Abstract
In this article Philippians 1:12-26 is analysed from a rhetorical perspective that differs from the typical approach of researchers, who tend to force ancient rhetorical categories on a letter. The analysis is done in terms of what is called a “grounded theoretical approach”. This approach is briefly summarised, followed by a systematic analysis of Paul’s basic rhetorical strategy, as well as all the supportive rhetorical techniques in these fifteen verses. It will be argued that these verses are an integral part of Paul’s rhetorical strategy, constructed from the text itself and aimed at reassuring the Philippians that his adversities are for the advancement of the gospel. The conclusion is that a text-centred approach with its focus on the functional aspects of the text, provides a better understanding of Paul’s rhetorical strategy than a typical rhetorical analysis, with its focus on the formal aspects of the text.
Highlights
Rhetorical analyses over the past two decades have been dominated by the pioneering work of H.D
Is the aim to demonstrate to what extent Paul was familiar with these categories, or to arrive at a better understanding of a particular letter? If the aim is a more adequate appreciation of Paul himself, where, when and how did he become familiar with ancient rhetoric and epistolography, and did he draw on such knowledge deliberately or not? If the aim is a more thorough understanding of a letter, should one restrict oneself to the categories of ancient rhetoric, or should one employ new aspects that have been added since antiquity? (Classen 1993:267-268)
A typical rhetorical analysis with its focus on external rhetorical categories being forced upon a text, only takes us a limited way in understanding Paul’s rhetorical strategy
Summary
Rhetorical analyses over the past two decades have been dominated by the pioneering work of H.D. The initial reaction to the commentary was, on the whole, favourable, scholars like the German classicist Joachim Classen (1993) started questioning Betz’s use of the two disciplines of epistolography and rhetoric, and especially the aim of applying ancient rhetorical categories to Paul’s letters. As a result of these and other legitimate questions, New Testament scholars started analysing Paul’s letters without using ancient rhetorical categories. Instead of forcing these categories on a letter, they began to apply modern rhetorical theories, or they analysed the arguments in a letter in terms of a text-centred approach (that is, the letter itself serves as the starting-point for the analysis). I hope to prove that a text-centred approach aimed at reconstructing Paul’s rhetorical strategy from the text itself, provides a better understanding of his rhetoric than an approach where external rhetorical categories are forced upon the text
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