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

of going against the judgment of a “servant of God and an apostle of Jesus
Christ” (1:1).
The positive-negative disparity is reiterated through the employment of
several smaller rhetorical techniques of which some have already been
pointed out earlier. Verses 8-11 contain several antonyms: sound doctrine
was considered profitable, wjfevlima (8). False teaching on the other hand is
condemned as unprofitable, ajnwfelei`" (9). Paul brands false teachings as
“quarrels”, mavca" (3:9), but wants believers to be “peaceable”, ajmavcou" (3:2).
Another contrast is drawn through the choice of words used to describe
people in this section. In v. 8, believers are spoken of honourably as oiJ
pepisteukovte" qew`/, while the false teacher is labelled a aiJretiko;n a[nqrwpon
(10). When compared to earlier sections, a progression can be observed with
regard to the increasing discrimination between the opposing parties in the
letter. In 1:9, the elder-overseer must “oppose tou;" ajntilevgonta"”. Here, the
opponents are are represented synecdochially by the reference to the singular
aiJretiko;n a[nqrwpon. This is an instance of the rhetorical technique of
synecdoche. Furthermore, there is progression: from confrontation or
ejlevgcein (1:9), to censuring, ejpistomivzein (1:11), to avoidance of the doctrine
(3:9) and, finally, shunning of the person, paraitou` (3:10). There can clearly
be no compromise between those who teach and adhere to sound doctrine
and those who teach and embrace false doctrine. The chasm only becomes
wider. The paranomasia by the use of the two words, “empty talkers”,
mataiolovgoi (1:10) and “empty”, mavtaioi (3:9) does not paint a very
complimentary picture of the false teachers or their doctrine.
Through syndeton, ajnwfelei`" kai; mavtaioi, the groundless futility of false
teaching is emphasised while at the same time accentuating its
distinctiveness from sound doctrine, which is also emphasised through
syndeton positively as kala; kai; wjfevlima. The syndeton of v. 10, mivan kai;
deutevran, emphasises the specificity of the manner in which erroneous
teachings must be treated. No tolerance must be entertained; just two
warnings followed by shunning or rejection. The apostle seems to show great
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