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Rhetorical Analysis of Paul's Argument in 1Corinthians 13

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Rhetorical Analysis of Paul's Argument in 1Corinthians 13 RHETORICAL ANALYSIS OF PAUL’S ARGUMENT IN 1CORINTHIANS 13 BY FELIX KANTONDA BIATOMA A MINI-THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILUMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF THEOLOGY at the SOUTH AFRICAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY in JANAURY 2010 SUPERVISOR: Dr. KEVIN GARY SMITH DECLARATION I hereby acknowledge that the work contained in this thesis is my own original work and has not previously in its entirely or in part been submitted to any academic institution for degree purpose _______________________ FELIX KANTONDA BIATOMA Χάριτι δὲ θεοῦ εἰ ὃ εἰμι. Knowledge is a virtue. People do evil only out of ignorance. SOCRATES i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Accomplishments in life are achieved in partnership with others. So, on completion of this study, I express tremendous gratitude to several role-players. Firstly, to Almighty God. “Thank you for the gift of life and the countless bounties that inspires, nourishes and sustains me.” To all the leadership and members of Christ Baptist Church Polokwane. “Thank you for paying my studies fees at SATS.” My academic supervisor, Reverend Dr. Kevin Gary Smith was a beacon of light. “Your scholarly mentoring and caring ways most cordially guided and strengthened me throughout this journey. Thank you”. To Josh and Caroline Smith, my adopted family. “Thank you for your unvalued financial support without which my family and I could have not lived in South Africa”. Family support was unqualified and forthcoming. My wife Bertha ensured much needed time off on the home front. She literally edged me on when the going was tough. So did my daughters Anath (la Mercedes) and Elvira (la BMW). “All of you are very special. Thank you for giving me the space to grow”. To Reverend Louis Matangila and the Peniel Church. “Thank you for allowing me and my family to come to South Africa”. My fellow countrymen engineers Patrick Nyongani K.P. and Philip Muyanga Mphizi and Pastor Raphaël Kayamba Κizobo. Thank you for your interest compatriots. It meant a lot” My dear colleague and brother Patrick Mutombo, the bottle whose I am the glass. “You helped to bring this project to fruition. I thank you most sincerely.” A hearty thanks to the SATS library whose unstinting back up provided relevant literature, which made my task so much more manageable. “All of you helped to make this project attainable. Thank you very much. ii ABSTRACT Never a piece of writing has been so appreciated like 1 Corinthians 13. Biblical scholars of various backgrounds acknowledge it as the best master piece Paul ever wrote. In our days, it is read in memorable occasion such as the wedding whether for believer or not (Stott 1999). This thesis joins those who interested about its kind of literature have gone beyond simple enjoyment and sought to investigate what it is made up with. Among the problems that endangered the welfare of the Corinthian church were the abuse of spiritual gifts and a special consideration of a certain category of gifts. The examination of spiritual gifts section revealed that in his attempt to correct the Corinthian believers’ understanding of spirituality Paul shifted thematically and stylistically. Hence the research endeavoured to find out, how the use of rhetorical strategies in 1 Corinthians 13 was it helpful in persuading the Corinthians that a person is found spiritual on the basis of love rather than spiritual abilities. For that purpose, the study has first of all examined the whole epistle for a full understanding of the situation within the church in order to know the purpose of the chapter under consideration. This led to establish the relationships between Corinthian Christians and Paul and with one another. Love was also explored at this level since the matter is the object of an entire chapter and is also found elsewhere in the epistle. Then the study moved to the textual criticism to see the kind of literature 1 Corinthians 13 is. Many procedures were used mainly the translation and the diagramming of the text followed by the examination of its literary features. The study thus, aims to determine the literary genres of 1 Corinthians 13 by providing evidences from rhetorical perspectives. It showed that the chapter was also meant to touch the Corinthians’ emotions. In so doing, the research purposed to establish a framework of rhetorical research of the N. T text. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................ iii ABBREVIATIONS ......................................................................................................vi Chapter 1: Introduction ............................................................................................... 1 1.1. Introduction ...................................................................................................... 1 1.2. The main problem ............................................................................................ 2 1.3. Key questions .................................................................................................. 2 1.4. Hypothesis ....................................................................................................... 2 1. 5. Elucidation of the problem .............................................................................. 3 1. 6. Rationale for the study. ................................................................................... 4 1.7. Research Plan ................................................................................................. 5 Chapter 2: Purpose of 1 Corinthians 13 ..................................................................... 9 2.1. Problems in the Corinthian church that occasioned the writing of 1 Corinthians .............................................................................................................................. 10 2.2. Relationship between Paul and the Corinthians ............................................ 14 2.3. Corinthian opposition to Paul ......................................................................... 15 2.4. The love issue in the Corinthian church ......................................................... 17 2.5. Overemphasis of spirituality ........................................................................... 18 2.6. Polemical nature of 1 Corinthians .................................................................. 19 2.7. Purpose of 1 Corinthians ............................................................................... 24 2.8. Literary form of 1 Corinthians......................................................................... 25 2.9. Delimitation of 1 Corinthians 13 ..................................................................... 30 2.10. Purpose of 1 Corinthians 13 ........................................................................ 31 Chapter 3: Literary Features of 1 Corinthians 13 ..................................................... 34 3.1. A Translation of 1 Corinthians 13 ................................................................... 35 3.2. Literary structure of 1 Corinthians 13 ............................................................. 40 3.3. Literary genre of 1 Corinthians 13 .................................................................. 52 Chapter 4: Poetic Artistry of 1 Corinthians 13 .......................................................... 62 4. 1. Prose and poetry in 1 Corinthians 13 ............................................................ 63 4.2. Figures of speech in 1 Corinthians 13 ........................................................... 64 4.3. Poetical structure of 1 Corinthians 13 ............................................................ 68 4.4. Poetics of 1 Corinthians 13 ............................................................................ 73 4.5. Purpose of the poetic style of 1 Corinthians 13.............................................. 78 Chapter 5: Conclusion .............................................................................................. 81 5.1. Primary question ............................................................................................ 82 5.2. Subsidiary questions ...................................................................................... 82 5.3. Final summary ............................................................................................... 85 Works Cited .............................................................................................................. 88 v ABBREVIATIONS ASV American Standard Version BAGD W. Bauer and F. W. Danker, A GREEK-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. Cor. Corinthians ESV English Standard Version FDB French Darby FLS French Louis Segond GNB Good News Bible (Today’s English Version) KJV King James Version LXX Septuagint NA27 Novum Testamentum Graece, 27ed. NASB New American Standard Version NIV New International Version NKJV New King James Version NT New Testament REB Revised English Version RSV Revised Standard Version SRV Spanish Reina Valera TR Textus Receptus UBS4 The Greek New Testament 4th rev. ed. vi v Verse vv Verses vii Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1. Introduction Among the innumerable books that have been written on 1 Corinthians 13, very few take the readers back to the writer’s era and enable them to comprehend the prestigious literary style of his day. Cousar (1996) says that 1 Corinthians 13 presents an interesting case for rhetorical analysis; upon which opinions are divided as to whether the entire
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