A Text centred rhetorical analysis of Paul's Letter to Titus

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most that can be said is that this section contains elements of traditional material. Attempts to classify it as either a hymn or creed, cloud the rhetorical intent behind the sentence. For the purposes of this study, this sentence will be categorised as constituting shared knowledge and as forming part of the overall rhetorical intent of the passage. Paul is adapting the traditional material in a manner that draws attention to the salvific activity of the triune God and not primarily to present a comprehensive theological treatise. He wishes instead to accentuate the lavishness of the divine condescension towards people who did not deserve it. The rich and distinct theological flavour is empathic, drawing attention to and highlighting the benevolent action of the divine. In fact, if the structure of the sentence is appreciated, it provides a clearer indication of the apostolic intent of this sentence. This section is inspired by the rhetorical objective namely, motivating compliance to sound doctrine. If someone dared to ask Titus: “Why must I show kindness to these unsaved Cretans?” the answer would be: “Look at what you were and look at how God treated you”. Furthermore, there also appears to be a polemical intention behind this section. The false teaching seems to have encouraged isolationists’ tendencies, even hostility towards pagan neighbours, who appear to have been branded as unworthy to associate with. This kind of thinking is confronted head on by the argument of the apostle in this section. Most commentators provide elaborate and helpful vocabulary studies of this sentence and may be consulted for further information. Classen (2002:61) argues that it is the order of the sentence rather than the unusual vocabulary that demands an explanation: “Here it is the sentences which he arranges in such a way as to give his words special force and emphasis...” Prominent rhetorical features in this section include syndeton, implicit contrast, repetition, and paranomasia. Other features include emotive or anthropopathic, highly theological and inclusive language. In earlier sections, implicit contrasts are drawn primarily on the human level, whereas in the present situation it takes on a different dimension. The PDF created with pdfFactory Pro trial version www.pdffactory.com 139
crhstovth" and filanqrwpiva of God are contrasted with the unworthy condition of believers in their pre-conversion state (v. 3). This is borne out by the pote-o{te construction, which links the two sentences. The words crhstovth" and filanqrwpiva are examples of the rhetorical technique called anthropopathism, so entitled because of the approximation of human emotions to the divine. The rhetorical objective of this strategy is twofold. First, it presents God in a manner that people can identify with; it personalises God. Secondly, it emphasises the stark contrast between the divine attitude and those human qualities listed in 3:3 as well as those negative qualities referred to with respect to false teachers and their followers (1:10-12,15-16). Interestingly, this word pair has been used extra-biblically to describe some emperors (Collins, 2002:361). The expression hJ crhstovth" kai; hJ filanqrwpiva is an example of syndeton. Classen (2002:60) points out the “asyndetic enumeration” of the Cretans past behaviour (3:3), here contrasted with the syndetonic enumeration of the divine attitude. The use of asyndeton and syndeton thus functions to accentuate the contrast between the opposing attitudes while magnifying the distinctiveness of the divine beneficence. Another helpful enumeration by Classen (2002:61) is the pairing of significant concepts that are evident in this sentence: “crhstovth" kai; hJ filanqrwpiva (“kindness and love for mankind”), e[rga ta; ejn dikaiosuvnh/ a} ejpoihvsamen hJmei`"/to; aujtou` e[leo" (“works done in righteousness which we have performed”/ “his mercy”: antithesis), loutro;n paliggenesiva" kai; ajnakainwvsew" pneuvmato" aJgivou. The notion of contrast between the divine and human is consistently emphasised in this brilliant sentence, reinforced here by the antithesis that Classen highlights. Paul’s primary objective is therefore not related to the presentation of a fully orbed Pauline theological treatise. This is an important observation since many scholars appear to get sidetracked here to either want to prove or disprove whether this sentence correctly reflects authentic Pauline theology. The author is simply exalting the excellencies of the divine example over against the poverty of the pre-conversion human condition. If it was simply a matter of conveying knowledge, i.e. theology, then there is much that the apostle is not PDF created with pdfFactory Pro trial version www.pdffactory.com 140
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A TEXT-CENTRED RHETORICAL ANALYSIS
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DECLARATION I declare that the diss
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SECTION 2 RHETORICAL ANALYSIS 2.1 R
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SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 OVERVIEW
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The content of the authorship debat
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consistently identified as pioneer
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J. Quinn. Their list of scholars ad
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Uncharacteristic Pauline theology:
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etc. are not referring to actual pe
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History never lies” (Titus 1:2)?
