Synecdoche
by Dave Brown
General Figurative Language Page for several other common Bible figures of speech
It is not a word we use commonly, but it is the name of is a figure of speech that we use every day. Please do not let complicated strange names of things intimidate you – this concept is very simple. Please consider it carefully – it will greatly add to your ability to understand many biblical passages, and to refute false teachers who intentionally ignore the clear implications of this figure of speech.
To begin our study, consider James 1:27: “Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, (and) to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”
Let us consider the following proposition:
Since anyone who practices “pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father” would most certainly be saved, the conclusion that can be drawn from this verse is that all who make it their practice to see to the needs of the fatherless and widows and who lives a moral life will be saved.
Can (or does) anyone believe that the statement made in this proposition? Was it the intent of James to limit what was acceptable and pleasing to God; or was James trying to provide some examples that illustrate the much broader general truth of what pure religion is? Clearly all bible students throughout the ages have answered with this latter explanation. The alternative given in the proposition is unthinkable.
If you have always viewed James 1:27 in its obvious meaning (we cannot imagine that you did not), then you understand the concept of synecdoche that we wish to convey in this article. In one sense it is just common sense; but somehow false teachers still manage to exploit ignorance of this most basic and common figure of speech. So let’s get into it a bit deeper.
Synecdoche (pronounced: sin-NECK-doc-key) has the following definition: a figure of speech in which a part or parts is/are used to communicate the whole. While synecdoche has many other definitions in its role of metonymy, this is the one we feel to be its most common application in biblical interpretation.
Synecdoche is a figure of speech that occurs throughout the bible, and once understood you will see that it would be almost impossible for us to communicate without it. Consider some common examples in our speech today.
Current-Day Examples
Here are some common examples of the use of synecdoche that we totally understand:
Try to make a special effort over the next few days to distinguish when synecdoche is being used. Notice that the speakers (perhaps yourself) have no idea that they are using it. But that does not matter at all as far as the interpretation is concerned. Does anyone ever stop them and ask them what they mean? Perhaps someone who is not familiar with common English (or whatever the common language is) would be thrown a curve about "keeping an eye on the clock," but it is used so often that we do not give it a second thought.
Many of these terms have become so ingrained into our common language that they assume a life of their own, resulting in additional metaphors and other figures of speech. What does it mean: “He has a hot set of wheels?” Perhaps you have not been around long enough to realize that “hot” is a synecdoche for “hot rod,” which is a small part of the engine, which is a small (but significant) part of a car. Why hot? This is an adjective synecdoche for fast, since in order to go fast the engine must generate a significant amount of heat. But does anyone think this through? No, and there is no reason to. We take the use of synecdoche for granted.
Biblical Examples
At this point let’s shift gears (not a synecdoche, but definitely a figure of speech), and consider the following example of synecdoche in the bible:
Putting the word ALONE or ONLY after a synecdoche figure of speech completely changes its meaning and destroys the true meaning. In other words, it takes something that is intended to be understood figuratively and makes it literal. Would we ever think to do the following with God’s word? (the implications are given in parentheses):
Interestingly, this last example changes the meaning of the sentence in other ways. The synecdoche is still recognized, but now the implication is that we DO wrestle against flesh and blood, but we wrestle against other things as well. This completely contradicts Paul’s statement, which is intended to show that our battle is spiritual and not physical. Please review our article on the arbitrary insertion of the word only.
Biblical Examples Related to Conditions of Salvation
The following are examples of the use of synecdoche in stating God’s conditions for salvation – as you read through them ask yourself: Is this ALL (or, is this the ONLY THING?) that God requires?:
Now while most people do not know what the word synecdoche means, once it is explained to them, all will agree that these are synecdoches – they are a part of the picture that are given to represent the whole. The whole in this case being ALL of the conditions of salvation. Sometimes when we see them we aks: why not spell out the entire plan of salvation each time? Think about the size of the New Testament and the endless redundancy. But more importantly, there is only ONE condition that is being emphasized, and it could not be emphasized if it was buried in all of the others.
So, should we fault the New Testament writers (actually, the Holy Spirit) in not stating all of the conditions of salvation – both man’s part and God’s part – every time the subject comes up? You can see that the bible would quickly become a Wikipedia, and would be impossible to read if this were the case. For us to insist upon it is absurd. Clearly, the intent is to focus on one given aspect of salvation and not to state all of the conditions. In fact, each of these infers all of the others – that is the role of synecdoche.
Notice that we intentionally omitted faith from the list above, although clearly, it too is a synecdoche standing for all of God's conditions of salvation. If we do not accept the basic premise of this article (that they are all synecdoches), then we must conclude that salvation can be obtained by any one of them, or perhaps some combination of them separate and apart from faith in Jesus Christ. Obviously no one who believes in faith-only would accept that conclusion.
