Table of Contents

Abbreviations     xi
Introduction     1
Differences in Rhetorical Style     4
The Different Rhetorical Situations     10
Other Stylistic Objections to the Pauline Character of Ephesians and Colossians     11
Epistolary and Rhetorical Structures     19
The Social Settings of Paul and of His Audiences     21
An Annotated Bibliography     37
The Letter to Philemon     51
The Epistolary Prescript - vv. 1-3     53
Thanksgiving/Exordium - A Refresher Course - vv. 4-7     57
A Closer Look: When Rhetoric Is Not Mere Rhetoric     62
An Appeal for a Useful Servant - vv. 8-16     65
A Closer Look: Paul in Chains, Onesimus in Bondage     68
Peroratio - Summing Up and Touching the Heart of the Matter - vv. 17-22     82
A Closer Look: The Cost of Manumission     87
Epistolary Conclusion - vv. 23-24     91
Bridging the Horizons - Philemon     93
The Letter to the Colossians     99
The Authorship of Colossians     100
Further Thoughts on the Relationship of Colossians and Ephesians     103
The False Teaching/Philosophy in Colossae     107
The Theology of Colossians     111
The Occasion of Colossians     113
Epistolary Prescript - 1.1-2     115
Exordium/Thanksgiving Prayer - 1.3-14     118
Narratio - The Pattern of Christ - 1.15-20     128
A Closer Look: The Formation of the Christ Hymn     130
Propositio/Partitio - 1.21-23     137
Probatio - Argument One - Minister of the Mystery - 1.24-2.5     142
Probatio - Argument Two - The Bone of Contention - 2.6-3.4     151
A Closer Look: The Colossian "Philosophy"     164
A Closer Look: The Theological Substance of Colossians     168
Probatio - Argument Three - The Necessity of Virtue - 3.5-4.1     174
Vice and Virtue Lists - 3:5-17     175
The Household Code - 3:18-4:1     181
A Closer Look: Evaluating the Household Codes Fairly in Paul's Context     183
A Closer Look: Paul on Marriage and Slavery in Context     188
Peroratio - Prayer and Wisdom - 4.2-6     197
Epistolary Closing - 4:7-18     201
Bridging the Horizons - Colossians     208
The Homily Called Ephesians     215
Homilies in the New Testament Era     215
Ephesians as a Letter to Ephesus?     217
Epideictic Rhetoric: The Art of Persuasive Sermon-Making      219
Pseudonymity?     223
Epistolary Prescript - 1.1-2     225
Exordium - A Blessing of a Eulogy - 1.3-14     227
A Closer Look: For Heaven's Sake     232
Thanksgiving Prayer/Captatio Benevolentiae - 1.15-23     238
A Closer Look: The Ethos of Community in Ephesians     247
Narratio - Gentiles Then and Now and Their Apostle - 2.1-22; 3.2-13     250
Concluding Prayer and Doxology - 3.1, 14-21     270
Exhortatio - Reminder of Community Values and Virtues - 4.1-6.9     279
The Formation of a More Perfect Union - 4.1-16     283
A Closer Look: What Goes Up Must Come Down - Pneumatic Exegesis     288
New Creatures - 4-17-24; Putting Off and Putting On - 4.25-32     293
The Imitation of God, the Image of Holiness - 5.1-21     302
Christians in the House - 5.21-6.9     313
A Closer Look: The Christian Household Code Revisited     319
Peroratio - Standing notwithstanding the Opposition - 6.10-20     344
Epistolary Postscript - The End of the Matter - 6.21-24     356
Bridging the Horizons - Ephesians     359
Index of Authors     366
Index of Scripture and Other Ancient Writings     370