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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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C. 1. qeou` and swthvr depend on dovxa and refer <strong>to</strong> two persons:<br />

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

Jesus Christ” (RSV, ASV, NEB).<br />

C. 2. qeou` and swthvr depend on dovxa and refers <strong>to</strong> one person (with Jesus<br />

Christ in apposition <strong>to</strong> this dovxa):<br />

“... the appearing <strong>of</strong> [him who is] the Glory <strong>of</strong> our great God and Saviour [= the<br />

Father, which glory is/that is] Jesus Christ” (F.J. A. Hort).<br />

C. 3. qeou` and swthvr depend on dovxa and refers <strong>to</strong> one person (with jIhsou`<br />

Cris<strong>to</strong>u in apposition <strong>to</strong>u` megavlou qeou` kai; swth`roi)<br />

“… the appearing <strong>of</strong> the glory <strong>of</strong> our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ” (RV,<br />

ASV mg, TCNT, Weymouth, NEB, JB, TEV).<br />

The expression qevo~ kaiv swthvr was standard cultic language in the first<br />

century and widely used. In every instance, it denoted a single deity. The<br />

second reason in support <strong>of</strong> this interpretation is that grammatically, two co-<br />

ordinate nouns referring <strong>to</strong> the same person are usually joined by a singular<br />

article (Harris, 1980:267). Harris supplies extensive corroborative evidence<br />

that may be accessed for further study.<br />

c) God: Salvation<br />

Collins sees God as the central focus <strong>of</strong> the letter. He attaches correctly so,<br />

great significance <strong>to</strong> the quintuple appearance <strong>of</strong> the noun God within the first<br />

four verses <strong>of</strong> the letter (Collins, 2000:56). God is specified as having a<br />

servant in Paul (1:1), having an elect (1:1), un-lying (1:2), being a Saviour (3)<br />

and a Father (4). However, if we consider all the verbs in the salutation<br />

<strong>to</strong>gether with the other nouns occurring in this section, then far more is being<br />

said about God than is indicated by the frequency <strong>of</strong> the nouns. Implicitly, it<br />

could be said that God promised (1:2), God manifested (1:3), has a word (1:3)<br />

and has a commandment (1:3). Paul discloses that he, the servant <strong>of</strong> God,<br />

has been entrusted with a message. The passive voice implies that God,<br />

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