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Paul's True Rhetoric: Ambiguity, Cunning, and Deception in Greece and Rome
Scholars have long suspected that Paul's rhetorical strategies are not always irreproachable when judged by philosophical rhetorical standards. In Paul's True Rhetoric, Mark Given argues that Paul's rhetorical strategies in Acts and his letters display intentional ambiguity, cunning, and deception, and make him vulnerable to the charge that he perpetrates sophistries.
Paul's deliberate use of misleading rhetoric was justified by his sincere conviction that he knew the truth and had a divine mandate to promote it in an apocalyptic world filled with deception. Like Socrates, Paul regarded his enemies and potential converts as being in a state of ignorance borne of deception. Since the deception was so severe, most had no idea how ignorant of the Truth they really were. Paul felt, as did Socrates, that he had to fool the deceived by becoming like them, pretending to be ignorant. Then, using an insinuative dialectic, he could gradually expose their ignorance both to themselves and others.
Paul's deliberate use of misleading rhetoric was justified by his sincere conviction that he knew the truth and had a divine mandate to promote it in an apocalyptic world filled with deception. Like Socrates, Paul regarded his enemies and potential converts as being in a state of ignorance borne of deception. Since the deception was so severe, most had no idea how ignorant of the Truth they really were. Paul felt, as did Socrates, that he had to fool the deceived by becoming like them, pretending to be ignorant. Then, using an insinuative dialectic, he could gradually expose their ignorance both to themselves and others.
240 pages, Paperback
First published October 24, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 11, 2023
This book is a revision of a doctoral dissertation that explores the rhetoric and rhetorical strategies employed by the New Testament writer known as Paul. Mark D. Given, the author, argues for a Socratic-Sophistic Paul. A Paul that uses ambiguity, cunning, and deception in order to win people over to his beliefs.
The opening (ch.1) does well in showing the Greek and Roman intellectual traditions that influenced Paul's actions, and the following chapters each mainly dive into one of the three techniques employed by Paul. Ambiguity is observed in the book of Acts with Paul in Athens (ch.2), cunning in the letters to the Corinthians (ch.3), and deception in the letter to the Romans (ch.4). The final chapter (ch.5) is a summary of the contents.
A good portion of the book is dedicated to responding to other literature in this field.
I didn't think the author defined "True Rhetoric" clearly early on in the book, which lead to me going back to the only spot where a definition is attempted (p.20). Finally, almost at the end of the book on p.176, a better definition is given.
I also didn't think the chapter on deception was well-written. Where the chapters on ambiguity and cunning left me feeling like I understood how Paul used those, the chapter on deception left me wondering how exactly Paul used deception. I think the author could have distilled his points more clearly and concisely in the start or end of the chapters.
Criticisms aside, it was still a highly informative book that I (mostly) enjoyed.
It has footnotes, a bibliography, and two types of indexes at the back.
"Paul would have been banished from Plato's republic along with the poets and sophists, for Paul's apocalyptic God is Truly unsearchable and inscrutable (11:33); a mysterious, ambiguous, and finally sophistic God, who cares enough to be cunning and is devoted enough to be deceptive. Of that God Paul is the True Apostle." p.181.
The opening (ch.1) does well in showing the Greek and Roman intellectual traditions that influenced Paul's actions, and the following chapters each mainly dive into one of the three techniques employed by Paul. Ambiguity is observed in the book of Acts with Paul in Athens (ch.2), cunning in the letters to the Corinthians (ch.3), and deception in the letter to the Romans (ch.4). The final chapter (ch.5) is a summary of the contents.
A good portion of the book is dedicated to responding to other literature in this field.
I didn't think the author defined "True Rhetoric" clearly early on in the book, which lead to me going back to the only spot where a definition is attempted (p.20). Finally, almost at the end of the book on p.176, a better definition is given.
I also didn't think the chapter on deception was well-written. Where the chapters on ambiguity and cunning left me feeling like I understood how Paul used those, the chapter on deception left me wondering how exactly Paul used deception. I think the author could have distilled his points more clearly and concisely in the start or end of the chapters.
Criticisms aside, it was still a highly informative book that I (mostly) enjoyed.
It has footnotes, a bibliography, and two types of indexes at the back.
"Paul would have been banished from Plato's republic along with the poets and sophists, for Paul's apocalyptic God is Truly unsearchable and inscrutable (11:33); a mysterious, ambiguous, and finally sophistic God, who cares enough to be cunning and is devoted enough to be deceptive. Of that God Paul is the True Apostle." p.181.
May 13, 2010
Makes comparisons to Paul and Socrates sophistic approach to debate. Interesting, but a long read.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews