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

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

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A. dovxa and swthvr are dependent on ejpifavneia (with qeou` dependent on<br />

dovxa):<br />

“... the appearing <strong>of</strong> the glory <strong>of</strong> the great God [= the Father] and [the<br />

appearing] <strong>of</strong> our Saviour, Jesus Christ”.<br />

Dubbed the double epiphaneous view, this interpretation argues for two<br />

manifestations, namely one by the Father and the other by Jesus Christ. The<br />

problem is that it requires the merging <strong>of</strong> an impersonal subject (dovxa) and a<br />

personal subject (swthvr). While some commenta<strong>to</strong>rs have avoided this<br />

conclusion (Harris, 1980:263), there are additional complications. These relate<br />

<strong>to</strong> the fact that swthvr does not have an article and could therefore be<br />

associated either with qeou` or dovxa. Additionally, it is unnatural <strong>to</strong> separate<br />

swthvr from qeou`. These two words have great cultic significance. They always<br />

refer <strong>to</strong> a single deity when employed in this particular relationship.<br />

B. qeou` and swthvr depend on ejpifavneia (with th`~ dovzh~ as a “Hebrew<br />

genitive) and as referring <strong>to</strong> either one:<br />

“... the glorious appearing <strong>of</strong> our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ” (NIV).<br />

or two persons:<br />

“... the glorious appearing <strong>of</strong> the great God and [<strong>of</strong>] our Saviour Jesus Christ”<br />

(KJV).<br />

As Harris (1980:264) points out, this interpretation compromises the verbal<br />

parallelism between verses 11 and 13. By ignoring the article that modifies<br />

dovxa (verse 13), it undoes the corresponding idea in verse 11, namely hJ<br />

cavri~. Whereas the first appearance is a manifestation <strong>of</strong> divine grace, the<br />

second will be a manifestation <strong>of</strong> divine glory (Harris, 1980:264). The rendition<br />

<strong>of</strong> this dovxa as an adjective reduces significantly the connotative value <strong>of</strong> the<br />

term dovxa. Saying that “a person’s appearance will be ‘resplendent’ or<br />

‘attended by glory’ is a far cry from saying that the person’s own ‘glory will be<br />

revealed’” (Harris, 1980:264).<br />

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