Some Rhetorical Devices…
STRATEGIES WINTHROP EMPLOYS & WERE
COMMON TO THIS TYPE OF SERMON
Biblical Allusion
 An allusion is a reference to a biblical work or
passage.
It can be very subtle… the mere mention of a serpent alludes to
the Adam and Eve story
 Or it can be very overt: “He is an Adam in the wilderness”

Biblical Quotation/Citation
 When a writer actually quotes a biblical passage this
is not an allusion.
 A citation is a verbatim recitation of a particular
passage.
 When the source is provided ( Ezekiel5:12-15), it is
more aptly referred to as a citation.
Biblical Exegesis
 An exegesis is a critical interpretation or analysis
 A writer might take a biblical story, reinterpret it and
apply it to whatever situation he is talking about.
 The adjective form is exegetical.
 Someone who writes exegeses is an exegete.
Why use the bible?
 Provides an ethical foothold. People who have
studied the bible are usually seen as intelligent and
moral.
 Notice how illogical this assumption is… Even the
devil can quote scripture…
 Biblical references create a common ground. Most
people are familiar with the bible.
 The bible is full of rich metaphors and images. Why
reinvent the wheel?