WHETER THE LETTER OF SAINT PAUL TO THE GALATIANS IS BEST UNDERSTOOD AS A DELIBERATIVE OR A JUDICIAL SPEECH AND THE LIKELY

INTENTION OF PAUL TO HIS AUDIENCE

INTRODUCTION From the very beginning we should say that we are going to discuss about a problem of rhetorical criticism, namely the rhetorical criticism of the New Testament. It is not easy to tackle this very large domain, but we will try to draw a few main features from the speech of Saint Paul in his letter to the Galatians. Of course, we cannot step over the methodology of the Greek rhetoric, even more, as best observed George Alexander Kennedy in his work, the books of the New Testament were written in Greek language, for a Greek audience (not exclusively but due to the Greek culture influence, predominantly), while the message of these books also bears the stamp of the Jewish tradition and receives the new connotations of the Christian message1. I do not want to speak too much about the criticism in literature or in history or in all fields of rhetoric, although it might be suitable to indicate the role of criticism in the study of the New Testament. I would rather attempt to observe the stages of the rhetorical discourse, both judicial and deliberative, trying to debate on every stage or reason that could better express whether the Letter to the Galatians is to be considered judicial or deliberative. In my discussion, I will not bring into attention the epideictic speech,

George A. Kennedy, Classical Rhetoric and its Christian and Secular Tradition from Ancient to modern times, (second edition, revised and enlarged, The University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill and ondon, 1!!!, p. 1"#$. % &o'ld add to these disc'ssions that the case of Apostle Pa'l is also &orthy of (ention for o'r approach, na(ely his social position, as )eing *e&, having also +o(an citi,enship and the Gree- ed'cation.

as being one of the three speeches in rhetoric approach2, following Aristotle and other Ancient rhetoricians. Normally, before proceeding to demonstrate if the discourse of Saint Paul to the Galatians would be forensic or deliberative, it might be suitable to demonstrate that his discourse belongs to the rhetorical species. But, we will let this issue to the scholars3 debate and we will start our approach. In order to emphasize my own perception of the deliberative aspect of Pauls speech, I would say that the entire discourse of Paul is based on the theological and missionary approach of Apostle Paul against the enemy of Jesus Gospel. It is, in fact, the cultural or intellectual encounter between the New Law and the Old Law, between the New Testament and Old Testament relationship at dawn of Christianity emergence.

CONTENT. If we will discuss on the Letter to Galatians in terms of the rhetorical discourse, we are going to observe the structure of this letter and the elements which are characteristic for them. Thus, while we are examining the INTRODUCTION of letter or EXORDIUM, in chapter 1, verse 1, Saint Paul himself proceeds to underline his mission as apostle4, which would imply that his position or status as apostle, like Peter or John or other ordinated apostles by Jesus Christ, was doubted in Galatians Christian community. Thus, he does not try to defend himself in the front of Galatians, but this aspect would rather express that the Galatians community needs to hear the reinforcement

+o)ert G. Hall, The Rhetorical Outline for Galatians: A Reconsideration, article in &or- of /ar- 0. Nanos, The Galatians Debate, Contemporary Issues in Rhetorical and Historical Interpretation, (Hendric-son P')lishers, %nc., Pea)ody, /assach'setts, .11., p..!$ # 2or (ore details see /ar- 0. Na3os4s &or- fro( a)ove. " The Holy 5i)le, Ne& %nternational 6ersion, G'ideposts, Car(el, Ne& 7or-, 1!89

