Exceeding joy
by Eden Bishop
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When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy (Matthew 2:10).
Read Matthew 2:1–12
When I studied literature in high school, one thing we learned about was literary devices. One of these devices is called ‘tautology’, defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as ‘the saying of the same thing twice over in different words, generally considered to be a fault of style’. The use of tautology is generally discouraged in creative writing.
However, writers in the Bible often use tautology. It is a device used, especially in the Old Testament, to place emphasis on the idea. Here, tautology is used to highlight the joy the wise men felt when they saw the star that guided them to Jesus. It is the most overwhelming joy, and the writer wants us to know this is how they feel.
Just like the wise men, we feel joy in the presence of God, especially at Christmas time when we celebrate the coming of Christ into the world. Let the fairy lights at Christmas time remind you of the joy of having Christ revealed to you.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your beloved son into the world to save us. Continue to fill our hearts with joy as we remember how we have been brought into your kingdom. Amen.
Eden Bishop lives in Adelaide and is a member at St Paul Blair Athol. She attends the University of Adelaide and is in the final year of her Advanced Economics degree. Eden enjoys reading (particularly The Lord of the Rings), playing the piano in church, knitting and learning fun facts about dinosaurs.
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