Letters and Homilies for Hellenized Christians is the first of three volumes extending Ben Witherington's innovative socio-rhetorical analysis of New Testament books to the latter-Pauline and non-Pauline corpora. A second volume will continue the focus on letters and homilies for Hellenized Christians (1–2 Peter), while a third will focus on letters and homilies for Jewish Christians (Hebrews, James and Jude). By dividing the volumes according to the socio-religious contexts for which they were written, Witherington sheds fresh light on the documents, their provenance, character and importance.
Throughout, Witherington shows his thorough knowledge of recent literature on these texts and focuses his attention on the unique insights brought about through socio-rhetorical analysis that either reinforces or corrects those gleaned from other approaches. Strikingly, based on his rhetorical analysis of the Pastorals, he makes the case for Luke as Paul's amanuensis for these letters. He also makes a strenuous argument against New Testament pseudepigrapha.
“Bridging the Horizons” sections point to the relevance of the text for believers today, making this volume of special value to pastors and general readers as well as students and scholars.
