Determining the flow of argumentation within the sentence

Here we will review much of what has been said about sentence parts and construction along with some practical examples.

[NOTE:  Bible texts in their ancient original languages did not employ punctuation as we know it today; however, there are some "markers" in the original languages to show intended flow or arrangement.  Sentence constructions in our English translations are the products of the translators.  You will discover variances in sentence structure when you compare the translations of any verse in modern English translations such as the New American Standard, New International Version, New Revised Standard Version, and the English Standard Version.]

1.  Compound sentences are recognized by the presence of two independent clauses with a connective.  Usually, the reasons for employing compound sentences are to show close connection or to show adversity.  Consequence or temporal succession may also be intended in compound sentences. 

John 7:53-8:1 is a good example of a compound sentence showing close connection of events: "Everyone went to his home; but, Jesus went to the Mount of Olives."  Two independent clauses ("everyone went to his home" and "Jesus went to the Mount of Olives") are connected adversely with "but."  Due to this adversative connector, we understand that the two clauses are to be contrasted.  The Pharisees acted in one manner; and, at the same time, Jesus acted quite differently. 

[Note that this sentence spans two chapters, which indicates that chapter and verse divisions are sometimes quite arbitrary.  Chapter and verse divisions were added by editors later in biblical development to function as "markers" more for finding particular locations than to serve as grammatical indicators.]

Another compound sentence: John 8:37 "I know that you are Abraham's descendants; yet you seek to kill Me because My word has no place in you."  Jesus acknowledges the fact offered by his adversaries in the first independent clause ("I know that you are Abraham's descendants").  He adds a further thought to it to show that, though they make a claim, they do not live out proof of the claim ("you seek to kill Me because My word has no place in you").  Rather, they are about to commit a very great crime, contrary to the lifestyle example of Abraham.  The added thought is shown to be contrary to the original fact offered and is so indicated by the connective "yet."   So, Jesus, in this compound, agrees with the adversaries, but adds a further contrary thought to show that they had missed the mark.

Josh. 2:11  "When we heard it, our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you."  Here, our compound sentence has added elements.  The two independent clauses that are connected by "and" are: "our hearts melted" and "no courage remained in any man any longer because of you."  We see a temporal dependent clause also; it is attached to the first independent clause.  When did their hearts melt?  . . . when they heard about the glorious things that the Lord had done for Israel.  "And" is additive and connects a parallel thought to their hearts melting: "no courage remained . . . ."  This second independent clause, in fact, explains by synonymous parallelism what they meant when they said that their hearts melted: "no courage remained."   Finally, "because of you" shows "cause."  It answers the question, "Why did no courage remain in any man?"  The rehearsal by the inhabitants of Jericho regarding God's glorious works for Israel caused Jericho to fear, caused them to loose all courage. 

So, here we have two independent clauses that state the same thought in parallel fashion to explain the situation.  This thought is located in time by the temporal clause, showing "when" it happened.  The cause is also shown: "because of you."  This leads to us to a survey of complex sentences.

2.  Complex sentences have both an independent clause and a dependent clause as described above (in preceding articles).  The dependent clause is used as a grammatical device to further amplify the independent clause.  (Please review the preceding section on clauses to assist in your understanding of this section.)

Gen. 4:3:  "So it came about in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the LORD of the fruit of the ground."   "So" connects this sentence to the preceding sentences by showing that there is a resulting action.  Verses one and two reveal the births of Cain and Abel.  This verse connects their births to the subsequent action described.  "It came about in the course of time" is the independent clause which states that an action occurred.  "That" is the explanatory marker, showing that the dependent clause it introduces will explain "what came about in the course of time."  The "what" is: "Cain brought an offering to the LORD of the fruit of the ground."  The flow is thus:  "So" connects the sentence to the preceding thoughts, the statement is made that something happened, and the "happening" is explained

Gen. 9:16: "When the bow is in the cloud, then I will look upon it, to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth."  The first clause is a dependent clause expressing a condition related to time: "When the bow is in the cloud."  The hidden idea is that the bow will appear.  And when it does . . . .   The subsequent independent clause states a fact that is related by time to that preceding dependent conditional clause: "then I will look upon it (the bow)."  The last clause is introduced with an infinitive and explains "why" God will look upon the bow.  "(I will look upon it) to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth."  When will the action take place?  "When the bow is in the cloud ..."  What will be the action?  "I will look upon it."  Why?  "...to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth." 

Acts 3:2: "And a man who had been lame from his mother's womb was being carried along, whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order to beg alms of those who were entering the temple."  "Who had been lame from his mother's womb" is a dependent clause used adjectivally further to explain about the "man."  The independent clause is "a man . . . was being carried along."  Two more dependent clauses follow: "whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful" and "in order to beg alms of those who were entering the temple."  These explain more about the man who was being carried along.  He is the one "whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful."  The reason for setting him there at the gate was "in order to beg alms of those who were entering the temple." 

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