Galatians as Thesis

Abstract

Previous research focusing on rhetorical criticism of Paul’s letter to the Galatians has failed to reach a consensus. Scholars are divided as to the genre of rhetoric Paul is employing. There is equally little agreement as to the structure of the letter and how it should be sub-divided into the categories for speeches as described by the rhetorical handbooks. This article seeks to simplify the approach to the structure of Galatians 1–4 by reading this portion of the letter in light of Theon’s description of the elementary exercise of thesis as found in the Progymnasmata. After demonstrating that Galatians can be read as a thesis, the article then examines proofs that Paul has employed in arguing his thesis, the most important of which is the proof from divine testimony. It is with this proof, which was considered to be of the highest value by the authors of the rhetorical handbooks, that Paul begins his argument; he then draws other arguments from authority and divine testimony that are based on this initial proof.