Lesson 1 | Coordinate Relationships
A Note on Bracketing and Arcing
If you are taking this course because you have heard of the Bible study method called “Arcing” and are interested in learning it, you are in the right place.
Everything you will be learning in this course forms the foundation of both Arcing and Bracketing. By learning the 18 logical relationships, you are beginning to acquire the skills necessary to arc (or bracket) an entire passage.
Bracketing and Arcing—Two Sides of the Same Coin
Both Bracketing and Arcing utilize the same 18 logical relationships. Both divide statements at the verbal (propositional) level. Both establish context. Both can be used to connect an entire passage. Both are actually the same tool...almost.
The difference between the two is mainly one of emphasis based on visual representation. Bracketing uses the left side of the passage and makes connections using the straight lines from one statement to another. This enables the main point of a passage to be visually represented by the longest horizontal lines. On the other hand, Arcing uses the right side of the passage and makes connections by drawing arcs over two statements. This enables the primary groupings of the passage to be easily seen.
Example: Luke 11:34
Let’s take an example from our devotional in this lesson.
This is a bracket. You are familiar with this image because you have seen it already. Note that the coordinate relationship label is in the middle of the bracket connecting 34b and 34c. This is because neither side is supporting the other.
This is an arc of the same verse. You have yet to encounter this visual because, for the purposes of this course, we will use brackets. But note still that the coordinate relationship label is between the two arcs it is connecting.
Example: John 4:10
Here is another example using a non-coordinate relationship (which we will begin learning next lesson).
Do you see the difference? In this example of an Action-Purpose, we are dealing with a subordinate relationship. For this reason, the label (or rather two labels in this case) is not placed in the middle but on the respective sides.