Thursday, November 19, 2009
Theological Exegesis
is a good idea when it is not an excuse to avoid learning the original languages.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Ben Witherington and Rhetorical Criticism
Ben Witherington. New Testament Rhetoric: An Introductory Guide to the Art of Persuasion in and of the New Testament. Wipf and Stock 2009.
Ben Witherington is a writer whose pen never seems to run out of ink. He has written innumerable books, including commentary on every book of the New Testament, numerous poems, he's co-authored a novel with his wife, numerous theology books, and some history texts on Paul and Jesus to boot. His commentaries seek to make use of ancient rhetorical categories to shed light on the meanings of the New Testament texts. Though one could pick up on Dr. Witherington's methods from reading his commentary, I often wished I could find a decently priced book explaining Greco-Roman rhetorical categories, outlining the arguments in favor of the method, and giving a helpful bibliography to the end of aiding students of the NT in the interpretive task. Witherington has delivered such a book. It starts with a defense and explanation of the method, then an extended examination of each species of rhetoric in the NT from Mark and Luke, to Hebrews and Jude. This portion of the text functions not only as information, but a defense of the method for the fruit it yields in interpretation. Finally, Witherington closes with a final defense of the method by pointing out the problems caused when rhetoric is not recognized in the NT.
The book starts with a defense of the practice of Rhetorical Criticism, seeking to use the categories of ancient macro-rhetoric to discern the function of the different portions of the documents of the New Testament. Witherington points out that many NT scholars will readily admit to the existence of micro-rhetoric in the texts of the NT, it is still taking time for macro-rhetoric to be readily accepted as a feature in the NT. Micro-rhetoric includes the intentional inclusion of various rhetorical devices in documents for the effect they commonly elicit. (pp 7) Witherington's method again focuses on finding ancient rhetorical conventions in the text, as opposed to the “new rhetoric,” which uses modern linguistic and hermenuetical theory to determine the meanings of texts (read: discourse analysis), rather than using the ancient categories of rhetoric, which Witherington contends throughout the book, are readily availible to the reader who takes the time to become familiar with them. (pp 6) The main reasons for seeking to read the NT in light of ancient rhetorical practice is that the texts were written when those conventions were in use, and as the culture was a oral culture, only the educated could write, so most things were communicated orally. So then, it stands to reason that the educated writers who intended their works to be read out loud would make use of ancient rhetorical techniques to get their ideas across. (pp 4-5) The next chapter sees a fairly standard introduction to the various species of ancient rhetoric. Particularly helpful is the explanation of the purpose of various portions of a discourse. (pp 16) The chapter gives helpful input on the nature of ancient Greco-Roman rhetorical categories.
The review will be short on the middle five chapters, simply because to outline the various places wherein Witherington finds these pieces of rhetoric. Suffice to say, as a total novice to the field of rhetorical criticism, I find myself convinced at most of his observations. What I will say concerning this dilettantish observation is that I have been encouraged to read the ancient rhetorical manuals in my quest to better understand the New Testament. Some observations about this portion of the text include the nature of the book of Galatians, Witherington disagrees with Betz that Galatians was a type of forensic rhetoric on the grounds that it deals with the future well being of the church, not a past legal event, and it includes a lengthy exhortation. Instead, Witherington posits that Galatians is an example of deliberative method. This is not a massive theological issue, it will not make or break the faith, but historically and hermenuetically speaking, it makes a difference in interpreting the text of Galatians, and knowing ancient rhetorical categories made this inference possible.(pp 124-125)
The final two chapters mount a final defense of the method as well as a theologically rooted exhortation to make use of the method. Chapter eight outlines some very important contributions that rhetorical study can make to NT studies. For instance, failure to recognize the propositio or the peroratio of a document can lead to misunderstanding its purpose. (pp 216-217) The list here goes on, the issues range in importance, for instance, Witherington sees Romans 7 as an example of the rhetorical technique of impersonation, seeing it as a statement from the perspective one that is seeking righteousness outside of Jesus Christ. (pp 220-221) The last chapter is a theological call to study rhetoric, sense the task of gospel preaching is to use rhetoric to undermine things opposed to the gospel, and to make the gospel completely clear, not covering the gospel with clever eloquence, but to speak it clearly and persuasively. So, rhetoric should be studied to better understand the NT, and by proxy the gospel, but it should also be studied by Christians to aid in their evangelism, as well as by preachers to aid in their instructing of the church. (pp 237-240) The book ends with a splendid annotated bibliography, which strangely enough does not include any of the handbooks or compilations for discourse analysis by Nida, Black, or Marshall.
