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

expected manner can look forward to it. Negatively, this implies
that those who deviate from the expected behaviour can
anticipate the opposite of what the obedient ones are expecting.
o Arguments based on shared knowledge
Arguments based on shared knowledge employ accepted
societal norms regarding proper and acceptable behaviour as a
legitimate yardstick of behaviour. The virtue and vice lists
pertaining to elder-overseers and illegitimate teachers
respectively (1:5-9, 10-16) are examples of this kind of
argument. It is also used in 2:2-10 with regard to the conduct of
believers as well as in 3:1-3. Paul uses these arguments to
convince the Cretans of the necessity to behave in a manner
compliant with sound doctrine, which will reflect behaviour
considered admirable by society. Negatively, this kind of
argument serves to present the false teachers in a bad light by
highlighting the extent to which their conduct contradicts the
positive behaviour that society in general upholds. This line of
argumentation makes it very difficult for the Cretans not to
conduct themselves in a manner compliant with the sound
doctrine. Its persuasive power also lies in the fact that the
commendable conduct is obvious and known to all.
o Arguments based on the existence of prior knowledge or based
on the appeal to memory
Paul uses an argument based on the appeal to the memory or
prior knowledge of his audience in 3:1-3. This kind of
argumentation presents the audience with an opportunity for a
subjective evaluation of the information presented to them. They
can evaluate the consistency of the doctrine because they are
not expected to comprehend new information. They are called to
act in ways they have known to be consistent with sound
doctrine. On the negative side, a refusal to act consistent with
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