Paul's Paradigmatic "I"

Personal Example as Literary Strategy

Brian Dodd

• Publisher: Sheffield Academic Press
• Year: 1999
• Print ISBN: 9781850759140
• eBook ISBN: 9780567631992
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Biblical Studies

This study claims that Paul uses his personal example as an explicit literary strategy in 1 Corinthians, Galatians and Philippians, and as an arguably implicit strategy in 1 Thessalonians and Philemon. He uses his own example to ground and illustrate his argumentation in a rhetorically sophisticated manner, often structuring his argument on such a basis. In places a crisp statement of his own case serves as a thesis statement of the argument that follows (e.g., Rom. 1.17; Gal. 1.10), while at other times it serves to summarize the argument and to provide a transition to the next phase (especially in 1 Corinthians and Gal. 2.15-21). All the while Paul's self-portrayals in his letters serve not autobiographical or egoistic purposes but pedagogical and argumentative aims.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Editorial Board
• Title
• Copyright
• CONTENTS
• ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
• ABBREVIATIONS
• Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION
• Chapter 2 1 CORINTHIANS 1-4: 'THAT YOU MAY LEARN FROM OUR EXAMPLE
• Chapter 3 PAUL, SPIRITUAL PARENT AND PARADIGM IN CHRIST: 1 CORINTHIANS 4.14-15.58
• Chapter 4 GALATIANS: PERSONAL EXAMPLE, CONTRASTIVE MODELS
• Chapter 5 PHILIPPIANS: POLEMICAL AND PARADIGMATIC SELF-PORTRAYAL
• Chapter 6 IMPLICIT USES OF PERSONAL EXAMPLE: PHILEMON AND 1 THESSALONIANS 2.1-12
• Chapter 7 A CASE IN POINT: ROMANS 7.7-25
• Chapter 8 CONCLUSION
• BIBLIOGRAPHY
• INDEXES INDEX OF REFERENCES
• INDEX OF AUTHORS