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meaning as determined by historical
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other to explain what these critics
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1.1.2.4 Conclusion The various theo
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Excursus: Cumulative-complimentary
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Lumping or clustering apparent oppo
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these letters on a more individual
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Furthermore, the name Jesus Christ
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C. 1. qeou` and swthvr depend on do
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accentuate the unmistakable role of
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order to prove issues of authorship
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Miller (1997:124) is particularly u
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Next, Van Neste goes on to show how
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There have been some recent excepti
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The first part of the analysis is e
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offer any translations in this rega
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novel. To the best of my knowledge,
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ather than as a supplement to the T
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Accordingly, the research hypothesi
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•Step 3: Where deemed necessary,
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The rhetorical situation correspond
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Titus' primary assignment is to app
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Throughout the letter, Paul shares
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equally negative conduct (1:16). In
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2.2.1.1 Emphasising the legitimacy
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strategically throughout this secti
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This section is suffused with the r
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and trustworthiness. This choice of
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“By whose authority are you imple
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“shared knowledge”. The qualiti
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espectively within the same sentenc
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dichotomy at the front end of this
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church. Implicit contrasting is als
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aijscrokerdhv", and these false tea
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The second part of verse 13 contain
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different groups. He relentlessly p
Page 91 and 92: implicit contrasting. The negative
Page 93 and 94: marker is the use of the plural of
Page 95 and 96: instruction in this regard. “Heal
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Page 99 and 100: The subject is the older women. Thi
Page 101 and 102: negatively upon the oJ lovgo" tou`
Page 103 and 104: 2.2.5.6 The behaviour of slaves In
Page 105 and 106: or originating from God (tou' … q
Page 107 and 108: to God and this paves the way for t
Page 109 and 110: This explains the use of inclusive
Page 111 and 112: Furthermore, through the direct rep
Page 113 and 114: what grace is instructing the belie
Page 115 and 116: Paul demonstrates that he is himsel
Page 117 and 118: The section closes with the apostle
Page 119 and 120: Another technique is personificatio
Page 121 and 122: the apostle adopts to persuade his
Page 123 and 124: Most commentators treat ejxousivai
Page 125 and 126: person. Interestingly, both instanc
Page 127 and 128: 2.2.8 Titus 3:3: Evoking disgust wi
Page 129 and 130: purpose while Mounce (2000:446) bel
Page 131 and 132: negative. Paranomasia and the metap
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Page 137 and 138: aptism effected by the Holy Spirit
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Page 141: through self-vilification in the op
Page 145 and 146: ejpoihvsamen hJmei`" (works) ajlla;
Page 147 and 148: these titles. The future appearance
Page 149 and 150: The certainty and completeness of t
Page 151 and 152: The next two words in v. 7 are exam
Page 153 and 154: their salvation by God. The divine
Page 155 and 156: discourse. In this regard, consider
Page 157 and 158: two groups is accentuated and the d
Page 159 and 160: Verse 9 opens with the adversative
Page 161 and 162: awareness of the insidiousness of f
Page 163 and 164: This is a very tight unit, carefull
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Page 169 and 170: SECTION 3 CONCLUSION In Section 1,
Page 171 and 172: 7: Titus 3:1-2: Persuading the Cret
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Page 175 and 176: In unit 7 (3:1-2), the relationship
Page 177 and 178: The second objective is to highligh
Page 179 and 180: These four objectives may be summar
Page 181 and 182: expected manner can look forward to
Page 183 and 184: f. Arguments based on the use of vi
Page 185 and 186: m. Example. For example, in 3:4-7 G
Page 187 and 188: ehaviour expected of older men. In
Page 189 and 190: BIBLIOGRAPHY Aageson, J. W. (1997).
Page 191 and 192: Everts, J. M. (1993). Hope Dictiona
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Lea, D. and H. P. Griffin (1992). 1
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Sumney, J. L. (1996). “A Reading
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ABSTRACT This study has been conduc
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In Section 3 the results of the stu
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amanuensishipotese en die allonieme
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KEY TERMS 1. Pastoral Letters 2. Rh
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A Text centred rhetorical analysis of Paul's Letter to Titus

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