The Gospel of John : a Roman legal and rhetorical perspective
This thesis represents an experiment in which the Fourth Gospel is analysed for functional similarities with the precepts of the classical rhetorical handbooks and illuminated at points by reference to Roman law. After exploring the possibility of an Ephesian provenance, the feasibility of examining the Gospel against the backdrop of the classical forensic rhetoric that pervaded such a cosmopolitan milieu is argued in the introduction. Further, the use of legal themes and motifs within the Fourth Gospel are amongst features that make the Gospel a favourable subject for such an analysis. Functional correspondencesb etween the structure of the Gospel and that of ancient legal speeches are designated a primary interest. Subsequent chapters, analogous to structural elements of a legal speech, include examination of John 1: 1-15 as a prologue and 1: 16-18 as an ipsius causae statement of the case. The witness motif, signs, Scriptural allusions, and logical arguments in 1: 19- 12: 50 represent the type of evidence present in the probatio or proof portions of forensic orations. The farewell discourses (13-17) may be akin to a digression while the presentation of proof is resumed at the point of Jesus' arrest. Verses
Sheppard, Beth M.
Philosophy
The Gospel of John : a Roman legal and rhetorical perspective. This thesis represents an experiment in which the Fourth Gospel is analysed for functional similarities with the precepts of the classical rhetorical handbooks and illuminated at points by reference to Roman law. After exploring the possibility of an Ephesian provenance, the feasibility of examining the Gospel against the backdrop of the classical forensic rhetoric that pervaded such a cosmopolitan milieu is argued in the introduction. Further, the use of legal themes and motifs within the Fourth Gospel are amongst features that make the Gospel a favourable subject for such an analysis. Functional correspondencesb etween the structure of the Gospel and that of ancient legal speeches are designated a primary interest. Subsequent chapters, analogous to structural elements of a legal speech, include examination of John 1: 1-15 as a prologue and 1: 16-18 as an ipsius causae statement of the case. The witness motif, signs, Scriptural allusions, and logical arguments in 1: 19- 12: 50 represent the type of evidence present in the probatio or proof portions of forensic orations. The farewell discourses (13-17) may be akin to a digression while the presentation of proof is resumed at the point of Jesus' arrest. Verses
gospel_john roman legal rhetorical perspective represent fourth_gospel analyse functional similarity classical rhetorical handbook illuminate point reference roman_law explore_possibility provenance feasibility examine gospel backdrop classical forensic rhetoric pervade cosmopolitan milieu argue introduction use legal theme motif within fourth_gospel amongst feature make gospel favourable subject analysis functional structure gospel ancient legal speech designate primary interest subsequent analogous structural element legal speech include examination john prologue statement case witness motif sign scriptural allusion logical argument represent type evidence_present proof portion forensic oration farewell discourse may akin digression presentation proof resume point jesus arrest