Jerome Murphy-O'Conner has summarized what modern scholars have done to "reveal" the rhetorical nature of Pauline letters as follows: Part A to F are the most commonly accepted parts while other parts are nuances developed by different scholars. From this brief overview, we can see the diverse results from Rhetorical Analysis done by different scholars. Thus the objectivity of this method is doubtful.
|
Part |
R. Jewett 1986 |
F. W. Hughes 1986 |
G. A. Kennedy 1984 |
|
|
A |
Exordium |
1:1-5 |
1:1-10 |
1:2-10 |
|
Refutatio |
-------- |
-------- |
2:1-8 |
|
|
B |
Narratio |
1:6-3:13 |
2:1-3:10 |
2:9-3:13 |
|
Partitio |
-------- |
3:11-13 |
-------- |
|
|
C |
Propositio |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
|
D |
Confirmatio |
4:1-5:22 |
4:1-5:5 |
4:1-5:22 |
|
E |
Peroratio |
5:23-28 |
5:4-11 |
5:23-28 |
|
F |
Exhortatio |
-------- |
5:12-22 |
-------- |
|
Conclusio |
-------- |
5:23-28 |
-------- |
|
|
Epistolary postscript |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
|
Part |
R. Jewett 1986 |
F. W. Hughes 1989 |
G. Holland 1986 |
|
|
A |
Exordium |
1:1-12 |
1:1-12 |
1:3-4 |
|
Refutatio |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
|
|
B |
Narratio |
-------- |
-------- |
1:5-12 |
|
Partitio |
2:1-2 |
2:1-2 |
-------- |
|
|
C |
Propositio |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
|
D |
Confirmatio |
2:3-3:5 |
2:3-15 |
2:1-17 |
|
E |
Peroratio |
3:16-18 |
2:16-17 |
3:14-15 |
|
F |
Exhortatio |
3:6-15 (a) |
3:1-15 |
3:1-13 (a) |
|
Conclusio |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
|
|
Epistolary postscript |
-------- |
3:16-18 |
3:16-18 |
(a) R. Jewett and G. Holland put Exhortatio before Peroratio, while F. W. Hughes puts it after Peroratio.
|
Part |
H. D. Betz 1979 |
R. G. Hall 1987 |
J. Smit 1989 |
G. A. Kennedy 1984 |
F. Vouga 1988 |
B. L. Mack 1990 |
M. Bachmann1991 |
|
|
A |
Exordium |
1:6-11 |
1:1-5 |
1:6-12 |
1:6-10 |
1:6-11 |
1:6-10 |
1:6-10 |
|
Refutatio |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
|
|
B |
Narratio |
1:12-2:14 |
-------- |
1:13-2:21 |
-------- |
1:12-2:14 |
1:11-2:14 |
1:11-2:14 |
|
Partitio |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
2:14b |
|
|
C |
Propositio |
2:15-21 |
1:6-9 |
-------- |
-------- |
2:14-21 |
2:14-3:5 |
-------- |
|
D |
Confirmatio |
3:1-4:31 |
1:10-6:10 |
3:1-4:11 |
1:11-5:1 |
3:1-4:31 |
3:6-4:7 |
2:15-6:17 |
|
Digressio |
3:19-25 |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
|
|
E |
Peroratio |
-------- |
6:11-18 |
4:12-5:12 |
6:11-18 |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
|
F |
Exhortatio |
5:1-6:10 |
-------- |
-------- |
5:2-6:10 |
5:1-6:10 |
4:8-20 |
-------- |
|
Amplificatio |
-------- |
-------- |
6:11-18 |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
|
|
Conclusio |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
|
|
Epistolary postscript |
6:11-18 |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
|
|
Eschatokoll |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
6:18 |
|
Part |
W. Wuellner 1976 |
G. A. Kennedy 1984 |
R. Jewett 1986
|
Sheila
E. McGinn adapted from Jewett
|
|
|
A |
Exordium |
1:1-15 |
1:1-15 |
1:1-12 |
1:1-12 (Proem or expositio) |
|
Refutatio |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
|
|
B |
Narratio |
-------- |
-------- |
1:13-15 |
1:13-15 |
|
Partitio |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
1:16-17 |
|
|
C |
Propositio |
-------- |
1:16-17 |
1:16-17 |
-------- |
|
Probatio |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
1:18-11:36 |
|
|
Transitus |
1:16-17 |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
|
|
D |
Confirmatio |
1:18-15:13 |
1:18-11:36 |
1:18-15:13 (b) |
-------- |
|
E |
Peroratio |
15:14-16:23 |
15:14-23 |
15:14-16:23 |
15:14-15:33 |
|
F |
Exhortatio |
-------- |
12:1-15:13 |
-------- |
12:1-15:13 |
|
Conclusio |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
|
|
Epistolary postscript |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
16:1-27 Epistolary Conclusion |
Other Pauline Epistles
|
Book |
1 Corinthians |
Philippians |
Colossians |
Philemon |
|
|
Part |
1991 |
D. F. Watson 1988 |
J.-N. Aletti 1993 |
F. F. Church 1978 |
|
|
Epistolary Prescript |
1:1-3 |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
|
|
A |
Exordium |
1:4-9 |
1:3-26 |
1:3-23 |
4-7 |
|
Refutatio |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
|
|
B |
Narratio |
1:11-17 |
1:27-30 |
-------- |
-------- |
|
Partitio |
-------- |
-------- |
1:21-23 |
-------- |
|
|
C |
Propositio |
1:10 |
------- |
-------- |
-------- |
|
D |
Confirmatio |
1:18-15:57 |
2:1-3:21 |
1:24-4:1 |
8-16 |
|
E |
Peroratio |
15:58 |
4:1-20 |
4:2-6 |
17-22 |
|
F |
Exhortatio |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
|
Conclusio |
16:1-24 Epistolary Conclusion |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
|
|
Epistolary postscript |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
-------- |
Other References: on Rhetoical approaches:
Paul E. Koptak, Rhetorical Identification In Paul's Autobiographical Narrative.