On the Use of Encomiastic Topoi in Hebrews

Abstract

Abstract This study examines the debated questions of whether and to what extent the author of Hebrews employs Greco-Roman rhetorical topoi of praise in the speech’s various theological portraits. The study compares and contrasts five epideictic pieces in Hebrews, demonstrating the common topical template employed in their composition, the compositional tendencies evident among them, and the conformity of these tendencies to Greco-Roman rhetorical convention. The evidence points to a writer who is consciously following rhetorical convention at every turn. In the light of these findings, the study then addresses several questions that collectively contribute to scholarly doubt about the author’s use of topoi.