A Socio-Rhetorical Interpretation of the Letter to Philemon in Light of the New Institutional Economics (eBook)

An Exhortation to Transform a Master-Slave Economic Relationship into a Brotherly Loving Relationship

Alex Hon Ho Ip (Autor)

eBook Download: PDF

2017 | 1. Auflage
264 Seiten
Mohr Siebeck (Verlag)
978-3-16-155583-1 (ISBN)

Infos

In this study, Alex Hon Ho Ip argues that when Paul wrote to Philemon about Onesimus, his main purpose was not to try and reunite, as is widely held, a runaway slave with his master, but rather to have Onesimus accepted as a beloved brother in Christ. By examining the letter's inner texture, the author shows that Paul's main concern was for Philemon and Onesimus to be reconciled in brotherly love. The inter-textual weave reveals Paul's theological and ethical thoughts on love, which is the basis for the apostle's main argument. By taking a new institutional economics approach to help reconstruct the economic relationship between slave and master, Alex Hon Ho Ip is able to offer a better understanding of the original relationship Paul argued against. With all this in mind, the focus is on re-reading the letter and hearing how Paul's rhetoric exhorts a new relationship between Onesimus and Philemon.

Born 1973; 1995 B. Econ.; 1997 M. Econ.; 2010 M. Div.; 2014 PhD; since 2016 Assistant Professor in New Testament, Chung Chi Divinity School, Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Inhalt

