Abstract
An exploration of the possibilities of a reception theoretical approach to the reading of Romans 7:7–25 The multiplicity of interpretations of Romans 7:7–25 is well-known in Biblical scholarship. In this article the possibilities of a reception theoretical approach to the different readings of this text is explored. A brief theoretical discussion of this approach is given, focusing on the work of the German literary theorists, Hans Robert Jauss and Wolfgang Iser. When applied to the history of reception of Romans 7:7–25 it seems that Jauss's idea of the reader's 'horizon of expectations' and its influence on the interpretation of a text, is confirmed. It is pointed out how extra-textual influences throughout the history had changed the interpretation of this text, starting right back in the fourth century with the controversy between Augustine and Pelagius, leading up to the differences between exegetes and sistematic theologians in our day. Some preliminary remarks on 'the reader' in Romans 7:7–25 as well as the gaps and textual strategies of this text are also made. The conclusion reached is that, although not necessarily revolutionary new, a reading of this text from the perspective of the role of the reader, definitely offers some fruitful possibilities for the understanding of New Testament epistolary literature.
Highlights
An exploration of the possibilities of a reception theoretical approach to the reading of Romans 7:7—25 The multiplicity of interpretations of Romans 7:7-25 is well-known in Biblical scholarship
'n Kenmerk van die wetenskaplike bestudering van die Nuwe Testa ment in die afgelope paar dekades is dat daar al hoe meer gebruik gemaak word van insigte vanuit ander dissiplines
Die hooffases in die metodologiese ontwikkeling in die Nuwe-Testanientiese wetenskap in hierdie eeu toon ook baie ooreenkoms met dié in die Literatuurwetenskap
Summary
Dat 'n mens in hierdie benadering noukeurig moet onderskei om verwarring te voorkom, blyk duidelik uit die volgende stelling van Sulei man (1980: 6): Audience-orientated criticism is not one field but many, not a single widely trodden path but a multiplicity of crisscrossing, often divergent tracks that cover a vast area of the critical land scape in a pattern whose complexity dismays the brave and con founds the faint of heart. Dit word as sambreelterm gebruik en dit omvat dus die benaderings van (1) Jauss, (2) Iser en (3) empiriese ondersoeke na resepsie. Reader-response criticism, aan die ander kant, is ook 'n sambreelterm wat hoofsaaklik die Amerikaanse teorieë omvat. Dat dit inderdaad 'n wye spektrum benaderings of variasies is wat onder hierdie term tuishoort, blyk onder meer uit die verskillende indelings en sistematiserings wat daarvan gegee word. Fowler (1983: 35) gee op sy beurt 'n ander baie insiggewende skematisering van benaderings in 'reader-response criticism', waaruit die wye spektrum van wat alles onder die begrip tuishoort, duidelik blyk: 1. Fowler (1983: 35) gee op sy beurt 'n ander baie insiggewende skematisering van benaderings in 'reader-response criticism', waaruit die wye spektrum van wat alles onder die begrip tuishoort, duidelik blyk: 1. Subjektivism: A psychological model of reading (a) David Bleich's subjective criticism: primacy of subjectivity (b) Normal Holland's transactive criticism: transaction between reader and text within reader's identity theme
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