Rhetoric And Galatians

This monograph challenges the accepted notion that Galatians is either a sample of classical rhetoric or should be interpreted in light of Graeco-Roman rhetorical handbooks. It demonstrates that the handbooks of Aristotle, Cicero, et al. discuss a form of oratory which was limited with respect to subject, venue and style of communication, and that Galatians falls outside such boundaries. The inapplicability of ancient canons of rhetoric is reinforced by a detailed comparison of Galatians with the handbooks, a survey of patristic attitudes towards Paul's communicative technique, and interaction with twentieth-century discussions of the nature of New Testament Greek. Dr Kern concludes that rhetorical handbooks were never a tool of literary criticism and that they cannot assist the search for a distinctly Pauline rhetoric. Thus this study has implications not only for Galatians, but also for other New Testament epistles.

The volumes in this series investigate early Christian literature in the context of Mediterranean literature, religion, society, and culture. The authors use interdisciplinary methods informed by social, rhetorical, and literary approaches to move beyond the limits of traditional literary historical investigations. The studies presuppose that Christianity began as a Jewish movement in various geographical, political, economic, and social locations in the Greco-Roman world.This work examines the meaning and rhetorical function of curses in Paul's confrontation with his opponents in the churches of Galatia. Morland's detailed exegeses of Galatians 1:6-12 and 2:15-3:14 offer new insights into the interpretation of Hebrew Bible citations in the New Testament.

Revised thesis (doctoral)--University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa.

This book offers a fresh perspective on Paul's use of the Abraham story in Galatians by providing a thorough analysis of its epistolary and rhetorical contexts. In Part I, parallels in Galatians to rebuke-request letters in Greek papyri serve as a basis for dividing the letter into two major sections: Rebuke (1.6-4.11) and Request (3.12-6.10), the request formula in 4.12 indicating a major turning point in the letter. The Abraham argument (3.6-29) and the Hagar-Sarah allegory (4.12-31) should be viewed as Paul's biblical rebuke and biblical appeal respectively. Rhetorical analysis classifies 1.1-4.11 as forensic rhetoric, characterized by defence and accusations regarding past actions, and 4.12-6.18 as deliberative rhetoric, marked by exhortation and dissuasion regarding future actions. In Part II, exegetical analysis of 3.1-29 stresses the subordination of the Abraham argument to the framework provided by Paul's expressions of the rebuke. Within this framework, the autobiographical section and the Abraham argument section are parallel developments of the thesis statement (1.11-12). Both sections emphasize Paul's missiological concern to preserve the truth of the Gospel for the freedom of Gentile believers. Analysis of 4.21-31 shows how the allegory functions within the request section of the letter as biblical support for the call to resist the troublemakers, setting the stage for the authoritative appeal of 5.13-6.10. From the perspective provided by this analysis, significant implications which relate to broader theological issues in Pauline theology are set forth; the function of Paul's doctrine of justification by faith as the basis for his Gentile mission, Paul's view of the Gentile church as the Israel of God, and the covenantal structure of Paul's ethics which relates to the response of faith to obedience in the divine will. Three appendices evaluate recent discussion of important background issues: The Opponent's Use of the Abraham Tradition, Abraham in Jewish Literature, and Paul and Jewish Exegesis.

Livesey lays the works of Demosthenes, Cicero, and the Apostle Paul side-by-side and compares the rhetorical strategies that each used to win over their audiences. In doing so, she teases out the ambiguity and complexity of Paul's letter to the Galatians and challenges simplistic explanations of his relationship to Judaism.

Intra-Jewish conflict in Paul's communities After taking on traditional interpretations of Romans in (The Mystery of Romans, Nanos now turns his attention to the Letter to the Galatians. A Primary voice in reclaiming Paul in his Jewish context. Nanos challenges the previously dominant views of Paul as rejecting his Jewish heritage and the Law. Where Paul's rhetoric has been interpreted to be its most anti-Jewish, Nanos instead demonstrates the implications of an intra-Jewish reading. He explores the issues of purity, insiders/outsiders; the charactor of "the gospel"; the relationship between groups of Christ-followers in Jerusalem, Antioch, and Galatia; and evil-eye accusations.

Leading New Testament scholar Craig Keener is widely respected for his thorough research, sound judgments, and knowledge of ancient sources. His four-volume magnum opus on Acts has received high praise from all quarters. This commentary on Paul's Letter to the Galatians features Keener's meticulous and comprehensive research and offers a wealth of fresh insights. It will benefit students, pastors, and church leaders alike.

In this volume, major international scholars examine ancient rhetoric's role in understanding Paul and his writings within his Hellenistic context.