There is no doubt that figures of speech happen, and so do idioms. The problem is that sometimes I think this answer is given out whether or not the one giving the answer is really convinced that an idiom is being used.
It seems to me that to establish the use of an idiom, one should point to the idiom being used in other passages. For example, suppose someone said, "what's the matter, has the cat got your tongue"? I might explain the phrase "has the cat got your tongue" as an idiom by pointing out its usage in other places. I realize that sometimes this can't be done, so I'm not about to make any hard fast rules here, but it sure seems to me that there is some kind of burden upon the one who claims the use of an idiom to establish it as such and not just claim that a phrase is an idiom out of convenience.
In like manner, figures of speech should be clarified as such. A figure of speech implies a particular meaning. Please explain that meaning when you say, "oh, it's a figure of speech." If I said, "has the cat got your tongue," I might explain it as a figure of speech by saying that it is an idiom meaning that the person is left speechless.
In the discussion of Psalm 2:7, the phrase "this day have I begotten you" has been presented as both a "figure of speech" and an idiom. Please explain. What does the phrase mean? What is it a figure of? What meaning is being conveyed? It sure seems like such is being said out of convenience rather than actual meaning conveyed. If you read Hebrew and understand the idiom, perhaps having seen it mentioned in other places, please explain further, telling us the meaning, and telling us where else it has been used.
This topic, by the way, is related to whether or not we believe that man really has spirit as part of his makeup, or whether he is nothing more than just a bunch of molecules. Is the word "spirit" and the word "flesh" in the New Testament only a figure of speech?
Peace be with you.
David Miller.
---------- "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) http://www.InnGlory.org
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