of Pauls apostolic quality. Maybe this letter has been a circular letter5, sent to the Christian churches from Derbe, Iconium, Lystra and Antioch, but its dimension is theological6 and missionary. This point may express the deliberative speech of Paul in the front of Galatians, rather than judicial. Regarding the conception of Betz about the apologetic character of the Letter to Galatians, one reason whereon he support the forensic speech, I will not deny this aspect, but I prefer to say, to assent with Professor Jakob Engberg, who discusses the main features of apologetics and martyr-narratives, that, from the point of view of literary and structural reconstruction, neither apologetics nor martyr-narratives constituted a fixed genre7. This position is also shared by C. Joachim Classen8 and other scholars, who sharply made the distinction between the rhetoric or speech genre, and the epistolary genre. I would further mention, based on this reason, that Pauls letter is not an indictment, nor proof of his deeds, but, according to Kennedy, Galatians.5, 1 6, 10 strongly show deliberative evidenceThe basic argument of deliberative oratory is that an action is in the self-interest of the audience, or as Quintilian prefers to put it, that it is right (8.3.1-3). That is the pervasive argument of Galatians. The Christian community should not observe the Jewish law and should not practice circumcision, which is now
;tr'ct'rally spea-ing, according to 5et,, d'e the for(al 'nity of the letter and the respecting of the epistolary stages, na(ely prescript and postscript, generally co((on in Anti<'ity, the Galatians disco'rse )elong of the epistolary genre, na(ely the apologetic letter (see Hans 0ieter 5et,, The iterary Composition and !unction of "aul#s etter to the Galatians, in /ar- 0. Nanos, &or- cited, p."=> > *oop ;(ith, The etter of "aul to the Galatians: A deliberati$e Speech, in /ar- 0. Nanos, &or- cited, p."" 9 *a-o) ?ng)erg, Truth %e&s 'o !a$ours ( )artyr* iterature and Apolo&etics in@ Anders=Christian *aco)sen, *Arg Ulrich and 0avid 5ra--e (eds.$, Criti+ue and Apolo&etics, -e.s, Christians and "a&ans in Anti+uity (?arly Christianity in the conte3t of Anti<'ity, vol."$, 2ran-f'rt a( /ein (Peter ang$, .11!, p.18". ;ee also vie& of George A. Kennedy@ The narrati$e of the early chapters of Galatians is not e$idence that the episode as a .hole is /udicial, and is consistent .ith a $ie. of it as deliberati$e, The e0hortation of 1:234:25 is stron& e$idence that the epistle is in fact deliberati$e in intentB in his &or-, 'e. Testament Interpretation throu&h Rhetorical Criticism, (The University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill and ondon, 1!8"$, p. 1": 8 C. *oachi( Classen, ST, "aul#s 6pistles and Ancient Gree7 and Roman Rhetoric in /ar- 0. Nanos, The Galatians Debate: He says that the cate&ories of ancient rhetoric fail us .ith respect to the structure of this epistle, because it is an epistle, and they .ere made nor meant to fit such 7inds of composition,8p,259:
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not only unnecessary, but wrong. Conversely, Christians should love one another and practice the Christian life. The letter looks to the immediate future, not to judgment of the past, and the question to be decided by the Galatians was not whether Paul had been right in what he had said or done, but what they themselves were going to believe and to do.9 Thus, there is no evidence that the speech reflect the defence of Paul against his opponents, as Betz has underlined. Instead of exonerating himself, Paul gave himself as an example of the faith journey (chapter 1). Otherwise, the constructive approach is built by Paul and not by the Galatians, as being the accusers of Paul, according to Betz. On the contrary, there is an interconnection and a continuity between the Jesus heritage and the present time. For instance, Gal. 1:1 2:14, which in Betzs approach constituted the NARRATION, could be better understood not just as a past event10, but also as a picture of Pauls previous status - as being a zealous Jew, who carefully observes the Moses law, and a fighter against the Christian Church. This is the best example of the faith struggles and of attempting to move the Galatians souls, not through a judicial attempting but through pathetical one. It is all about a continuous present which transforms into future, as we will further see. According to Betz, it is following the stage of PROPOSITIO, an intermediary stage in rhetoric, which has to make an easier passing to the core of the problematic, namely PROBATIO. Joop disagrees with this structure, and considers that it is somehow forced and unsuitable11. Probatio or Confirmatio is, according Betz (3:1-4:31) and according Joop (3:1-4:11), the most decisive part of
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George A. Kennedy, 'e. Testament Interpretation,,,p.1"> *oop ;(it, &or- cited, p."1="1 11 *oop ;(it, &or- cited, p."1. Cther&ise, li-e an entertain(ent, the entire pole(ic s'stained )y Kennedy, *oop and other scholars against 5et, and his fans, (ade (e to thin- a)o't the (yth of Procr'stean )ed. Ditho't agree the idea that Pa'lEs speech is F'dicial, seen it as a &hole, % ho&ever agree to 5et, &hen he says that propositio can reveal 's that f'rther opposition in $,21;the summary of the doctrine of /ustification by faith 8$,24: is entirely "auline, ater, it has )een an i(portant so'rce of inspiration for 'ther, according *oop, &or- cited, p.""
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the speech is the one presenting the proof12. Betz is using as a paradigm Quintilian, while Joop is using Rhetorica ad Alexandrum. At one moment, Betz mentioned that: In the case of the Galatians, the factum13is not disputed because the founding of the Galatian churches by Paul is not questioned by any of the parties. The question is rather whether this foundation was done rightfully or in van14 This aspect might also reflect the spiritual nonage of the Christian community from Galatia, and claiming the attempt of Paul to guide them. According to Joop, the entire passage of confirmation, namely in the opening (3:1-5) and conclusion (4:811)15 is abounding in arguments of the deliberative genre16. Thus, comparabile, iudicatum, credibile, exclamation, amplificatio and all the discursive ways would better entail the deliberative rhetoric of the letter to Galatians. On the other hand, Betz is trying to juggle with these elements as figures of speech: metaphor, allegory and comparison, used in this section to introduce us in a court atmosphere. I would like to remind one more interesting aspect, namely the comparison from the level of time. Namely, the time history has been divided in two periods: the former time (1-3) and the fullness of time (4-6)17, even though it seems to be a reiteration of the past (Gal.4:4), it should be seen in the light of the immediate future or the continuous present18. But the concept of the immediate coming of
Hans 0ieter 5et,, &or- cited, p.18 5et,, p.1!. De can interpret here factum as )eing the reason &hy Pa'l is perfor(ing his speech, not the deed or deeds of Pa'l. This is the reason that ;aint Pa'l sent the letter, and )ased 'pon this s'pposition, &e &o'ld )e a)le to say the reason is not to defence hi(self )'t to reprove and to g'ide Galatians to tr'e Gospel. 1" 5et,, p.1! 1: *oop, &or- cited, p.:1 1> *oop, :1 19 *oop, :1 18 The ter( Gf'llness of ti(eH &o'ld s'ggest here, on the one hand, the f'lfil(ent of the conditions )efore *es's to co(e on the earth, on the other hand, it is in illo tempore or at that time, the script'ral and rhetorical clichI or
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Jesus Christ, soon after His Ascension, is also a common thought of the first Christians. It is important to realize that since the time had fully come19, that is why there is no need to observe the prescriptions of the Old Covenant but of the New Covenant. According to Joop, based on the reasons of introduction and conclusion and due to the emotional character (pathos)20, we can easily build the framework of a deliberative speech. As well as Kennedy observed, to the ethos and logos of the previous discussion is added pathos21. The last structural part of the Letter to the Galatians is THE PARAENESIS (5:16:10), according Betz, and CONCLUSIO, according Joop. In his turn, Joop has divided this part in three fields, namely CONQUESTIO, ENUMERATIO, and INDIGNATIO. In his work, Hans Dieter Betz explains the meaning and the place of the concept paraenesis and he drew a schema of this section from Galatians, dividing, like Joop, the text in three parts, not from a technical-rhetoric point of view, but from textual point of view, which is central role that is played by the indicative of salvation22. I intend to say that, in paraenesis or in the practical commandments, advice and urges attributed to Apostle Paul addressing the Galatians, we distinguish an eschatological exhortation, namely in Gal.6:7-923. But the Eschatology is the field of Theology, which studies the end of the world and the attitude of mankind toward the coming of Kingdom of Heaven, so it is about the future.

