Thesis (Th. M.)--Dallas Theological Seminary, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [53]-59).

Thesis (Th.M.)--Dallas Theological Seminary, 2008. / Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [53]-59).

Thesis (Th. M.)--Dallas Theological Seminary, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [53]-59).

This thesis 1) argues that Paul's use of the boasting motif in Philippians (1:26; 2:16; cf. 3:3) presents a mutual boast in which three parties participate: Paul, the Philippians, and God/Christ, and 2) demonstrates that such mutual boasting is both theologically warranted and culturally intelligible. The theological warrant for mutual boasting or honor appears through attending to the wider contexts of the Scriptural texts to which Paul alludes in the key exhortation section of the epistle (2:12-16), most importantly his allusion to Deut 32:5 in Phil 2:15 and to Isa 49:4 in Phil 2:16. The wider context of Deut 32 includes reference to the covenant ceremony at the close of the law-code (Deut 26:16-19), where mutual honor appears in the relationship established between YHWH and Israel, with Israel being exalted to become a καύχημα for YHWH (Deut 26:19 LXX). The wider context of Isa 49:4 incorporates the important motif of the reward of the Servant (Isa 49:4b; 53:12), whose calling to facilitate Israel's glorious restoration (42:6-9; 49:6), though his labor was “in vain” (49:4), gains YHWH's promise that the Servant himself will be glorified (49:5). By drawing on both of these Scriptural contexts Paul presents the mutual honor arising from the Philippians' obedience as the eschatologically restored “children of God” (Phil 2:15) as engendering a καύχημα that is mutually shared between themselves (cf. 3:21), God who receives the glory from their righteousness (1:11), and Paul as the servant figure whose labor among them is now “not in vain” (2:16). This presentation of mutual boasting would also have been culturally intelligible in light of the nature of friendship and family relationships in the Roman world of first-century Philippi. Paul presents his relationship with the Philippians in terms both reminiscent of friendship and overtly drawn from kinship relations (cf. ἀδελφοί in 1:12, 14; 3:1, 13, 17; 4:1). In the Greco-Roman world, these two relational paradigms were conspicuous in their promotion of mutual honor, since friends were expected to work toward each other's honor, as were brothers. In view of the cultural expectation of sharing honor, friends and brothers were also able to deploy the reality of mutual honor for the purpose of exhortation, as can be seen in the rhetoric of Roman letter writers. In particular, Cicero, Seneca, and Fronto presuppose in their letters the motivational power that appealing to a regard for mutual honor has when issuing advice or commands. It is in the final chapter of this study that we treat Paul's motivation of the Philippians towards obedience by drawing on this cultural script of mutual honor as the “vehicle” for communicating his theology, appealing to such mutual honor at 2:16 to motivate the Philippians to “work out their salvation with fear and trembling” (2:12) and to “do all things without grumbling or disputing” (2:14).

Many recent studies in contemporary social anthropology have noted the vital import of the concepts of honour and shame and how these are able both to generate ideas of social identity within a community, and, in particular, to elucidate patterns of social behaviour. This has been notably evident amongst the communities of the Mediterranean littoral. At the same time, multi-disciplinary research exploring the communities of the Ancient Near East, especially those undertaken by social historians investigating the ancient societies of Israel, Greece, and Rome, have revealed that these, too, lived within the social constraints of honour and shame. These twin concepts are said to have had a profound influence upon such ancient communities, and, for some, are seen to represent the pivotal values of Greco-Roman social life. Unsurprisingly then, these same values are also evident within the narrative discourses of the Old and New Testaments, and a wide number of studies have sought to examine a particular text or social scenario through the lens of honour and shame. But despite having had a voluminous number of monographs and articles written on it, the letter of 1 Corinthians has remained relatively untouched by studies of honour-shame; yet it presents a unique expose of numerous aspects of social life in Greco-Roman first-century CE culture. My aim here is to examine the extent to which the social constraints of honour and shame may have had a direct influence upon the multifarious problems of social behaviour so evident within the community (not least the factionalism and strife which caused so many internal problems). In so doing, it presents a fresh reading of the letter, and the thesis it proposes is that the honour-shame model provides an appropriate and compelling framework within which to view the letter holistically within its social context.

The subject and scope of this dissertation is Paul’s use of honour and shame language in 1 Cor 1–6. The methodology applied is a modified socio-rhetorical criticism as developed by George A. Kennedy. Two interrelated aspects of first century Corinthian culture will also be examined in connection with Paul’s rhetoric in 1 Cor 1–6; that of the patron-client relationship and the role of honour and shame in that relationship and in the larger society. It will be argued that Paul’s rhetorical argument in 1 Cor 1–6 is heavily based upon the social values of honour and shame. This study will examine 1 Cor 1–6 in three sections. The first section to be examined will be that of 1:1–2:5. Paul begins this section by presenting Jesus as the super-patron who is over and above all the members of the congregation. This presentation of Jesus rebukes the patronal based factionalism and it also elevates Paul to the unique status as that of apostle and proclaimer Jesus. The second section to be examined will be 1 Cor 4. In this section Paul continues to reduce the status of the patrons as he elevates his own status. By the end of this section Paul seeks to re-establish himself not only as the apostle and proclaimer of Jesus, but also as the Corinthians’ father through the gospel. The third section to be examined will be 1 Cor 5–6. In this section it will be argued that Paul addresses three issues in connection with patronal abuse; that of the incestuous man in 1 Cor 5, the abuse of the law courts in 6:1–10, and immoral banquets in 6:11–20. / Biblical and Ancient Studies / D.Litt. et Phil. (Biblical Studies)

The subject and scope of this dissertation is Paul’s use of honour and shame language in 1 Cor 1–6. The methodology applied is a modified socio-rhetorical criticism as developed by George A. Kennedy. Two interrelated aspects of first century Corinthian culture will also be examined in connection with Paul’s rhetoric in 1 Cor 1–6; that of the patron-client relationship and the role of honour and shame in that relationship and in the larger society. It will be argued that Paul’s rhetorical argument in 1 Cor 1–6 is heavily based upon the social values of honour and shame. This study will examine 1 Cor 1–6 in three sections. The first section to be examined will be that of 1:1–2:5. Paul begins this section by presenting Jesus as the super-patron who is over and above all the members of the congregation. This presentation of Jesus rebukes the patronal based factionalism and it also elevates Paul to the unique status as that of apostle and proclaimer Jesus. The second section to be examined will be 1 Cor 4. In this section Paul continues to reduce the status of the patrons as he elevates his own status. By the end of this section Paul seeks to re-establish himself not only as the apostle and proclaimer of Jesus, but also as the Corinthians’ father through the gospel. The third section to be examined will be 1 Cor 5–6. In this section it will be argued that Paul addresses three issues in connection with patronal abuse; that of the incestuous man in 1 Cor 5, the abuse of the law courts in 6:1–10, and immoral banquets in 6:11–20. / Biblical and Ancient Studies / D.Litt. et Phil. (Biblical Studies)