Terrance Callan, «The Style of Galatians», Vol. 88 (2007) 496-516
Especially since the publication of H. D. Betz’s commentary in 1979 much attention has been given to rhetorical analysis of Paul’s letter to the Galatians. Discussion has focused on the species of Galatians’ rhetoric, i.e., whether it is forensic, deliberative or epideictic; little attention has been given to its style. This paper is an attempt to supply that lack. It begins by describing stylistic ornamentation of Galatians with respect to vocabulary and syntax and proceeds to discuss the presence of plain, middle and grand styles in Galatians. Finally it considers the implications of stylistic analysis for interpretation of Galatians.
The Style of Galatians 507
two participial phrases found there would be instances of the trope
antonomasia, substituting something for a proper name. sarki; kai;
aimati in 1,16 is an instance of the trope synecdoche, using parts for
{
the whole; however, this is a thoroughly conventional synecdoche. The
two participial phrases in 1,15 and the last two clauses in 1,17 are
instances of the figure of speech isocolon, parts of a sentence with a
virtually equal number of syllables.
c) 2,4-5.6-10
As we have noted above, this is another syntactically elaborate part
of Galatians. Vv. 4-5 are an anacoluthon, lacking a main clause. It
consists of a prepositional phrase whose object is modified by two
relative clauses. Another relative clause and a purpose clause depend
on the first of the two relative clauses, and another purpose clause
depends on the second of them.
Vv. 6-10 form one long sentence. It begins with a prepositional
phrase (v. 6a), which is followed by a parenthesis consisting of two
clauses (v. 6b). The subject of the first of these clauses is a noun
clause; the second clause is a simple sentence. After this parenthesis,
the sentence begun before it is broken off – another anacoluthon.
Instead of resuming where it left off, the sentence begins again with a
simple clause (v. 6c). This is followed by a complex clause extending
from v. 7 through v. 10. It begins with a participial phrase modifying
the subject of the clause, on which depends a compound noun clause
(v. 7). V. 8 is a parenthetical clause. The main clause resumes in v. 9a
with a second participial phrase modifying the subject of the clause.
This is followed by the subject and main verb of the clause along with
another participial phrase modifying the subject (v. 9b). On this
depend two purpose clauses (vv. 9c and 10a). The former is another
compound clause; the latter is modified by a relative clause.
These sentences are ornamented in various ways. V. 4 contains two
of Paul’s seven new coinages, namely pareisavktou" yeudadevlfou".
Both of these words are used metaphorically. The verb cognate to the
former describes a military or political conspiracy (28); thus use of this
term may present the false brothers in these terms. Calling them false
brothers makes use of the metaphor of Christians as the family of God.
Saying that the false brothers pareish'lqon kataskoph'sai uses the
metaphor that they were engaged in infiltration and spying out (29). And
(28) BETZ, Galatians, 90, n. 305; MORLAND, Rhetoric of Curse, 132, n. 61.
(29) BETZ, Galatians, 90; MORLAND, Rhetoric of Curse, 132, n. 61.