Lesson 9 | The main point
Summarizing pieces
The supporting point may be needed to complete the idea of the main point
As we saw on the last step, the basic principle for making connections beyond the first level is to relate the main point of each piece. And yet sometimes the supporting propositions will need to partially come into play as well, as was the case with 7b.
The proposition “but of power and love and self-control” is non-sensical without understanding that it is implicitly borrowing aspects of 7a: “but [God gave us a spirit] of power and love and self-control.”
In other cases, the need for partially including the supporting propositions is even greater, since leaving them aside may alter the meaning of the text or obscure its logic.
If we look solely at the main point propositions in the partially completed bracket of 1 Corinthians 15:12-15 above, the meaning of these propositions is flipped on its head. For the propositions “then not even Christ has been raised” (13b) and “whom he [God] did not raise” are not true when taken by themselves. In these instances, the supporting propositions are necessary to complete the main point ideas. For this reason, it is necessary to learn to summarize. This summarizing of pieces will often occur in your head. However, there are times you might want to write out your summaries in dot notes. Watch below as we apply this process to the passage above.
Don't forget about the Coordinate relationships
A final dynamic to remember when determining how to summarize pieces for the purpose of combining them together is dealing with Coordinate logical relationships. As you will recall, the pieces of a Coordinate logical relationship (Series, Progression or Alternative) do not involve one side supporting the other. Instead, each piece is making its independent point. Hence, this must be remembered when summarizing a piece of your bracket. You can see an example of this in the summary of 14a-15d which pulls from the three primary Coordinate relationships of 14b, 14c and 15a.