A good speaker sometimes repeats to help people remember the idea;
However Jesus did not just repeat words. He also used strings of items repeating a structure, used strings of negations. He repeated a concept for emphasis and even repeated a situation itself.
Repetition of a word
a little while and ye shall not see me. And again a little while and ye shall see me
All that take the sword shall perish with the sword
feed my lambs. Feed my sheep. Feed my sheep
have ye not read what David did? Have ye not read in the law?
He that hath ears to hear, let him hear
I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel
if the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed
let your communication be yay yay, nay, nay
love one another as I have loved you, that ye also love one another
Martha, Matha, thou art careful and troubled about many things
peace I leave with you. My peace I give unto you
swear not at all, neither by heaven nor by earth
String of words in same construction
Having parallel grammar, repeated words, brings home a point.
Using ‘and’ once links two ideas and making a series with ‘and’ makes a statement emphatic.
And
bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt and the blind
I send unto you prophets and wise men and scribes
thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve
if he hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren
My Father worketh hitherto and I work
nation shall rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom
Tell John how the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear
the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, the lusts of other things, choke the word
the son of man must suffer and be rejected of the elders and be slain and be raised the third day
thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory
thou shalt love the lord with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind
bring forth the best robe, and put it on him and a ring on his hand, shoes on his feet
the scribes which walk in long robes and love greetings in markets and highest seats in synagogues
there shall be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in divers places
Negations
People listen closely to negative items, partly because they are a surprise and take a moment to process. A string of negations is powerful.
he that honoureth not the son honoureth not the Father which sent him
I was an hungered and ye gave me no meat, thirsty and ye gave me no drink
if they shall say he is in the desert, go not forth, behold he is in the secret chambers, believe it not
It shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come
many desired to see those ye see, and not seen them, to hear things ye hear and not heard them
no man that left house or brethren or sisters or father or wife for my sake but shall receive 100fold
take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread neither money
that servant which prepared not himself, neither did according to his will , shall be beaten
ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God
do ye not understand neither remember the five loaves of the 5000 or the seven loaves of the 4000?
provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, neither two coats
there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed, and hidden that shall not be known
Repetition for emphasis
Sometimes Jesus repeated a construction, building on an idea.
he will reprove the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment
I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly
if he will not hear thee, take with thee one or two more. If he shall neglect to hear, tell the church
many have desired to see those things which ye see and those things which ye hear
to mock and to scourge and to crucify him
which builder counteth not the cost, or what king sitteth not down and consulteth ?
you can discern the face of the sky but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
Repetition of Situation
Jesus was talking of present and past situations and sometimes made parallels to future ones. He did this very succinctly, and with memorable wording.
I cast out devils and do cures today and tomorrow and the 3rd day I shall be perfected
Blessed are ye that hunger now for ye shall be filled, ye that weep now for ye shall laugh
freely have you received, freely give
he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, mocked, spitefully treated, spitted on
his father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him
I ascend unto my Father and your father and to my God and your God
if they have persecuted me they will also persecute you
if ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you
lest he hale thee to the judge and the judge deliver to the officer and the officer cast thee in prison
nation shall rise against nation, kingdom against kingdom
No man knoweth the son but the father. Neither knoweth any man the father save the son
the first said I have bought a piece of ground/ another said I bought oxen/ another said I married
the poor always ye have with you but me ye have not always
They are not of the world , even as I am not of the world
they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded
they did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage
To this end was I born and for this cause came I unto the world
when ye see a cloud ye say there cometh a shower; ye see the wind blow, ye say there will be heat
Speech Style of Jesus 