Western University Scholarship@Western Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository 4-15-2015 12:00 AM The Anointing That Teaches: A Socio-Historical and Rhetorical Study of Chrisma in 1 John 2:20 and 27 Jenny Meggison The University of Western Ontario Supervisor Daniel A. Smith, Ph.D. The University of Western Ontario Graduate Program in Theology A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the equirr ements for the degree in Master of Arts © Jenny Meggison 2015 Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd Part of the Biblical Studies Commons Recommended Citation Meggison, Jenny, "The Anointing That Teaches: A Socio-Historical and Rhetorical Study of Chrisma in 1 John 2:20 and 27" (2015). Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. 2738. https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/2738 This Dissertation/Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by Scholarship@Western. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository by an authorized administrator of Scholarship@Western. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE ANOINTING THAT TEACHES: A SOCIO-HISTORICAL AND RHETORICAL STUDY OF CHRISMA IN 1 JOHN 2:20 AND 27 Thesis format: Monograph by Jenny Meggison Graduate Program in Theology A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts The School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies The University of Western Ontario London, Ontario, Canada © Jenny Meggison 2015 Abstract Definitions of χρῖσμα in 1 John 2:20 and 27 have inadequately explained the term as physical ointment, rhetorical symbol, or simple alias for the Holy Spirit or Paraclete figure from the Fourth Gospel. This thesis employs a variety of exegetical methods, including rhetorical-critical, socio-historical and grammatical analysis in order to respond to the need for a historically contextualized definition. Specifically, the models of limited good, patronage and brokerage are applied to the text, along with insights from group formation theory and memory studies. Comparisons with Philo, Xenophon, and other ancient authors lead to a rhetorically and culturally informed interpretation of chrisma, significant for understanding the community addressed in the text historically and theologically. The thesis contends that χρῖσμα is 1 John’s culturally symbolized term for a communally experienced instructive reality that establishes group ethos and enables a communal lifestyle in conformity to correct christology. Keywords anointing, chrisma, Early Christianity, First John, Johannine Theology, labelling, New Testament, socio-historical method, rhetorical criticism, χρῖσμα ii Acknowledgments Primarily, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Daniel A. Smith for his commitment to seeing the successful completion of this project and for his patient oversight. I am especially thankful for his consistency, clarity, detailed feedback, and practical guidance throughout the entire writing process. I wish also to extend my gratitude to those faculty and students in the Department of Theology who offered their advice and encouragement in the early stages of the project. Particularly, I am grateful to Dr. Mona LaFosse who taught me to truly enjoy studying Koine Greek and to keep a journal for research. Next, I would like to express my deep appreciation for the staff and leadership of LGT Family Church for affording me the physical space to write and supporting me along the way. Finally, I’m grateful to my mother, Catherine, for cultivating in me a penchant for writing, grammar, and the Bible. iii Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgments .............................................................................................................. iii Table of Contents ............................................................................................................... iv Chapter 1 ............................................................................................................................. 1 1 Introduction, Purpose, and Methods .............................................................................. 1 1.1 Introduction to the Problem .................................................................................... 1 1.2 Defining Terms Operationally ................................................................................ 3 1.3 Methods ................................................................................................................... 4 1.4 Social Context ......................................................................................................... 7 1.4.1 Greco-Roman Culture ................................................................................. 7 1.4.2 Honour, Shame, and Agonistic Culture ...................................................... 8 1.5 Group Formation and Identity ................................................................................ 9 1.6 Polemics and Labelling ......................................................................................... 10 1.7 Main Issues in 1 John 2:18-27 .............................................................................. 11 Chapter 2 ........................................................................................................................... 13 2 Literature Survey .......................................................................................................... 13 2.1 Genre ..................................................................................................................... 14 2.2 Structure ................................................................................................................ 15 2.3 Authorship ............................................................................................................. 16 2.4 Date ....................................................................................................................... 18 2.5 Provenance ............................................................................................................ 19 2.6 Relation of 1, 2, and 3 John to Each Other ........................................................... 20 2.7 Relationship of 1-3 John to the Fourth Gospel ..................................................... 21 2.8 The Johannine Community ................................................................................... 22 iv 2.9 Divisions in the Johannine Community ................................................................ 26 2.10 Positions on Key Chrisma texts ............................................................................ 27 Chapter 3 ........................................................................................................................... 31 3 Textual Features and Exegesis ..................................................................................... 31 3.1 Translation ............................................................................................................ 31 3.2 Analysis of Textual Features and Exegesis .......................................................... 32 Chapter 4 ........................................................................................................................... 43 4 Chrisma and the Teaching of Truth ............................................................................. 43 4.1 Rhetorical Context of Chrisma and the Teaching of Truth .................................. 43 4.2 Rhetorical Context of Teaching ............................................................................ 44 4.2.1 Comparison with Xenophon ..................................................................... 46 4.2.2 Comparison With Philo ............................................................................. 47 4.3 Truth in the Linguistic Climate of 1 John ............................................................. 49 4.3.1 Truth-telling and Lying ............................................................................. 50 4.3.2 Antilanguage and Antisociety ................................................................... 51 4.4 A Socio-Historical Perspective Concerning the Chrisma and the Teaching of Truth ...................................................................................................................... 53 4.4.1 Limited Good ............................................................................................ 53 4.4.2 Patron-Client Model .................................................................................. 54 4.5 A Theological Perspective on Chrisma as Teacher of Truth ................................ 55 Chapter 5 ........................................................................................................................... 57 5 Chrisma and the History of the Community ................................................................ 57 5.1 Sociological Approach to the Formation of the Johannine Group ....................... 57 5.2 Intertextuality and the Johannine Group with respect to Broader Society ........... 59 5.3 Chrisma as Antilanguage ...................................................................................... 62 5.4 Reconstruction of a Historical Narrative .............................................................. 65 v 5.5 Remain Where? Spatial Terminology ..................................................................