an analysis of the emotions of anger and fear in the undisputed pauline letters

262 Pages·2017·2.04 MB·English

AN ANALYSIS OF THE EMOTIONS OF ANGER AND FEAR IN

THE UNDISPUTED PAULINE LETTERS

R.M. ROWE
i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I should like to thank:

My mentor, Prof Johan Strijdom, for his guidance, which has opened up a new
dimension to my life; for his encouragement and for his demanding standards.

Revd Kathy Whiteley, H.Cert. Th (TEEC), MA with specialisation in Ancient
Languages and Culture (UNISA) whose help, support, advice and encouragement is
cherished. Her patience in producing this fine Greek script and also the occasions when
she turned dross into gold in correcting my moments of mental aberration are much
appreciated.

Gillian Wilkinson who did not let a minor issue of six thousand miles deter her
generous help. My family for their ongoing unending support especially my husband
John for his unflinching, magnanimous loving care.

My numerous friends, who gave me encouragement to complete the task.

Prof Brian Bebbington, his wife Eileen and Elizabeth Lane for our customary
meetings to read the New Testament in Greek. Thank you for your insistence that I
carry on.

Edward Thomlinson who started me on this journey by suggesting that I take up
my Greek studies again.

Ms Elsabe Nel, Specialised Librarian at UNISA. Thank you for your assistance, advice
and finding the requested articles. Much depended on acquiring pertinent information,
thank you for your part in it.

All those whose names are not recorded here, my great gratitude for your wonderful
backing.
ii

Abbreviations
1 Thess 1 Thessalonians
1-2 Cor 1-2 Corinthians
BDAG Bauer, Danker and Gingrich Greek-English Lexicon of the New
Testament
CCR Chart of Correlated References
Gal Galatians
L-N Louw and Nida Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament
LSJ Liddell, Scott and Jones Greek-English Lexicon
NE Nichomachean Ethics
Phil Philippians
Rom Romans
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Key to Rhetorical Terms
The Exordium is the beginning part and is aimed at making the audience open and indeed
well-disposed toward what follows.
The Narratio then explains the nature of the disputed matter.
The Partitio or propositio, which follows the narratio or is included in it, is where the
essential proposition of the speaker, and perhaps also of the opponent, is laid out.
The probatio brings in arguments to support the speaker’s case.
In the refutatio, which is often included in the probatio, the opponent’s arguments are
disproved or weakened.
The peroratio recapitulates the main points of the probatio, attempting the audience’s
emotions in favour of the speaker’s viewpoint by amplifying what has been said before.
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ABSTRACT
In the 1980s, in the discipline of Classical studies in the field of Greco-Roman
philosophy, the scholars showed renewed interest in the subject of the emotions. The
outcome of their research reinstated the cognitive function in emotions. The research also
recognised that the values and beliefs in the emotions are culturally conditioned. This
outcome opened the possibility of discovering the values of a culture by analysing the
emotions. Another outcome of the research showed that the interpretation of a lexical
term, designating an emotion, did not necessarily imply the same meaning universally.
The knowledge of the emotions in this discipline influenced numerous branches of
academic study. It was noted that this did not apply to New Testament studies and
therefore became an opportunity for a research subject, namely: An Analysis of Emotions
of Anger and Fear in the Undisputed Pauline letters. The purpose was to determine their
meanings within the context of Imperial Roman values. The analysis was based on
Aristotle's definition of anger and fear. This approach also required a study of social
conditions in the provincial Roman cities in which Paul had formed communities.
The study was dependent on the emotional language used by Paul in his undisputed
letters. Louw-Nida New Testament Greek-English Lexicon based on Semantic Domains
was used to locate the words that expressed the emotional concepts of anger and fear.
The essence of the research problem was to discover the meaning of the emotions in the
undisputed Pauline letters in the first century CE.

