Corpus-Paul

[Anders Eriksson <aeriks2 AT emory.edu>]

Dear Jerry and Mark

Both of you have expressed the suspicion that Pauline formulation "works of
the law" might not have a precise parallel in Judaism. Let me just point
out the rhetorical function of the opposite pairs "works of the law" and
"salvation by faith".  In Perelmanian terms we could say that Paul is
making a rhetorical dissociation.   He creates a distinction in the greater
concept of "ways of obtaining righteousness".  The two terms in the
distinction might not have a precise parallel in reality.  Would even the
Qumranites have claimed that they dobtained righteousness by works of the
law?  Is this not Paul polemical desciption of opponents views?

In classical rhetorical categories Paul is constructing an argument from
the contrary.  Contraries are mutually exclusive terms, the opposite ends
of a continuum.  An argument from the contrary is an argument which posits
two terms as mutually exclusive. This is what Paul is doing in Gal 2:16.
The opposing terms in this case were probably constructed by Paul in his
argumentation on this particular issue.

The argument from contraries serves not just to support a thesis, but also
to provide that thesis with an opposing alternative.  This opposing
alternative can then be used as the dark background against which the
speaker's thesis is presented.  The way the speaker associates persons,
qualities and things, with the opposing contraries can then be used for the
construction of a whole ideological landscape, or theology.

Regards,

Anders Eriksson


Dr. Anders Eriksson, Th. D              Anders.Eriksson AT teol.lu.se
Forskarassistent
Teologiska Institutionen
Lunds Universitet
Allhelgona Kyrkogata 8
223 62 Lund, Sweden