Abstract
The confessional statement Colossians 1:13-20: Unity, structure and function. Scholarly work has concentrated much effort on Colossians 1:15-20 as an early Christian hymn. In discussions with Botha (1986; 1989) and Van der Watt (1988), an attempt has been made here to prove the unity of 1 :13-20 as a confessional statement, and to determine its structural coherence and progression. The letter's macro structure is utilized to pinpoint the pericope's locality in the letter since this has bearing on the function it fulfills. The analysis of its structural composition is an attempt to help clarify my position on various details and understanding of its meaning. In view of the positions taken and of a discussion of the letter's context and its communicative thrust, the function of the confessional statement is considered to be its role of grounding the community's faith in the totally sufficient salvation by God in Christ thus opening the way for the warning against being misled on a way other than that of Christ and to hold onto him as head, which signals the communicative thrust of the letter.
Highlights
The confessional statement Colossians 1:13-20: Unity, structure and function Scholarly work has concentrated much effort on Colossians 1:15-20 as an early Christian hymn
INLEIDING Terwyl daar geweldig baie oor die lied wat in Kolossense 1: 15-20 v~~r hande is, gepubliseer is en word, is dit nie die bedoeling om dit alles hier weer aan die orde te stel nie
Deels is dit daaraan te wyte dat daar in vorige publikasies wyd in die literatuur gedelf is en aan die debat aandag gegee is
Summary
15-20 v~~r hande is, gepubliseer is en word, is dit nie die bedoeling om dit alles hier weer aan die orde te stel nie. Botha (1989: 57, 73-74) se vraag na die literere funksie van die lied as deel van die Kolossensebrief is egter wel hier ter sake en van die hoogste belang. En dit lei onder andere na die vraag oor die verhouding van 1:15-20 tot 1:13-14~ Hieroor het Van der Watt (1988:22-23, 26-28) deur sy redevoeringsanalise 'n pertinente bydrae gelewer. Om die vraag te beantwoord, sal ook die ~raag na die struktuur van die perikoop ter diskussie gestel moet word. Om saam te vat: Dit sal uit die bespreking ondertoe blyk dat daar bepaalde elemente in die gesprek soos voor hande in Van der Watt en Botha is wat aandag verdien. In die geval van Van der Watt kan die argumentasie rondom die eenheid van Kolossense 1: 13-20 versterk en uitgebrei word, en moet sy struktuuranalise van die perikoon aan kritiek. Om dit te bewerkstellig, bied hy 'n gemotiveerde afperking van die lied in twee-en-twintig nukleere strukture aan soos hieronder weergegee (1986:239242):
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