72 JUAN M. GRANADOS ROJAS Accumulation and repetitions define the literary style of Colos- sians 28, which differs from most of the argumentations in the un- disputed letters. The issue here is that the author does not seek to persuade his recipients by means of questions and answers (dia- tribe) 29, principles of logic or biblical quotations, but rather by overloading his addressees with images, metaphors and categories that he gradually explains. But where do these literary features point to? Before attempting to clarify this question, one must still analyze the train of thought, and in particular the semantic linkage, in the section. The line of thought in 1,24-29 reveals a particular structure easily designated as reversal (reversio) 30. The syntax converges on the no- tion of musth,rion and expands its contents in the opposite way (see the pattern ABC//C’B’A’ in the figure above). The progression in the first part of the pattern (1,24-26) is clear: the apostolic service for the church has the purpose of bringing to completion the word of God, i.e. the mystery (before hidden but now revealed). The pro- gression in the second part (1,27-29) moves from the notion of mys- tery toward its proclamation and to Paul’s labor in its favor. The reversal in 1,27b-c clearly indicates a semantic enrichment of the musth,rion: (a) The riches of the glory (to. plou/toj th/j do,xhj) (b) (that is) = of this mystery (tou/ musthri,ou tou,tou)31 among the Gentiles (evn toi/j e;qnesin) (b’) = which is Christ (o[ evstin Cristo.j) among you (evn u`mi/n) (a’) the hope of glory (h` evlpi.j th/j do,xhj) On the language and style of Colossians see E. PERCY, Die Probleme der 28 Kolosser – und Epheserbriefe (SHVL; Lund 1946) 43; LOHSE, Colossians and Philemon, 89-90; O’BRIEN, Colossians, Philemon, xlii. Bujard calls it plerophoric style: W. BUJARD, Stilanalytische Untersuchungen zum Kolosserbrief als Beitrag zur Methodik von Sprachvergleichen (SUNT; Göttingen 1973) 143. See also W. SCHENK, “Der Kolosserbrief in der neueren Forschung 29 (1945-1985)”, Aufstieg und Niedergang der römischen Welt (eds. W. HAASE – H. TEMPORINI) (Berlin – New York, NY 1972-1973) II. 3328. See Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria, 1.5.40; LAUSBERG, Handbook of Lit- 30 erary Rhetoric, §§ 462.3a. 713. Read as an epexegetical genitive. 31 © Gregorian Biblical Press 2012 - Tutti i diritti riservati