Cover 1
Preface 8
Table of Contents 10
List of Abbreviations 18
Chapter 1: Setting the Stage for Socio-Rhetorical Interpretation 20
1.1 Introduction 20
1.2 Thesis Statement 22
1.3 The Value of this Research 23
1.4 Interpretation History of the Letter to Philemon 23
1.4.1 Development and Insufficiencies of the “Runaway Hypothesis” 24
1.4.2 New Trend in Research 30
1.4.3 Short Conclusion: Contribution and Insufficiency of Previous Research 36
1.5 Methodology: The Application of Socio-Rhetorical Interpretation to the Letter to Philemon 38
1.5.1 Framework of Socio-Rhetorical Interpretation 38
1.5.2 Application of Socio-Rhetorical Interpretation in Interpreting the Letter to Philemon 42
1.5.3 Limitation and Corresponding Response of the Socio-rhetorical Model 43
Definition 44
The Problem of Genre 44
Missing Theology 45
Justification of New Texture 45
Integral or Segregated? 45
Risk of Running into Indeterminate Ways of Interpretation 46
1.6 Basics of the Letter to Philemon 46
1.6.1 The Story behind the Letter 47
1.6.2 Relationship with Other Letters of Paul 50
1.6.3 Concerning the Period and Context of this Study 51
1.6.4 Attitude toward Slavery: Metaphorical Use or Reality Addressed 52
1.7 Conclusion 53
Chapter 2: Inner Texture: Relationship Transformation as the Main Focus of the Letter to Philemon 54
2.1 Introduction 54
2.2 Materialistic Layer: Word Analysis 55
2.2.1 Main Focus: Relational Words 56
2.2.2 Main Argument: Love-Related Words 57
2.2.3 Theological Ground: Words with Theological Connotations 60
???????? and ???????? 61
Faith 65
God-Related Words 66
2.2.4 Commerce-Related Words 66
2.3 Fabric Layer: Epistolary Analysis 67
2.3.1 The Structure of the Letter 68
2.3.2 Opening of the Letter to Philemon 68
2.3.3 Recipient Formula 70
2.3.4 Thanksgivings 71
2.3.5 Short Conclusion 73
2.4 Stylistic Layer: Rhetorical Analysis 73
2.4.1 Formal Rhetorical Analysis: F. F. Church and M. M. Mitchell 75
Exordium (Verses 4–7) 77
Proof (Verses 8–16) 77
New Direction Suggested by Formal Rhetorical Analysis 79
Conformance to the Deliberative Argumentation Identified by Margaret M. Mitchell 80
Beyond the Formal Rhetoric 81
2.5 Dialogue 83
Chapter 3: Intertexture: Theological and Ethical Thoughts of Paul 84
3.1 Introduction 84
3.2 Intertexture in the Socio-Rhetorical Interpretation of the Letter to Philemon: Theological and Ethical Thoughts of Paul 86
3.3 The Structure of Pauline Ethical Thought (1): Integral View of Indicative and Imperative 90
3.4 The Structure of Pauline Ethical Thought (2): The Three Motifs behind the Theology and Ethics of Paul 95
3.4.1 Eschatological Motif 95
3.4.2 Theological Motif 96
3.4.3 Christological Motif 98
3.5 The Content of Paul’s Ethical Thought: Love as a Guiding Principle for the Believing Community 100
3.5.1 Paul’s Use of ????? 100
3.6 The Structure of Love in Paul’s Thought 102
3.6.1 New Relationship with God: New Life in Love 102
3.6.2 New Relationship with the World: New Creation with Freedom to Love 104
3.6.3 New Relationship with New Community: New Bonding by Love 106
Romans 12–13: Eschatological Nature of Love for the Solidarity of a Congregation 107
1 Corinthians 8–11:1: Love as Self-Control for Others: Foundation of Exercising One’s Freedom 111
Galatians 5–6: Freedom with Working in Love 115
Short Summary 116
3.7 Intertextual Reading: Reading the Letter to Philemon in Paul’s Structure of Love 117
3.7.1 Model of Intertextual Reading of the Letter to Philemon 117
3.7.2 Basic Theological Thought: Reading the Letter to Philemon with Reference to the Integral View of Indicative and Imperative 118
3.7.3 Reading the Letter to Philemon with the Three Motifs as Reference 120
Eschatological Motif 121
Theological Motif 122
Christological Motif 123
3.7.4 Reading the Letter to Philemon in Paul’s Ethical Structure of Love 124
New Relationship with God: New Life in Love in the Letter to Philemon 124
New Relationship with the World: New Creation with Freedom to Love in the Letter to Philemon 125
New Relationship with the New Community: New Bonding by Love in the Letter to Philemon 126
3.8 Dialogue 128
Chapter 4: Economic Texture: Reading the Letter to Philemon in Light of the Economic Relationship Generated from the New Institutional Economics 130
4.1 Introduction 130
4.2 Methodology 132
4.2.1 Economic Texture 132
4.2.2 The Use of NIE as an Analysis Framework 135
4.2.3 The Significance of Institutions in Understanding Economic Relationships 139
4.2.4 Douglass North’s Model 139
4.3 Informal Institution: Exploitative in Nature 142
4.3.1 Economic Interest as the Dominant Consideration in the Roman Economy 143
The Development of Economic Interest as the Dominant Value 144
Result of Wars on Attitude toward Economic Benefit 145
