Lesson 4 | Links in a chain: connecting the parts
Links connect forward and back
Just as a chain under tension has forces pulling in both directions, the links that connect ideas can likewise pull both forward and back. That is, one statement may support statements that precede or follow it, or both. For example:
Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. —Mark 4:5-6 ESV
In the first sentence, “since it had no depth of soil” supports the previous piece by telling us why the seed quickly germinated. However, in the second sentence, “since it had no root” supports the following piece by telling us why the young plant withered away.
Or consider the following verse:
Hide not your face from your servant, for I am in distress; make haste to answer me. —Psalm 69:17 ESV
In this case, the statement in the middle offers support in both directions, giving the reason for both petitions.
Understanding this two-directional nature of supporting links can serve you well as you seek to discern how ideas are connected. As you meditate on the various statements within a passage, do not look only from one to the next, to the next. As you ask, “Why has the author included this statement?” look both forward and back. Search and inquire carefully through all the surrounding context to discern the connections the author intended.