KEY WORDS
Emotion; anger; fear; awe; retribution; punishment; Paul; cognitive function; imperial
ideology; social status.
v

DECLARATION

Name ROSE M. ROWE

Student number: 04802969

Degree: DOCTOR OF LITERATURE AND PHILOSOPHY IN RELIGIOUS STUDIES

Exact wording of the title of the dissertation or research as appearing on the copies
submitted for examination:

AN ANALYSIS OF THE EMOTIONS OF ANGER AND FEAR IN THE UNDISPUTED PAULINE LETTERS

I d e c l a r e t h a t the a b o v e dissertation / t h e s i s i s m y o w n work a n d t h a t all t h e s o u r c e s
that I h a v e u s e d o r q u o t e d h a v e been i n d i c a t e d a n d a c k n o w l e d g e d b y m e a n s o f
c o m p l e t e r e f e r e n c e s .
1

SIGNATURE DATE
29 June 2017
vi

AN ANALYSIS OF THE EMOTIONS OF ANGER AND FEAR IN THE
UNDISPUTED PAULINE LETTERS

by

ROSE MAISY
ROWE

submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of

Doctor of Literature and
Philosophy

in the subject Religious Studies at the

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA

SUPERVISOR: Prof. JOHAN STRIJDOM

CO-SUPERVISORS:

July 2017
vii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

One Research Problem and Methodology 1
1.1 Introduction 1
1.2 Identifying the Research Problem 3
1.3 Overview of the Steps in the Methodology 4
1.4 Methodology 4
1.5 Outline of the Chapters 7

Two Context and History of Research 11
2.1 Introduction 11
2.2 Classical Scholars 11
2.3 New Testament Scholars 20
2.4 Conclusion 26

Three Philosophies on the Emotions 28
3.1 Introduction 28
3.2 General Overview 29
3.3 Plato 29
3.4 Aristotle 34
3.5 The Stoics 41
3.6 Philo of Alexandria 47
3.7 Mythical Tradition of Anger 48
3.8 Conclusion 49

Four The Social Context of the Undisputed Letters of Paul 51
4.1 Introduction 51
4.2 Thessalonica 51
4.3 Corinth 56
4.4 Philippi 59
4.5 Galatia 62
4.6 Romans 64
4.7 Conclusion 68
viii

Five Lexicography 70
5.1 Introduction 70
5.2 The Louw-Nida Lexicon 71
5.3 BDAG (Bauer, Danker, Arndt and Gingrich) 81
5.4 Conclusion 83

Six and Related Words in the Undisputed Pauline Letters 85
6.1 Introduction with Chart Correlated References 85
6.2 1 Thessalonians 87
6.3 1 and 2 Corinthians 108
6.4 Galatians 124
6.5 Romans 127
6.6 Conclusion 162


Seven and Related Words in the Undisputed Pauline Letters 164
7.1 Introduction with Chart Correlated References 164
7.2 1 and 2 Corinthians 166
7.3 Philippians 202
7.4 Galatians 212
7.5 Romans 215
7.6 Conclusion 235

Eight Conclusion 237
8.1 The Identification of the Research Subject 237
8.2 Methodology 238

References 248
1

AN ANALYSIS OF THE EMOTIONS OF ANGER AND FEAR IN THE
UNDISPUTED PAULINE LETTERS

CHAPTER ONE: RESEARCH PROBLEM AND METHODOLOGY

The emotions are all those affections which cause men to change their opinion in
regard to their judgements, and are accompanied by pleasure and pain; such are
anger, pity, fear and all similar emotions and their contraries. (Aristotle, Rhetoric
II.i.1378a 8).1
1.1 Introduction
The primary purpose of this chapter is focused around the disciplines of Classical and
New Testament studies, in which the subject for further research was identified. Features
of both these disciplines are initially described in order to clarify the rationale supporting
the proof of the research problem.
The identification of the research problem is but the initial step. This needs to be
supported by a description of the steps taken to prove the research. Therefore, this
chapter also includes an outline of the steps, which are discussed fully in the chapters
following. Each chapter will be relevant to the research problem.
An outline of these chapters is also described in this chapter.
1.2 Identifying the Research Problem
In the discipline of Classical studies, in the field of Greco-Roman philosophy, about
thirty years ago, there was a renewed interest in the subject of the emotions.2 The
research questioned the traditional view that emotions were universally experienced in
the same way, irrespective of language.3 The outcome of that study also dispelled the
view that emotions are reactions without intelligence or discrimination, namely without

1 Freese 2006: 173
2 Konstan 2004: 8
3 Konstan 2004: 1