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

SECTION 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 OVERVIEW OF EXISTING SCHOLARSHIP
1.1.1 INTRODUCTION
Current research focusing on the Letter to Titus evinces several interesting
trends. Starting with authorship of the Pastorals, it will be shown that a clear
link exists between that and the treatment of Titus in the areas of theology,
structure and coherence, and rhetoric. It will be shown that the, perhaps
unintentional, cumulative effect of the authorship debate was the
marginalisation of the Letter to Titus. The literature evidence will bear out that
for a long time there was not much talk about, for example, the theology of
Titus as opposed to the theology of the Pastorals. Thus, a rhetorical analysis
of the Letter to Titus must begin with an appreciation for the multiplicity of
influences that have impacted upon the scholarly interest in this letter. The
present chapter will review these trends, illustrating in particular how they
have impacted upon the treatment of the letter to Titus.
In order to establish a comprehensive assessment, various categories of
research will be investigated. These include commentaries, recent books and
related journal articles. Due to the enormous expansion within the field of
rhetorical criticism, boundaries are required to stay within the focus area of
this study. Therefore, the selection of commentaries, books and articles will be
governed by their direct relevance to the problem of the relationship between
rhetorical criticism and the Pastorals, specifically the Letter to Titus.
The review will attempt to show that the Letter to Titus still has to benefit from
a thorough rhetorical critical analysis that will demonstrate its uniqueness as a
coherent, comprehensive portion of New Testament literature that can be
interpreted independently from the two letters to Timothy.
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