Metonymy is a figure of speech commonly used in the Bible, as well as in literature in general. It involves the substitution of a word or phrase with another word or phrase that is closely associated with it, but not directly part of its literal meaning. This rhetorical device allows for a more vivid or expressive way of communicating ideas and concepts.

In the Bible, metonymy is frequently employed to convey spiritual or symbolic meanings. Here are a few examples:

“Bread” is used as a metonymy for food or sustenance. It represents the provision and nourishment necessary for survival. In Matthew 6:11, as part of the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus says, “Give us today our daily bread.” Here, “daily bread” symbolizes not only physical sustenance but also the trust in God’s provision for all our needs.

“The crown” is used as a metonymy for a king or ruler. It represents the authority and power associated with the position. For instance, in Psalm 89:39, it is written, “You have renounced the covenant with your servant; you have defiled his crown in the dust.” Here, the crown symbolizes the king’s position and authority, and its defilement represents the humiliation or downfall of the king.

“The sword” is used as a metonymy for warfare or conflict. It represents the power and violence associated with battles. In Matthew 26:52, Jesus says, “Put your sword back in its place. For all who draw the sword will die by the sword.” Here, the phrase “draw the sword” refers to engaging in violent conflict, while “die by the sword” symbolizes the consequence or retribution resulting from such actions.

“The lamb” is used as a metonymy for Jesus Christ in the New Testament. It represents His sacrificial role and innocence. In John 1:29, John the Baptist refers to Jesus, saying, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” Here, the lamb symbolizes Jesus’ role as the ultimate sacrificial offering for the forgiveness of sins.

In Bullinger’s Figures of Speech in the Bible there are 15 types of metonymy.  The distinctions are very difficult to assess.  In the Semitic languages, there are common metonymies which are often used and completely understood by an Eastern person.  However, because most of the Western Bible students do not have this same understanding from the culture, we have prepared a list of categories and the normal meaning associated with each word.

Sample Verses
ID	Figure	English Name	Category	Subcategory	Key Word	Meaning	Sample Verse	Notes
43	Metonymy	Change of Noun	Meaning	Objects	bread	provision	John 6:32	not all uses are marked
44	Metonymy	Change of Noun	Meaning	Objects	door	opening, entrance	Acts 14:27
45	Metonymy	Change of Noun	Meaning	Objects	yoke	bondage	Acts 15:10
41	Metonymy	Change of Noun	Meaning	Objects	cup	what is in it, portion in life	Matthew 20:22	often used of “wrath”
42	Metonymy	Change of Noun	Meaning	Objects	table	what is on it, provision	Romans 11:9
26	Metonymy	Change of Noun	Meaning	Parts of Body	arm	power	Luke 1:51
32	Metonymy	Change of Noun	Meaning	Parts of Body	bosom	care	John 1:18
27	Metonymy	Change of Noun	Meaning	Parts of Body	bowels	compassion	Philippians1:8
31	Metonymy	Change of Noun	Meaning	Parts of Body	ear	hearing, obedience	Luke 12:3
30	Metonymy	Change of Noun	Meaning	Parts of Body	eye	understanding, whole person	Matthew 6:22	uses not all marked in translation
33	Metonymy	Change of Noun	Meaning	Parts of Body	face	person, front of, presence	Matthew 11:10	uses not all marked, many included in Idiom chart
35	Metonymy	Change of Noun	Meaning	Parts of Body	feet	person’s actions	Luke 1:79	uses not all marked in translation
34	Metonymy	Change of Noun	Meaning	Parts of Body	finger	control, authority	Luke 11:20
24	Metonymy	Change of Noun	Meaning	Parts of Body	flesh	person, physical body, physical life	Matthew 19:5
25	Metonymy	Change of Noun	Meaning	Parts of Body	hand	blessing, power, authority, instrument of something	Matthew 26:64	uses not all marked in translation
29	Metonymy	Change of Noun	Meaning	Parts of Body	heart	will, thoughts	Matthew 5:8	uses not marked in translation
28	Metonymy	Change of Noun	Meaning	Parts of Body	kidneys (reins)	emotions	Revelation 2:23
36	Metonymy	Change of Noun	Meaning	Parts of Body	loins	strength, center of person	Acts 2:30	used in phrase “gird up your loins”, meaning “get ready for action,” “base your strength on”
37	Metonymy	Change of Noun	Meaning	Parts of Body	mouth	speaking, person speaking	Matthew 12:34	uses not all marked in translation
38	Metonymy	Change of Noun	Meaning	Parts of Body	neck	person’s life	Romans 16:4
39	Metonymy	Change of Noun	Meaning	Parts of Body	tongue	language, person’s speech	Luke 1:64

Samples of Figures of Speech
from the Sermon on the Mount

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

REPETITION

Blessed [are] they, 5:3-10

“Truly I say to you” or “I say to you” 5:18, 20, 26, 28, 32, 34; 6:2, 5, 16, (these three are as a refrain) 25, 29. Truly I say to you: a very solemn phrase used by Jesus in the Gospels to take special note of what follows. It is the figure of speech, asterism, and is marked with an * preceding the phrase. This phrase is also set off by a comma to indicate that the following phrase is like direct speech. There are many types of Repetition, the closer the word is, the more it is emphasized:

5:37 – “yes, yes, and no, no” called epizeuxis, means to consider your words carefully, this is a very solemn repetition.

