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

two groups is accentuated and the disparities are made all the more obvious.
This constitutes an argument based upon the irreconcilability of conduct.
Thus, the second reason why sound teaching is different, relates to the
ensuing good works, which, in turn, confirm them as the ones who actually
have come to faith in God. The substantive use of the participle supports the
notion of identity. Here, the apostle uses the rhetorical technique of honorific
referencing to encourage compliance to sound doctrine. Thus, by behaviour
compliant to sound doctrine the audience will demonstrate their faith or the
absence of faith in God. The Cretans must decide whether they deserve the
honour of being referred to as oiJ pepisteukovte" qew`/ or not; only their conduct
will show this.
The beneficial impact of sound doctrine and deeds consequential to it upon
the rest of society is another distinctive from false doctrine. The last part of v.
8 contains the final reason for compliance to sound doctrine, namely its
positive impact upon the rest of humanity. These things, i.e. all the teaching
contained in chapter 3, are kala; kai; wjfevlima toi`" ajnqrwvpoi". The use of
syndeton emphasises the double significance of the sound doctrine. Several
words are repeated in this section and each instance is emphatic. The word
kalovn repeats, within a single sentence an earlier occurrence, namely kalw`n
e[rgwn. The hearers would hear this double reiteration of “good”, which in turn,
connects this section with all the earlier occurrences of this word. The word
ajnqrwvpo" recalls several occurrences of this noun, some of which are positive
while one or two are negative. In 3:2, the believers are called to exhibit
kindness pro;" pavnta" ajnqrwvpou". Grace appeared pa`sin ajnqrwvpoi" (2:11).
Both of these could be classified as positive uses of this word. The first
negative occurrence is in 1:14 with reference to the false teachers who adhere
to the commandments of men, ejntolai`" ajnqrwvpwn. Within the immediate
context of 3:8-11, the word appears again, but in a negative context, with
reference to the opposition who are, aiJretiko;n a[nqrwpon. In 3:8, the intention
is surely to accentuate the positive benefits of sound doctrine to the greater
humanity, similar to 2:11 with regard to grace. Rhetorically, the intention to
contrast the positive effect of sound doctrine with the negative effect of false
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