Notice again how placing the word ONLY after a synecdoche totally kills its meaning. Why is it that when the word faith appears in the New Testament that the proponents of “faith only” feel compelled to insert the word only after faith? Answer: they have to if they are going to be consistent with their teaching that faith (defined as some purely mental process) is the ONLY condition, so that when it appears it cannot infer or stand for anything else. Do we need their help in understanding what true faith is?
The only place we find the doctrine of “faith only” discussed in the bible is in James 2, and there it explicitly states that faith according to this greatly restricted (non-synecdoche) definition CANNOT and DOES NOT save. In this case the argument stands upon far more than the fact that faith is being used as a synecdoche to represent the sum total of all of the conditions of salvation. This is because true faith produces work through love. If we believe in Jesus as the Christ and the Son of the Living God we will love Him and have the strongest of desires to do all that he has commanded. Faith works through love (Gal. 5:6), and if it does not, then it does not work at all – it is defective and broken and as worthless of a junk car after it has been put through the compression machine. Do you wonder why James would even use a term (faith-only) that is an oxymoron (i.e., it literally CANNOT exist if the true meaning of faith is understood)? The answer is accomodative language, another figure of speech. He is not all all implying that faith-only can exist, but the fact that he has adequately communicated his thought using the term is obvious. Such is the purpose of accomodative language.
But if we love God, then 1 John 5:3-4 says “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is begotten of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that hath overcome the world, (even) our faith.” Has your faith overcome the world? If so, how can it be called “faith only?”
What are the conditions of salvation given by Jesus?
General Figurative Language Page
It is not a word we use commonly, but it is the name of is a figure of speech that we use every day. Please do not let complicated strange names of things intimidate you – this concept is very simple. Please consider it carefully – it will greatly add to your ability to understand many biblical passages, and to refute false teachers who intentionally ignore the clear implications of this figure of speech.
To begin our study, consider James 1:27: “Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, (and) to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”
Let us consider the following proposition:
Since anyone who practices “pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father” would most certainly be saved, the conclusion that can be drawn from this verse is that all who make it their practice to see to the needs of the fatherless and widows and who lives a moral life will be saved.
Can (or does) anyone believe that the statement made in this proposition? Was it the intent of James to limit what was acceptable and pleasing to God; or was James trying to provide some examples that illustrate the much broader general truth of what pure religion is? Clearly all bible students throughout the ages have answered with this latter explanation. The alternative given in the proposition is unthinkable.
If you have always viewed James 1:27 in its obvious meaning (we cannot imagine that you did not), then you understand the concept of synecdoche that we wish to convey in this article. In one sense it is just common sense; but somehow false teachers still manage to exploit ignorance of this most basic and common figure of speech. So let’s get into it a bit deeper.
Synecdoche (pronounced: sin-NECK-doc-key) has the following definition: a figure of speech in which a part or parts is/are used to communicate the whole. While synecdoche has many other definitions in its role of metonymy, this is the one we feel to be its most common application in biblical interpretation.
Synecdoche is a figure of speech that occurs throughout the bible, and once understood you will see that it would be almost impossible for us to communicate without it. Consider some common examples in our speech today.
Current-Day Examples
Here are some common examples of the use of synecdoche that we totally understand:
- Hands for workers, e.g., hired hands; sailors – “all hands on deck!” Help -- give me a hand.
- Head for cow, e.g., 50 head of longhorns … or persons: Trina needs a a head count.
- Wheels for car, e.g., did your dad lend you his wheels for tonight?
- Faces for person (e.g., he looked in the door and saw a roomful of happy faces);
- Kyle and Hannah are going to meet many new faces going off to college.
- He has a lot of hungry mouths to feed.
- “Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears.”
- It is sure hard to earn a dollar these days.
Try to make a special effort over the next few days to distinguish when synecdoche is being used. Notice that the speakers (perhaps yourself) have no idea that they are using it. But that does not matter at all as far as the interpretation is concerned. Does anyone ever stop them and ask them what they mean? Perhaps someone who is not familiar with common English (or whatever the common language is) would be thrown a curve about "keeping an eye on the clock," but it is used so often that we do not give it a second thought.
Many of these terms have become so ingrained into our common language that they assume a life of their own, resulting in additional metaphors and other figures of speech. What does it mean: “He has a hot set of wheels?” Perhaps you have not been around long enough to realize that “hot” is a synecdoche for “hot rod,” which is a small part of the engine, which is a small (but significant) part of a car. Why hot? This is an adjective synecdoche for fast, since in order to go fast the engine must generate a significant amount of heat. But does anyone think this through? No, and there is no reason to. We take the use of synecdoche for granted.
Biblical Examples
At this point let’s shift gears (not a synecdoche, but definitely a figure of speech), and consider the following example of synecdoche in the bible:
- Matthew 6:11 - Jesus: “give us this day our daily bread”
- Matthew 4:4 - Jesus: “Man cannot live by bread alone”
- Acts 2:46: "... breaking bread at home ..."
