The letters to Philemon, the Colossians, and the Ephesians : a socio-rhetorical commentary on the captivity Epistles
Ben Witherington (Author)
This title offers an innovative way of looking at Ephesians, Colossians and Philemon as inter-related documents written at different levels of moral discourse. The author also analyses these documents as examples of Asiatic rhetoric
Print Book, English, 2007
William B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., Grand Rapids, Mich., 2007
Commentaries
xii, 382 s. ; 24 cm
9780802824882, 0802824889
1117601165
The letter to Philemon
The epistolary prescript : vv. 1-3
Thanksgiving/exordium : a refresher course : vv. 4-7
A closer look : when rhetoric is not mere rhetoric
An appeal for a useful servant : vv. 8-16
A closer look : Paul in chains, Onesimus in bondage
Peroratio : summing up and touching the heart of the matter : vv. 17-22
A closer look : the cost of manumission
Epistolary conclusion : vv. 23-24
Bridging the horizons : Philemon
The letter to the Colossians
The authorship of Colossians
Further thoughts on the relationship of Colossians and Ephesians
The false teaching/philosophy in Colossae
The theology of Colossians
The occasion of Colossians
Epistolary prescript : 1.1-2
Exordium/thanksgiving prayer : 1.3-14
Narratio : the pattern of Christ : 1.15-20
A closer look : the formation of the Christ hymn
Propositio/partitio : 1.21-23
Probatio : argument one : minister of the mystery : 1.24-2.5 Probatio : argument two : the bone of contention : 2.6-3.4
A closer look : the Colossian "philosophy"
A closer look : the theological substance of Colossians
Probatio : argument three : the necessity of virtue : 3.5-4.1
Vice and virtue lists : 3:5-17
The household code : 3:18-4:1
A closer look : evaluating the household codes fairly in Paul's context
A closer look : Paul on marriage and slavery in context
Peroratio : prayer and wisdom : 4.2-6
Epistolary closing : 4:7-18
Bridging the horizons : Colossians
The homily called Ephesians
Homilies in the New Testament era
Ephesians as a letter to Ephesus?
Epideictic rhetoric : the art of persuasive sermon-making
Pseudonymity?
Epistolary prescript : 1.1-2
Exordium : a blessing of a eulogy : 1.3-14
A closer look : for heaven's sake
Thanksgiving prayer/captatio benevolentiae : 1.15-23
A closer look : the ethos of community in Ephesians Narratio : Gentiles then and now and their apostle : 2.1-22; 3.2-13
Concluding prayer and doxology : 3.1, 14-21
Exhortatio : reminder of community values and virtues : 4.1-6.9
The formation of a more perfect union : 4.1-16
A closer look : what goes up must come down : pneumatic exegesis
New creatures : 4.17-24; putting off and putting on : 4.25-32
The imitation of God, the image of holiness : 5.1-21
Christians in the house : 5.21-6.9
A closer look : the Christian household code revisited
Peroratio : standing notwithstanding the opposition : 6.10-20
Epistolary postscript : the end of the matter : 6.21-24
Bridging the horizons : Ephesians