This is an incredibly helpful primer on the subject of New Testament interpretation in light of ancient rhetorical categories. I may not always be persuaded by the author's description of the rhetoric he finds, (for instance, when writing a lecture on 2John for a Johannine literature class, I crossed checked what I found with some of the commentaries and I found three pieces of the rhetorical taxonomy of ancient texts, and Witherington found all five), but I will continue coming back this text as well as spending more time reading Quintillian, Aristotle, and Cicero. It accomplishes its goal introducing an uninitiated person to ancient rhetoric as well as to its use in the NT documents.
Appendix: What Does Witherington Say Ancient Rhetoric Looks Like? (pp 14-16)
Three forms of Greco-Roman Rhetoric
Epideictic Rhetoric – this is a form of rhetoric that is repetitive and even hyperbolic, not intended to argue a case, but instead to strengthen adherence to values already embraced by the recipients of the oration
Forensic rhetoric – Forensic rhetoric is the type of rhetoric wherein a case is argued and the point of the discourse is to persuade the hearers concerning some past event or present proposition
Deliberative rhetoric - a species of rhetoric in which arguments are made, as well as exhortations to achieve some future action of the part of the hearers
Two Styles of Ancient Rhetoric
Attic Style – this is the reserved rhetoric used in the more western portions of the Roman empire, in the New Testament you see it in Romans, the Corinthian letters, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, etc.
Asiatic Style – This is a more flowery form of rhetoric, with more recourse taken to long sentences, metaphors, and hyperboly. You see it in Ephesians and Colossians.
Three Emotional Phases of Ancient Rhetoric
Ethos – This is the appeal to surface level emotions, like feelings of friendliness.
Logos – Refers to emotionally charged argumentation in the middle portion of a discourse, Witherington does not mention this explicitly, but the idea of this portion is the mounting of evidence as well as the use of logic to make one's case.
Pathos – This is the final appeal to the deeper emotions, love, hate, anger, grief, joy, or pity.
Ben Witherington's Taxonomy of Ancient Greco-Roman Rhetoric
Exordium – The portion of ancient documents that functions rhetorically to build rapport and sympathy with the audience.
Narratio – This portion of ancient rhetoric includes the setting forth of the facts that led to the discourse.
Propositio – Here the orator/writer makes the intended outcome of the discourse known, in other words, this is the purpose or thesis statement.
Probatio – This piece of ancient rhetoric is where the speaker supports his propositio, either through careful argumentation or appeal to emotions
Refutatio – This is where the counter arguments to the propositio are refuted.
Peroratio – This is the summation of the previous arguments, with a final emotional appeal.
Ben Witherington is a writer whose pen never seems to run out of ink. He has written innumerable books, including commentary on every book of the New Testament, numerous poems, he's co-authored a novel with his wife, numerous theology books, and some history texts on Paul and Jesus to boot. His commentaries seek to make use of ancient rhetorical categories to shed light on the meanings of the New Testament texts. Though one could pick up on Dr. Witherington's methods from reading his commentary, I often wished I could find a decently priced book explaining Greco-Roman rhetorical categories, outlining the arguments in favor of the method, and giving a helpful bibliography to the end of aiding students of the NT in the interpretive task. Witherington has delivered such a book. It starts with a defense and explanation of the method, then an extended examination of each species of rhetoric in the NT from Mark and Luke, to Hebrews and Jude. This portion of the text functions not only as information, but a defense of the method for the fruit it yields in interpretation. Finally, Witherington closes with a final defense of the method by pointing out the problems caused when rhetoric is not recognized in the NT.
The book starts with a defense of the practice of Rhetorical Criticism, seeking to use the categories of ancient macro-rhetoric to discern the function of the different portions of the documents of the New Testament. Witherington points out that many NT scholars will readily admit to the existence of micro-rhetoric in the texts of the NT, it is still taking time for macro-rhetoric to be readily accepted as a feature in the NT. Micro-rhetoric includes the intentional inclusion of various rhetorical devices in documents for the effect they commonly elicit. (pp 7) Witherington's method again focuses on finding ancient rhetorical conventions in the text, as opposed to the “new rhetoric,” which uses modern linguistic and hermenuetical theory to determine the meanings of texts (read: discourse analysis), rather than using the ancient categories of rhetoric, which Witherington contends throughout the book, are readily availible to the reader who takes the time to become familiar with them. (pp 6) The main reasons for seeking to read the NT in light of ancient rhetorical practice is that the texts were written when those conventions were in use, and as the culture was a oral culture, only the educated could write, so most things were communicated orally. So then, it stands to reason that the educated writers who intended their works to be read out loud would make use of ancient rhetorical techniques to get their ideas across. (pp 4-5) The next chapter sees a fairly standard introduction to the various species of ancient rhetoric. Particularly helpful is the explanation of the purpose of various portions of a discourse. (pp 16) The chapter gives helpful input on the nature of ancient Greco-Roman rhetorical categories.