e3pression, often 'sed at the )eginning of the Gospels or in the st'dy of History of +eligion playing an anamnestic f'nction. +o(anian historian of +eligions /ircea ?liade has consistently spo-en a)o't this st'dy of time, the sacred and profane ti(e &ithin the ;t'dy of +eligions. (/ore see in his &or- The )yth of 6ternal Return: Cosmos and History, (Princeton, Princeton University Press, 1!91$, )'t the (otive of the eternal ret'rn or of the cyclic ti(e is present in &hole his (on'(ental &or-.$ 1! The Holy 5i)le, Galatians ("@"$ .1 *oop, :1 .1 George A. Kennedy, 'e. Testament Interpretation,,,p.1:1 .. Hans 0ieter 5et,, &or- cited, p..:=.> .# 5et,, p..>

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Therefore, even at the end of the Letter to Galatians, Paul realized a deliberative speech. Unlike Betz, Joop, based on Cicero loci or topoi, conceptualizes and formulates the ideas supporting the deliberative speech of Apostle Paul. Paul combines24 very well the commandments related the social life of the community (helping and carrying for the poor in Gal.2:10, the right way to proceed when dealing with a sinner, or a weakness, in relation to faith Gal.6:1-2) with the exhortations related to the spiritual life (the observance of Law Gal.1:8; 2:7 and so on; 3:11-13 and 24-25 so on and so forth; and chapter 5 and 6 and other pathetical realities). The picture observed by Joop is one vivid and full of colour, and there is nothing to introduce us in a court atmosphere. It seems to be rather a brotherly dimension, with exhortations from the soul of Paul to the souls of Galatians. According Joop, By means of recommending and dissuading Paul tries to make Galatians decide this question to his advantage. In each part of the letter, starting with the exordium and up to, and including, the amplification he contrasts his opponents and their practice on the one hand, and himself and his practice on the other hand in sharp antithesis, black and white. In this manner, each part of the letter repeatedly dissuades the Galatians to adopt the changes advocated by the opponents and positively advises them to remain true to Paul and not to deviate from the way he had shown them. This recommending and dissuading which determines and pervades Pauls entire speech is based, as is customary in the genus deliberativum, on two values: advantage (utilitas) and honor (honestas)25.

