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14341,"href":"https:\/\/figuresofspeechinthebible.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1175\/revisions\/14341"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/figuresofspeechinthebible.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/332"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/figuresofspeechinthebible.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1175"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}