Duane F. Watson

James 2 in Light of Greco-Roman Schemes of Argumentation

J. H. Ropes has written of James: ‘As in the diatribes, there is a general controlling motive in the discussion, but no firm and logically disposed structure giving a strict unity to the whole, and no trace of the conventional arrangement recommended by the elegant rhetoricians’. Challenging Ropes assessment, the thesis of this study is that James 2 is constructed according to a standard elaboration pattern for argumentation discussed by the Greco-Roman rhetoricians.

Amplification Techniques in 1 John: the Interaction of Rhetorical Style and Invention

This study demonstrates that the repetitive and emphatic nature of 1 John is explained by the authors use of recognized techniques of amplification common to Graeco- Roman rhetoric as a major part of his inventional strategy. Part 1 defines ampli fication and describes specific techniques used in 1 John. Among others, these include strong words, augmentation, comparison, accumulation, expolitio, reflexio, regressio, conduplicatio and distributio. Part 2 explains the authors use of ampli fication in the context of the rhetorical species of the letter. The repetitive and amplified nature of 1 John is an integral part of the authors use of epideictic rhetoric to increase his audiences adherence to the traditional truths of the Johannine Community in the face of secessionist challenges. Amplification clarifies the authors themes and topics, as well as the distinctions between Johannine tradition and its aberrant forms.

Book Reviews: Earl J. Richard, First and Second Thessalonians. Sacra Pagina 11; Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1995. Pp. xvi + 409. Cloth,

to honor David Noel Freedman. In 1983 C. L. Meyers and M. O’Connor edited The Word of God Shall Go Forth (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns) in honor of this outstandiing scholar’s sixtieth birthday. (The honoree was born in 1922). This present work intends to celebrate Freedman’s seventieth birthday. The authors of the various articles are friends and colleagues, including former students. Acording to the editors these contributors &dquo;represent several generations of biblical scholars from a variety of disciplines, exemplifying the many scholars for whom he has been a model of excellence (p. xi). The title of the volume derives from an adaptation of J. R Meyer’s article on Lk 10:23-24 and parallels. The Festschrift contains a total of forty articles. Five of them focus on the Torah, five study the Former Prophets, eight examine the Latter Prophets, and three deal with the Writings. Against the background of Freedman’s interests, three articles are devoted to Hebrew poetry and six take up ancient Near Eastern matters. Rounding out the volume are three articles on the Second Testament, three on religion and art, and four on new perspectives on key topics in biblical studies. While this collection is a link with the past and a celebration of the present, it also &dquo;provides an important continuation into the future&dquo; (p. xii). These contributions force the reader to reassess &dquo;assured&dquo; positions and consider bold new hypotheses. Such revisions of the past together with the formulation of new approaches are a fitting tribute to the scholar that is David Noel Freedman.

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Jerome Murphy-O’Connor admirably fulfills his goal of writing a book for beginners that places the Pauline letters within their first-century context and accentuates their individuality. In chapter 1, he discusses the mechanics of writing and sending letters in the first century C.E. He examines the materials needed for writing (pen, ink, and papyrus), the writing process itself, and the use of secretaries and coauthors in letter composition. He affirms that Paul used a secretary for his letter writing as did most letter writers in antiquity. He surveys the different functions of secretaries, including being a recorder taking dictation in shorthand, an editor making minor changes in the letter’s

Book Reviews: Jerome Murphy-O'Connor, Paul the Letter-Writer: His World, His Options, His Skills. A Michael Glazier Book. Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 1995. Pp. viii + 152. Paper,

text in its historical context to its significance for the contemporary reader. In a typical mixture of praise and caution, the Commission concludes with a warning that &dquo;the existential subjective effectiveness of the impact of the word of God in its narrative transmission cannot be considered to be in itself a sufficient indication that its full truth has been adequately grasped.&dquo; Readers wishing an introduction to narrative criticism can begin to appreciate the technique through perusing books such as Stock’s.