When a whole sentence or phrase is repeated exactly, it is like saying “Pay attention to what I said”

5:29, 30: it is better for you that one of your members should be lost and not [that] your whole body should fall into Gehenna.

Repeats 6 x – shows the structure of the passage

5:21 you have heard that it was said….22 But I say to you…

5:27, 28

5:31, 32

5:33, 34

5:38, 39

5:43, 44

Another example is about wise man and foolish man 7:24-27

“And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and they beat against the house” shows how the exact same situation happened to both houses, but two different outcomes.

Another kind of repetition is called “derivation” – where words from the same root are used in a passage – it defines the main topic of the section

5:23, 24 offer, offering

7:1, 2 Judge and measure

7:7-10 ask, seek knock

7:17-20 healthy and diseased

Repetitions can encircle a passage:

7:16, 20 “by their fruit you will know them”

Repeat “and” called “polysyndeton”– consider each phrase separately until the end of the “ands”

5:44

ILLUSTRATION

Simile, uses like or as

Metaphor 5:13 “you are the salt of the earth” – explains what the comparison is

5:14 “you are the light of the world”

6:22 “the lamp of the body is the eye”

Hypocatastasis — the comparison is implied

7:15 wolves stand for wicked men

Allegory

See section above on allegory, has example from Sermon –Other examples:

5:15-16

6:22-24

7:3-5

7:13-14

7:16-20

7:24-27

GRAMMAR:

Idioms

These are particular phrases that mean something more than the literal interpretation of the words

Men: lit sons of men 5:16, 19

Hypocrites: lit. receiver of faces 6:2, 5, 16, 7:5

Word play (paronomasia)

7:13-14

Awraykha, broad

Awurkha, road

Ellipsis (see above)

Examples: 5:19

5:22 RACA

6:18

6:30

Erotesis

Types of questions – designed to cause us to ponder the truth of the teaching

6:25, 26, 27, 28, 30

7:4, 9, 10, 11

Obvious answer “no” or “yes”

5:26, 27

7:10, 16

Other grammatical figures:

Parenthesis 5:19

Antimeria 5:22, Gehenna of fire

Interjections 7:5

Hendiatris 6:13

Climax 7:7

Rhetoric (or could call it “Semitisms”) – have to understand the culture in order to know what it means – example in English is “hot dog”

5:29 see explanation in footnotes

5:31, 32

5:39, turn the other cheek

6:23, “evil eye”

7:15 “clothing of lambs”

5:22 Gehenna

Meaning

Metonymy – check out list above

Heaven – stands for God 5:3

Bread – stands for provision 6:11

Fruit – stands for results 7:16, 20

Synecdoche – part for whole

“Sound a trumpet” 6:2

Personification – giving human characteristics to inanimate object or thing

Left hand 6:3

Paranomasia means simply, rhyming words. We would call it word-play. Many of the sayings of Jesus and the parables have this figure of speech. When you know what the rhyming words are in Aramaic, then you can see what is emphasized in the passage. The example used in this article in the parable of the Lost Sheep. The key words are “one” khad and “joy” khedwa. There is joy over the one sinner that repents.

Matthew 18:12–13:
If a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray (wekhad minnehon taey)
And if so be that he find it … he rejoices (khadey) more over that sheep than of the ninety-nine that went not astray (dela taain)

Luke 15:7:
Likewise joy (khedwa) shall be in heaven over one sinner (kheda khatya) that repents.

Khatya and tae also rhyme — gone astray and sinner.

The emphasis is that finding ONE sinner that repents causes great JOY!! Truly the Lord is a good shepherd and continues to search out the lost. There is great rejoicing in heaven when one comes back to the fold.

Another paranomasia is in:

Matthew 6:28–29:
Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow (shabhekhin)… even Solomon in all his glory (teshbokhteh) was not arrayed like one of these… Consider the ravens (orebhin)… and God feeds (merabbe) them. And which of you with taking thought (yaseph) can add to (oseph) his stature one cubit.

Mark 11:17:
My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer (beth tzelutha yithqere) But ye have made it a den of thieve (mearta delestin).

Prayer is contrasted with thieves.