The review will be short on the middle five chapters, simply because to outline the various places wherein Witherington finds these pieces of rhetoric. Suffice to say, as a total novice to the field of rhetorical criticism, I find myself convinced at most of his observations. What I will say concerning this dilettantish observation is that I have been encouraged to read the ancient rhetorical manuals in my quest to better understand the New Testament. Some observations about this portion of the text include the nature of the book of Galatians, Witherington disagrees with Betz that Galatians was a type of forensic rhetoric on the grounds that it deals with the future well being of the church, not a past legal event, and it includes a lengthy exhortation. Instead, Witherington posits that Galatians is an example of deliberative method. This is not a massive theological issue, it will not make or break the faith, but historically and hermenuetically speaking, it makes a difference in interpreting the text of Galatians, and knowing ancient rhetorical categories made this inference possible.(pp 124-125)
The final two chapters mount a final defense of the method as well as a theologically rooted exhortation to make use of the method. Chapter eight outlines some very important contributions that rhetorical study can make to NT studies. For instance, failure to recognize the propositio or the peroratio of a document can lead to misunderstanding its purpose. (pp 216-217) The list here goes on, the issues range in importance, for instance, Witherington sees Romans 7 as an example of the rhetorical technique of impersonation, seeing it as a statement from the perspective one that is seeking righteousness outside of Jesus Christ. (pp 220-221) The last chapter is a theological call to study rhetoric, sense the task of gospel preaching is to use rhetoric to undermine things opposed to the gospel, and to make the gospel completely clear, not covering the gospel with clever eloquence, but to speak it clearly and persuasively. So, rhetoric should be studied to better understand the NT, and by proxy the gospel, but it should also be studied by Christians to aid in their evangelism, as well as by preachers to aid in their instructing of the church. (pp 237-240) The book ends with a splendid annotated bibliography, which strangely enough does not include any of the handbooks or compilations for discourse analysis by Nida, Black, or Marshall.
This is an incredibly helpful primer on the subject of New Testament interpretation in light of ancient rhetorical categories. I may not always be persuaded by the author's description of the rhetoric he finds, (for instance, when writing a lecture on 2John for a Johannine literature class, I crossed checked what I found with some of the commentaries and I found three pieces of the rhetorical taxonomy of ancient texts, and Witherington found all five), but I will continue coming back this text as well as spending more time reading Quintillian, Aristotle, and Cicero. It accomplishes its goal introducing an uninitiated person to ancient rhetoric as well as to its use in the NT documents.
Appendix: What Does Witherington Say Ancient Rhetoric Looks Like? (pp 14-16)
Three forms of Greco-Roman Rhetoric
Epideictic Rhetoric – this is a form of rhetoric that is repetitive and even hyperbolic, not intended to argue a case, but instead to strengthen adherence to values already embraced by the recipients of the oration
Forensic rhetoric – Forensic rhetoric is the type of rhetoric wherein a case is argued and the point of the discourse is to persuade the hearers concerning some past event or present proposition
Deliberative rhetoric - a species of rhetoric in which arguments are made, as well as exhortations to achieve some future action of the part of the hearers
Two Styles of Ancient Rhetoric
Attic Style – this is the reserved rhetoric used in the more western portions of the Roman empire, in the New Testament you see it in Romans, the Corinthian letters, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, etc.
Asiatic Style – This is a more flowery form of rhetoric, with more recourse taken to long sentences, metaphors, and hyperboly. You see it in Ephesians and Colossians.
Three Emotional Phases of Ancient Rhetoric
Ethos – This is the appeal to surface level emotions, like feelings of friendliness.
Logos – Refers to emotionally charged argumentation in the middle portion of a discourse, Witherington does not mention this explicitly, but the idea of this portion is the mounting of evidence as well as the use of logic to make one's case.
Pathos – This is the final appeal to the deeper emotions, love, hate, anger, grief, joy, or pity.
Ben Witherington's Taxonomy of Ancient Greco-Roman Rhetoric
Exordium – The portion of ancient documents that functions rhetorically to build rapport and sympathy with the audience.
Narratio – This portion of ancient rhetoric includes the setting forth of the facts that led to the discourse.
Propositio – Here the orator/writer makes the intended outcome of the discourse known, in other words, this is the purpose or thesis statement.
Probatio – This piece of ancient rhetoric is where the speaker supports his propositio, either through careful argumentation or appeal to emotions
Refutatio – This is where the counter arguments to the propositio are refuted.
Peroratio – This is the summation of the previous arguments, with a final emotional appeal.
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