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Act'ally, in virt'e of dichoto(y of h'(an, as )eing )ody and so'l, the realities fro( the spirit'al life cannot )e dissociated fro( the realities fro( the social life, )et&een these t&o aspects )eing an interdependence. .: *oop ;(it, &or- cited, p.:9

CONCLUSION. Summarizing all what we have exposed here, we can easily say that, regarding Betz approach, he does not pay attention sufficiently to the difference between rhetoric and epistolography26. Moreover, it is true that it seems that Paul was using a forensic tone during his discourse to Galatians27. But Pauls intention is to denounce the opponents, to reveal their wrong approaches and to present, based on the Gospel of Jesus, the best solutions for Galatians, to prevent them to err. Beside, according to Joop and other scholars28, the presentation of Betz is not suitable, because he tried to adapt the text to the forensic approach29. As Nanos well observes, from a linguistic point of view30, that the language of Pauls letter was untypical for a judicial discourse, using all kinds of elements to captivate the listeners. As Robert Hall mentions, Even though elements of the other genres may be at work, the functional characteristics of deliberative speech exhortation and dissuasion to or from a particular future action on the grounds of expedience or harm dominate Galatians31. Although we attempt to demonstrate the judicial or deliberative speech as being the most suitable for the letter of Saint Paul to the Galatians, we should not overlook the distinction between rhetoric and epistolary genres, and the difficulties risen by the methodological analyzes. Maybe Saint Paul did or did not elaborate the letter in Greek or Roman rhetoric terms, but he felt the need to set the Christianity problems in an original manner.
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C. *oachi( Classen, &or- cited, p.!8 The forensic tone is 'sed )y Apostle Pa'l to )e co()ative against all &ho tried to deviate fro( tr'e Gospel and not to defend hi(self for his deeds. .8 According to /ar- 0. Nanos, critics of 5et, are +o)ert G. Hall, *oop ;(it, C. *oachi( Classen, George A. Kennedy, and others. .! *oop, &or- cited, p."1=". #1 /ar- 0. Nanos, Introduction in The Galatians Debate,,, p.3vii #1 /ar- 0. Nanos, p.3vii

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Betz, Dieter, Hans. The Literary Composition and Function of Pauls Letter to the Galatians. In Nanos, Mark, D. The Galatians Debate. Contemporary Issues in Rhetorical and Historical Interpretation. Hendrickson Publishers, Inc. Peabody, Massachusetts. 2002 2. Classen, Joachim, C. St. Pauls Epistles and Ancient Greek and Roman Rhetoric. In Nanos, Mark, D. The Galatians Debate. Contemporary Issues in Rhetorical and Historical Interpretation. Hendrickson Publishers, Inc. Peabody, Massachusetts. 2002 3. Engberg, Jakob. Truth Begs No Favours Martyr-Literature and Apologetics. In Jacobsen, Christian-Anders, Ulrich, Jrg and Brakke, David (eds.). Critique and Apologetics. Jews, Christians and Pagans in Antiquity. Early Christianity in the context of Antiquity. Vol.4. Frankfurt am Mein. Peter Lang. 2009. 4. Hall, Robert, G. The Rhetorical Outline for Galatians: A Reconsideration. In Nanos, Mark, D. The Galatians Debate. Contemporary Issues in Rhetorical and Historical Interpretation. Hendrickson Publishers, Inc. Peabody, Massachusetts. 2002 5. Holy Bible. New International Version. Guideposts. Carmel, New York. 1987 6. Kennedy, George, Alexander. Classical Rhetoric and its Christians and Secular Tradition from Ancient to Modern Times. Second Edition Revised and Enlarged. The University of North Carolina Press. Chapel Hill and London. 1999

7. Kennedy, George, Alexander. New Testament Interpretation through Rhetorical Criticism. The University of North Carolina Press. Chapel Hill and London. 1984 8. Nanos, Mark, D. The Galatians Debate. Contemporary Issues in Rhetorical and Historical Interpretation. Hendrickson Publishers, Inc. Peabody, Massachusetts. 2002 9. Smit, Joop. The Letter of Paul to the Galatians: A Deliberative Speech. In Nanos, Mark, D. The Galatians Debate. Contemporary Issues in Rhetorical and Historical Interpretation. Hendrickson Publishers, Inc. Peabody, Massachusetts. 2002

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