4.3.2 Macroeconomic Environment: Growing Demand for Slaves 147
Magnitude of Development: Scale of the Roman Economy 148
Quality of Development: Growth in Trade 148
Income Inequality and the Nature of Exploitation 151
4.3.3 Ideological Justification: Philosophy and Social Values 152
Philosophical Justification of Roman Slavery 153
Social Value: Nature of Consumer City 155
4.3.4 Political System: How Rules Were Determined 157
Political Structure in the Late Roman Republic 157
Legal System 159
4.3.5 Implications for the Economic Relationship: Exploitative in Nature 160
4.4 Formal Institution: Objectifying Attitude toward Slaves 161
4.4.1 Definition of Slaves: Objectifying Slaves 162
4.4.2 Economic Motives for Objectifying Slaves 166
4.4.3 Owning Slaves: Classified as Res Mancipi 166
4.4.4 Acquisition and Transference of Slaves 169
4.4.5 The Exclusive Right to Use Slaves 170
4.4.6 Implication for Economic Relationship: Objectifying Slaves as Instruments 171
4.5 Managing Slaves as Labor: Manipulating Slaves in Practice 172
4.5.1 Economic Problems of Managing Slaves 173
General Situation 173
Specific Economic Reasons for Management Problems 175
4.5.2 NIE Basic Concepts Underlying the Management Problem of Slaves 176
Bounded Rationality 176
Opportunism 177
Asset Specificity 178
4.5.3 Diversity and the Mixed Nature of Slave Jobs 178
Farm Slaves: Extensiveness 179
Household Slaves: Penetrating Different Levels of Household Work 180
Slaves in Trade and Commerce: High Trust Required 185
Short Summary 187
4.5.4 Contractual Arrangements: Manipulating Slaves in Light of the Management Problems 188
Basics Facts about Manumission 188
Modes of Manumission 188
Economic Analysis of Manumission in Light of the NIE Theory 190
Basics of peculium 192
Incompleteness of peculium 193
Artificial Asset Specificity 194
NIE Interpretation of Slave-Managing Problems 195
4.6 Dialogue 195
4.7 Conclusion 196
Chapter 5: Synthesis: Reading the Body of the Letter to Philemon with the Three Textures in Mind 198
5.1 Introduction 198
5.2 Redefining the Problem Addressed by Paul in the Letter to Philemon 199
5.2.1 Redefining the Problem in Light of Paul’s Eschatological Motif: To Choose the New Value to Practice in this World 200
Choosing New Value in Light of Existing Institution: 1 Cor 7:19–24 201
Short Conclusion 205
5.2.2 Redefining the Problem in Light of Paul’s Theology: To Recognize and Accept the New Relationship 206
Conflict between the Economic Relationship and Loving Brotherhood Relationship 207
Exploitative Nature vs. Love as the Basis of a Relationship 207
View of Slaves as Objectified Instrument vs. Brotherhood as an Attitude in a Relationship 208
Manipulating vs. Freedom in Practice 208
5.2.3 Redefining the Problem in Light of Paul’s Christology: To Choose to Follow the Model of Paul and Christ in Practice 209
Imitation of Paul and Christ in the Letter to Philemon 210
Short Summary 210
5.3 Reading the Body of the Letter in Light of Different Textures 211
5.3.1 Analysis of the Body of the Letter to Philemon: Paul’s Rhetorical Argument Calls for a New Relationship 212
5.3.2 Verses 8–9: New Value of Love: To Challenge the Power of the Master 213
5.3.3 Verse 10: New Life in Christ: To Challenge the Legal Justification of Slavery 215
5.3.4 Verse 11: A Transformation of the Worldly Relationship: From Objectified Status to Personhood 217
5.3.5 Verses 12–14: Respecting One’s Freedom: Demonstrating Love in Action 219
5.3.6 Verses 15–16: Ultimate Request: Loving Brotherhood Relationship 222
The Use of “Beloved Brother” in Verse 16 227
5.3.7 Verse 17: New Form of Working Relationship: ???????? – Partnership in Christ 229
5.3.8 Verses 18–19: Clearing the Final Barrier: Forgo the Economic Benefit or Loss 232
5.3.9 Verses 20–21: Concluding Remarks: New Relationships in the Lord and in Christ 235
5.4 Conclusion 237
Chapter 6: Conclusion 238
6.1 Introduction 238
6.2 Summary of Arguments in Previous Chapters 239
6.3 Contributions and Future Directions Inspired by this Thesis 240
6.3.1 Methodological Breakthrough 240
6.3.2 Further Ways to Incorporate Economic Analysis in Biblical Studies 241
6.3.3 Reflection on Contemporary Capitalist Society 242
Working Relationship: Objectification 243
Incentive System: Another Form of Economic Compulsion 244
6.4 Conclusion 246
Bibliography 248
Ancient Sources 248
Secondary Literature 248
Index of Ancient Sources 258
1. Old Testament 258
2. New Testament 258
3. Greek and Roman Authors 260
Index of Modern Authors 262
Index of Names and Subjects 263

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 1.9.2017
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Religion / Theologie ► Christentum
• ISBN-10: 3-16-155583-X / 316155583X
• ISBN-13: 978-3-16-155583-1 / 9783161555831