http://www.loc.gov/mods/v3 http://www.loc.gov/standards/mods/v3/mods-3-2.xsd
xxviii, 312 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm
"Paul's short, affectionate letter to the Philippians has been much belabored of late by biblical scholars keen to analyze it in light of Greco-Roman letter-writing conventions. Yet Ben Witherington argues that Philippians shouldn't be read as a letter at all but, rather, as a masterful piece of long-distance oratory -- an extension of Paul's oral speech, dictated to a scribe and meant to be read aloud to its recipients. With this in mind, Witherington analyzes Philippians in light of Greco-Roman rhetorical conventions, identifying Paul's purpose, highlighting his main points and his persuasive strategies, and considering how his audience -- denizens of a society of limited literacy yet saturated in highly skilled oral rhetoric -- would have heard and received Paul's message"--Publisher description.
Introduction -- Preliminary considerations -- Provenance -- Consistency and change -- Partition theories -- A letter of friendship or a family letter -- Rhetoric -- Social analysis: dead ends and promising pathways -- The commentary -- Epistolary prescript (1:1-2) A closer look: Paul's right-hand man Timothy -- Exordium: Prayers and previews (1:3-11) A closer look: Joy, the elixir of faith and effervescence of hope -- Bridging the horizons -- Narratio: Proclamation's progress (1:12-26) A closer look: Imitation, the highest form of education -- A closer look: Honor, shame, and apostolic life -- Bridging the horizons -- Propositio: Lives worthy of the word (1:27-30) -- Bridging the horizons -- Probatio: Four positive appeals (2:1--4:3) -- The prime paradigm: Christ (2:1-18) -- A closer look: E.A. Judge and the social world of early Christianity -- A closer look: The Christ hymn in recent discussion -- Bridging the horizons -- The Paradigm's Partners (2:19-30) -- Bridging the horizons -- Paul and the dogs (3:1--4.1) -- A closer look: Synkrisis when there Is no crisis -- A closer look: Social-scientific criticism--will meeks Inherit the earth? -- Bridging the horizons -- An apeal to the leaders (4:2-3) -- Peroratio: The value of virtue and the joy of Jesus (4:4-9) -- A closer look: Paul among the ancient moralists -- Bridging the horizons -- A postscript: "On giving and receiving" (4:10-20) -- Final greetings and grace (4.21-23) -- A closer look: Caesar's household and the household of faith -- Bridging the horizons.
Includes bibliographical references and indexes.
Philippians - Socio-Rhetorical Criticism
Socio-rhetorical criticism of sacred works