EMQ » January–March 2021 » Volume 57 Issue 1
By James W. Thompson
Baker Academic, 2020
308 pages
USD $26.12
Reviewed by Cameron D. Armstrong, International Mission Board, Bucharest, Romania.
Pauline studies often separate Paul’s theology from his rhetoric. New Testament scholar James W. Thompson argues that such a separation mistreats the Pauline epistles, since Paul’s theology was foundational to his rhetorical purposes. Apostle of Persuasion demonstrates that Paul’s letters all contain a single purpose of presenting a holy and transformed community of believers to Christ on the day of parousia.
To support his thesis of a unified, theological purpose within the Pauline corpus, Thompson first explains Paul’s self-understanding. Paul is neither a professional rhetorician nor writer, but an apostle who has seen the Lord, stands in the Jewish heritage, and inherited convictions from the Jerusalem apostles and Jesus himself. Basing his rhetorical pleas for behavior transformation on divine revelation gives Paul an authoritative voice that is unparalleled in ancient rhetoric. Paul’s use of autobiography adds ethos and plays a primary role in persuading readers to live moral lives waiting until Christ’s return. From Paul’s earliest letter of 1 Thessalonians to his final letter of 2 Timothy, autobiographical reflection adds persuasive effect. Further, Thompson discusses Paul’s use of the Christian creed, showing how a deliberate appeal to common doctrinal affirmations places readers within the received tradition and adds to Paul’s prophetic voice. For example, the “Christ hymn” in Philippians both catechizes and persuades readers to humble themselves. Other letters, such as 1 and 2 Corinthians, employ rhetoric to defend Paul’s authority.
Two strengths of the book are noteworthy. First, Thompson successfully refutes the theory that Paul’s theology developed from his first to final epistle. He demonstrates that Paul’s doctrine of justification by faith was already present in his earlier letters yet expanded in Galatians and Romans for his purpose of showing that there is a single people of God comprised of Jews and Gentiles. Second, Thompson’s thesis that Paul based his rhetoric on his theology offers intriguing insight into why Paul used specific vocabulary. For example, the analysis of the Christ hymn in Colossians 1 yields several close parallels to the vocabulary in the remainder of the letter.
As for weaknesses, evangelical readers may bristle at Thompson’s citation of the Apocrypha and critical labels like “Deutero-Isaiah,” the latter of which Thompson believes was foundational to Paul’s self-understanding. Also, readers may wonder why more attention is not given to Paul’s speeches in Acts. Although the scope of the book analyzes Paul’s epistles, comparing Paul’s written rhetoric to his recorded oral rhetoric could add both context and ministerial case studies.
Thompson’s review of Paul’s combined theology and rhetoric is robust and persuasive. Paul indeed employed rhetoric and persuasion yet built everything on the Christian creed. Readers interested in Pauline theology will find this a welcome addition that supports the conclusion that Paul wrote with a specific purpose to persuade believers to live sanctified lives that anticipated Christ’s return, a worthy goal for any missionary.
For Further Reading
Dunn, James D. G. The Theology of Paul the Apostle. Eerdmans, 1998.
Wright, N. T., and Michael F. Bird. The New Testament in Its World: an Introduction to the History, Literature, and Theology of the First Christians. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2019.
