New Testament Interpretation through Rhetorical Criticism provides readers of the Bible with an important tool for understanding the Scriptures. Based on the theory and practice of Greek rhetoric in the New Testament, George Kennedy's approach acknowledges that New Testament writers wrote to persuade an audience of the truth of their messages. These writers employed rhetorical conventions that were widely known and imitated in the society of the times. Sometimes confirming but often challenging common interpretations of texts, this is the first systematic study of the rhetorical composition of the New Testament. As a complement to form criticism, historical criticism, and other methods of biblical analysis, rhetorical criticism focuses on the text as we have it and seeks to discover the basis of its powerful appeal and the intent of its authors. Kennedy shows that biblical writers employed both "external" modes of persuasion, such as scriptural authority, the evidence of miracles, and the testimony of witnesses, and "internal" methods, such as ethos (authority and character of the speaker), pathos (emotional appeal to the audience), and logos (deductive and inductive argument in the text). In the opening chapter Kennedy presents a survey of how rhetoric was taught in the New Testament period and outlines a rigorous method of rhetorical criticism that involves a series of steps. He provides in succeeding chapters examples of rhetorical analysis, looking closely at the Sermon on the Mount, the Sermon on the Plain, Jesus' farewell to the disciples in John's Gospel, the distinctive rhetoric of Jesus, the speeches in Acts, and the approach of Saint Paul in Second Corinthians, Thessalonians, Galatians, and Romans.

'In this study, Patrick and Scult are well informed on the theory of "discourses as power" but they do not linger over dense theoretical issues. Rather they show in concrete cases how discourse works. Their study of Job both puts such theory to good advantage, and shows us Job afresh. The book is lucid, disciplined, and accessible, a great help in time of trouble.' (Walter Brueggemann)

The analysis of biblical rhetoric has been developed only in the last 250 years. The first half of this book outlines the history of the method known as rhetorical analysis in biblical studies, illustrated by numerous texts. The work of Lowth (who focused on 'parallelism'), Bengel (who drew attention to 'chiasmus'), Jebb and Boys (the method's real founders at the turn of the ninteenth century) and Lund (the chief exponent in the mid-twentieth century) are all discussed, as is the current full blooming of rhetorical analysis. The second half of the book is a systematic account of the method, testing it on Psalms 113 and 146, on the first two chapters of Amos, and many other texts, especially from Luke. Translated by Luc Racaut.

The Bible is by nature rhetorical. Written to persuade, biblical texts have influenced humans beyond what their authors ever imagined. Influence: On Rhetoric and Biblical Interpretation invites readers to think critically about biblical rhetoric and the rhetoric of its interpretation.

In this major study, leading feminist biblical critic Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza focuses on Paul and his interpreters. She questions the apolitical ethos of biblical scholarship and argues for an alternative rooted in a critical understanding of language as a form of power. Modern biblical criticism, she reasons, derives much of its methodology and inspiration from an outdated notion of modern science. It professes value-neutrality and detachment from the world of politics and history. Yet, Schussler Fiorenza maintains, this posture belies an objectivity that fails to engage the sociopolitical context of both the text and today's reader. It also does not recognize the rhetorical character of biblical texts and readings. If language is understood in the sense of ancient rhetorics as a form of power that constitutes reality, then an ethics of interpretation is called for. The task of biblical studies is to identify and assess the ethical resources and moral visions of biblical religions. "Only then," Schussler Fiorenza contends, "will bibical studies be a significant partner in the global struggles seeking justice and well-being for all."

Witherington provides a much-needed introduction to the ancient art of persuasion and its use within the various New Testament documents. More than just an exploration of the use of the ancient rhetorical tools and devices, this guide introduces the reader to all that went into convincing an audience about some subject. Witherington makes the case that rhetorical criticism is a more fruitful approach to the NT epistles than the oft-employed approaches of literary and discourse criticism. Familiarity with the art of rhetoric also helps the reader explore non-epistolary genres. In addition to the general introduction to rhetorical criticism, the book guides readers through the many and varied uses of rhetoric in most NT documents-not only telling readers about rhetoric in the NT, but showing them the way it was employed. This brief guide book is intended to provide the reader with an entrance into understanding the rhetorical analysis of various parts of the NT, the value such studies bring for understanding what is being proclaimed and defended in the NT, and how Christ is presented in ways that would be considered persuasive in antiquity. - from the introduction

Focusing on texts in the Hebrew Bible, and using feminist hermeneutics, Phyllis Trible brings out what she considers to be neglected themes and counter literature. After outlining her method in more detail, she begins by highlighting the feminist imagery used for God; then she moves on to traditions embodying male and female within the context of the goodness of creation. If Genesis 2-3 is a love story gone awry, the Song of Songs is about sexuality redeemed in joy. In between lies the book of Ruth, with its picture of the struggles of everyday life.

Why do the New Testament gospels depict a Jesus who asks questions almost as often as he gives answers? In The Questions of Jesus in John Douglas Estes crafts a highly interdisciplinary theory of question-asking based on insights from ancient rhetoric and modern erotetics (the study of interrogatives) in order to investigate the logical and rhetorical purposes of Jesus' questions in the Gospel of John. While scholarly discussion about Jesus cares more for what he says, and not what he asks, Estes argues a better understanding of the rhetorical and dialectical roles of questions in ancient narratives sheds a more accurate light on both John’s narrative art and Jesus' message in the Fourth Gospel.

This volume is the fifth in a series that explores the use of rhetoric in the study of biblical literature. Contributions from scholars in North America, Britain, Continental Europe and South Africa focus here on four major categories: The Theory of Rhetoric and Biblical Interpretation, Rhetorical Interpretation of Luke's Gospel and Acts, The Rhetorical Interpretation of Paul's Writings, and Rhetorical Interpretation of Hebrews and Ignatius. Author include Tom Olbricht, Douglas Campbell, Arthur Gibson, Craig Evans, Vernon Robbins, Greg Bloomquist, Pieter Botha, Paul Danove, Gerrie Snyman, Anders Eriksson, K. K. Yeo, Lauri Thuren, G. A. van den Heever, Marc Debanne, J. N Vorster, and the editors.

This volume is designed as a resource for using rhetorical criticism as a methodology for interpreting the Bible. Rhetorical criticism is treated in the broader context of the growing interest in the study of the literary character of the Bible. The volume is divided into two parts to accommodate both the Old and New Testaments. Each part begins with a discussion of the history and methodology of rhetorical criticism pertinent to that Testament. Here special emphasis is given to the current state and trends of the discipline and its impact on biblical interpretation. These discussions are followed by extensive bibliographies categorized to facilitate working with the published research on specific biblical texts, books, or categories of books.