- Acts 2:42 and 20:7: Breaking bread references the Lord's Supper
- Luke 8:15 “… honest and good heart” - referencing a person's goodness
- Philippians 3:19 – False teachers: “ … whose god is their belly …”
- Ephesians 6:12, "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood."
Putting the word ALONE or ONLY after a synecdoche figure of speech completely changes its meaning and destroys the true meaning. In other words, it takes something that is intended to be understood figuratively and makes it literal. Would we ever think to do the following with God’s word? (the implications are given in parentheses):
- Give us this day our daily bread only (You can keep the other foods).
- Breaking bread only at home (they were not eating anything else).
- Breaking of bread only for the entire Lord’s Supper (yes there are some who practice this and do not partake of the fruit of the vine).
- Honest and good heart only (the rest of him is rotten with sin).
- Their god is their belly only (perhaps this is possible, but certainly not the intended meaning).
- For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood only ...
Interestingly, this last example changes the meaning of the sentence in other ways. The synecdoche is still recognized, but now the implication is that we DO wrestle against flesh and blood, but we wrestle against other things as well. This completely contradicts Paul’s statement, which is intended to show that our battle is spiritual and not physical. Please review our article on the arbitrary insertion of the word only.
Biblical Examples Related to Conditions of Salvation
The following are examples of the use of synecdoche in stating God’s conditions for salvation – as you read through them ask yourself: Is this ALL (or, is this the ONLY THING?) that God requires?:
- Matt. 10:22 "… he that endures to the end, the same shall be saved."
- Matt. 10:32 (also Rom. 10): "Every one therefore who shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father …”
- Acts 2:21 (also Rom. 10:13): "And it shall be, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved."
- Acts 15:11 (also Eph. 2:5) "But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in like manner as they."
- 2 Thess 2:10: "... the love of the truth, that they might be saved."
- Titus 3:5: "... according to his mercy he saved us, …”
- Heb 7:25: "… save to the uttermost them that draw near unto God … “
- Phil 2:12-13: "… work out your own salvation with fear and trembling …"
Now while most people do not know what the word synecdoche means, once it is explained to them, all will agree that these are synecdoches – they are a part of the picture that are given to represent the whole. The whole in this case being ALL of the conditions of salvation. Sometimes when we see them we aks: why not spell out the entire plan of salvation each time? Think about the size of the New Testament and the endless redundancy. But more importantly, there is only ONE condition that is being emphasized, and it could not be emphasized if it was buried in all of the others.
So, should we fault the New Testament writers (actually, the Holy Spirit) in not stating all of the conditions of salvation – both man’s part and God’s part – every time the subject comes up? You can see that the bible would quickly become a Wikipedia, and would be impossible to read if this were the case. For us to insist upon it is absurd. Clearly, the intent is to focus on one given aspect of salvation and not to state all of the conditions. In fact, each of these infers all of the others – that is the role of synecdoche.
Notice that we intentionally omitted faith from the list above, although clearly, it too is a synecdoche standing for all of God's conditions of salvation. If we do not accept the basic premise of this article (that they are all synecdoches), then we must conclude that salvation can be obtained by any one of them, or perhaps some combination of them separate and apart from faith in Jesus Christ. Obviously no one who believes in faith-only would accept that conclusion.
Notice again how placing the word ONLY after a synecdoche totally kills its meaning. Why is it that when the word faith appears in the New Testament that the proponents of “faith only” feel compelled to insert the word only after faith? Answer: they have to if they are going to be consistent with their teaching that faith (defined as some purely mental process) is the ONLY condition, so that when it appears it cannot infer or stand for anything else. Do we need their help in understanding what true faith is?
The only place we find the doctrine of “faith only” discussed in the bible is in James 2, and there it explicitly states that faith according to this greatly restricted (non-synecdoche) definition CANNOT and DOES NOT save. In this case the argument stands upon far more than the fact that faith is being used as a synecdoche to represent the sum total of all of the conditions of salvation. This is because true faith produces work through love. If we believe in Jesus as the Christ and the Son of the Living God we will love Him and have the strongest of desires to do all that he has commanded. Faith works through love (Gal. 5:6), and if it does not, then it does not work at all – it is defective and broken and as worthless of a junk car after it has been put through the compression machine. Do you wonder why James would even use a term (faith-only) that is an oxymoron (i.e., it literally CANNOT exist if the true meaning of faith is understood)? The answer is accomodative language, another figure of speech. He is not all all implying that faith-only can exist, but the fact that he has adequately communicated his thought using the term is obvious. Such is the purpose of accomodative language.
But if we love God, then 1 John 5:3-4 says “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is begotten of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that hath overcome the world, (even) our faith.” Has your faith overcome the world? If so, how can it be called “faith only?”
What are the conditions of salvation given by Jesus?
General Figurative Language Page