Luke 12:33:
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven…where no thief approacheth (qarebh), neither moth (ruqba) corrupeth (marqebh).

Luke 22:36:
For I say unto you, that his that is written accomplished in me (limesaph bi) …For the things concerning me have an end (diledili supha)…It is enough (sepheq).

Luke 12:32:
Fear not, little flock (maritha) for it is your Father’s good pleasure (derae abukhon) to give you the kingdom.

Chiasmus or introversion is a figure of speech that has a very special emphasis and also pertains to the structure of a passage.  There is a wonderful book that you can order from CBD or any bookstore that is called Chiasmus in the New Testament by Nils W. Lund.  The entire book is full of examples of this figure of speech.  When we see this figure, the point that is emphasized is in the middle phrase or phrases of the introversion, or as Lund puts it: “The centre is always the turning point.”  If we used capital letters to describe a passage, the introversion would be ABCDDCBA.  The phrases in “D” would be the ones that are emphasized.

The Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-8 is full of this figure.  Here are a few examples. The first one is from Matthew 5:3-10:

A  Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

B  Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

C  Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

D  Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

D  Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

C  Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

B  Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

A  Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

The middle phrases of D are emphasized and we see this is true because they are the main themes of the entire sermon, what is true righteousness and how to live it.

Here is a chiasmus in Matthew 6:7-9 that emphasizes not to be like the hypocrites.  Notice also how the center phrase is the turning point.

A  But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do:

B  for they think that they shall be heard

C  for their much speaking.

D  Be not ye therefore like unto them:

C  for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of,

B  before ye ask him.

A  After this manner therefore pray ye:

Matthew 6:24 is a chiasmus in one verse:

A  No man can serve two masters,

B  For either he will hate the one,

C  And love the other;

C  Or else he will hold to the one,

B  And despise the other.

A  Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

The conclusion of Matthew 6 is a summary of the first part of the sermon.

A  Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:)

B  for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

C  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness;

B  and all these things shall be added unto you.

A  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.  (Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.)

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

An excerpt from:

All language is ruled by laws, but to convey special emphasis of a word or group of words, these general laws of language are purposefully departed from, and other laws of language are invoked, giving the single word or group of words a new form. The Greeks called these departures from normal language use, schemata, meaning “change of forms,” from which the term “figure of speech” originated. When a word or words fail to be true to fact, they are figures of speech and bring an added emphasis to the basic truth of a sentence.

E. W. Bullinger stated in the beginning note of his book Figures of Speech Used in the Bible:

“…whenever and wherever it is possible, the words of Scripture are to be understood literally, but when a statement appears to be contrary to our experience, or to known fact, or revealed truth; or seems to be a variance with the general teaching of the Scriptures, then we may reasonably expect that some figure is employed. And as it is employed only to call our attention to some specially designed emphasis, we are at once bound to diligently examine the figure for the purpose of discovering and learning the truth that is thus emphasized.”

One phrase above that should be noted is specially designed emphasis. The study of figures of speech needs to be integrally linked with a search for this emphasis. In How to Enjoy the Bible, Bullinger clarified how important this emphasis was: “the Figures, when used in connection with the ‘words which the Holy Ghost teacheth,’ give us the Holy Spirit’s own marking, so to speak, of our Bible…calling our attention to what He desires us to notice for our learning, as being emphatic, and conveying His own special teaching.” Every author has used figures for emphasis on what is important, but it is crucial to our understanding of the Bible to know what God intended to be emphasized in any particular passage. Thus, the search in this field should be to find out what each type of figure emphasizes and how it is used in a verse or passage.

Types of Figures

The Aramaic Peshitta New Testament Translation is filled with footnotes and markings in the text itself of the common figures of speech. It is not marking every single figure of speech possible, but marks the ones which contribute to an added understanding of the text. Light of the Word Ministry is developing a simple classification system that will clear up many of the misunderstandings in this field and enable the Bible student to understand what the emphasis from the Holy Spirit is in a particular passage. A figure is always used to add force to the truth presented, emphasis to the word or words and depth of meaning to the entire context. The type of figure determines the emphasis in the following five general ways:

1. Illustration: this category includes all types of comparisons. The emphasis is on the points of comparison.
2. Repetition: The repeated word is what is emphasized. The closer the repetition, or the more frequently it is used, the greater is the degree of emphasis.
3. Meaning: Although this category is broad, the underlying meaning is always emphasized.
4. Grammar: This category covers all uses that have a grammatical basis. Each figure has an individual emphasis, but is always employed with consistency.
5. Rhetoric: The general rule of this category is that the word or phrase used with the figure is what is emphasized. There are two subcategories, interjection and parenthesis.

Now that we have looked at the general categories, please study the Table of Figures of Speech chart and pay particular attention to the column about emphasis. We have listed both the Greek/Latin name and also the English name in order to help with this study.