My high school English teacher returned my paper with big red letters scrolled across the top that said "Tighten this up.” It turns out I had one paragraph comprised of a very, very long sentence. Clearly the apostle Paul did not have my English teacher. I don't know if there is a Guinness world record category for longest sentence, but if there is, I wouldn't be surprised if he was in the running.
Language changes over time. Maybe at the time of Paul's writing, people's attention spans were different and they would be able to follow an extremely long sentence. Whatever the reason, we don't talk or write like that anymore. Our modern sentences have 15 to 20 words in them. Depending on the translation, some of Paul's sentences clock in at over 200 words! (Ephesians 1:3-14.) It takes some effort to follow along and sort out what is being said.
Enter thought structuring (also known as block diagramming). This is a tool I use occasionally when I come across a section of scripture that is packed full of information. It helps you organize the flow of thought and better understand what is being said. If you are a visual learner, this is for you! It's easier to show than to explain, so I’ll demonstrate with Romans 1:1-7. In the ESV, these seven verses are one sentence made up of 132 words. It's Paul's greeting to the church in Rome, but there is a lot more going on. You’ll be able to watch him build stepping stones that connect multiple topics.
Open a word processor and set your page with minimal margins in a landscape format. Copy and paste the first seven verses of Romans chapter 1 onto your page and follow along with this 12 minute video.
What to Watch For
- Questions I ask to identify individual thoughts.
- How I move and group words/phrases.
- How relationships between thoughts begin to emerge.
- Patterns that help identify groups of thoughts that create the sequence of what's being said.
Try It Yourself
Pick a short section of scripture. It doesn’t all have to be one sentence.
Don’t worry about getting it perfect. Start with the main subject, and with each of the following phrases, ask questions like, “What does this support?” or, “What is this connected to?”
Look for lists, subtopics, or, as you saw in Romans 1, stepping stones that connect and build on each other.
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