(By the way…) A parenthesis is a kind of “by the way” in brackets: an additional word, phrase or sentence inserted in a passage that is another thought. The removal of a parenthesis makes no difference to the overall meaning. Most people tend to overstate something great, but in the book of Acts, the apostle Peter puts a powerful truth in parenthesis, when addressing Cornelius and his household. “The word that God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all): that word you know…” (Acts 10:36,37)
The lordship of Jesus over humanity at first seems something of an aside – a “by the way” statement linking God, who is “no respecter of persons” (verse 34) to “whosoever believes” (verse 43). It indicates that the lordship of Jesus Christ, which was in the back of Peter’s mind, would later become the theme of his message. The mention of Christ’s lordship was probably why the Holy Spirit fell on everyone, when Peter said “whosoever” – because “whosoever” included everyone present!
In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, the apostle includes a wonderful parenthesis. “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, has quickened us together with Christ, (by grace you are saved;) and has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus…” (Ephesians 2:4-6)
After beginning with mankind’s hopeless state – “dead in trespasses and sins” – Paul uses a parenthesis. Later he writes of “the riches of His grace”, and then repeats what he had said “by the way”: “For by grace you are saved…” (Ephesians 2:1,7,8)
In both cases, what at first seems an aside later becomes the main subject. In Peter’s message, it is God’s offer of salvation to all races; in Paul’s case, it is salvation by grace alone.
So next time you read the Bible and see something in brackets, stop and think about it, because it may prove to be a highway, rather than a byway!