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" The rhetoric of prosopopoiia in Luke-Acts: John the Baptist, the covenant messenger "
T. Christopher Thao
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Latin Dissertation
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| Language of Document
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English
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| Record Number
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55135
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| Doc. No
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TL25089
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| Call number
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3255976
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| Main Entry
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T. Christopher Thao
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| Title & Author
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The rhetoric of prosopopoiia in Luke-Acts: John the Baptist, the covenant messenger\ T. Christopher Thao
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| College
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Luther Seminary
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| Date
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2007
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| Degree
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Ph.D.
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2007
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| Page No
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237
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| Abstract
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The current interpretation of "to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children" (Luke 1:17) as parent neglect or reconciliation is not satisfactory. The difficulty for interpretation stems from our misunderstanding of "the hearts of the fathers" and our modern methodology. In order to interpret ancient narrative, I turn to the rhetoric of πоπоπоuα, an ancient writing and interpretation convention. Theon informed teachers to compose πоπоπоuα in two steps: to invent the character's traits and to invent his speech. By employing this rhetorical method, I find meaning by correlating the speaker (ethos ) to his speech/action (logos) and to the need of his audience (pathos). Father and son were rhetorical topics in the ancient world. With minor exception, Greek, Roman, Jewish and Christian literature portrayed fathers positively and the "hearts of the fathers" most likely referred to the fathers' wills, testament, or intention. In the Jewish context, the hearts of fathers would denote God's covenants with the patriarchs. Through his covenant with Abraham, all Abraham's children were born through the power of God and belonged to God (Gen 15:4; 25:1-6; Luke 3:8). As the covenant messenger (ethos), John the Baptist preached Jesus as the promised Messiah (logos) to the hopeless and dying people of Israel (pathos) (Luke 1:15, 16; 3:3-18). The consistent reading of John's ethos with his logos affirms "the hearts of the fathers" as God's plans for the people of Israel through Abraham and David. This interpretation also supports the symmetrical relationship between Luke 1:16 and 17. Both "the hearts of the fathers" and "the wisdom of the just" are the means by which John preached. Therefore, Luke 1:16-17 should be correctly translated as follow: 16 And he will turn many sons of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go before him by the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the disobedient by the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people for the Lord.
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| Subject
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Philosophy, religion and theology; Language, literature and linguistics; Acts of the Apostles; Covenant; Gospel of Luke; Hearts of the fathers; John the Baptist, Saint; Luke-Acts; Messenger; Prosopopoiia; Rhetoric; Bible; Composition; 0681:Composition; 0681:Rhetoric; 0321:Bible
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Luther Seminary
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