In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul describes charity, defines it, and illustrates its importance. He starts out by using anesis by setting up his sentences as follows:
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing
Anesis is the act of diminishing what has been said previously with the last sentence. He seems like he is building up to describing a powerful, righteous man, but then states that it is all for nothing without charity. This is a strong rhetorical strategy because it really emphasizes the importance of what Paul wants us to focus on.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
In the next few verses Paul uses anaphora, asyndeton, and epistrophe. Using multiple different structures in these verses so close together helps the reader to continue to focus on charity without it becoming overly repetitious or predictable. The focus on "charity" in the beginning and "all things" at the end of these sequential verses magnifies the role of charity being so important that it is included in all things. Paul uses dialysis to show both sides of the equation. Before he says without charity we are nothing, with charity we can do everything.
Throughout the chapter there is parallelism and definition to present charity in multiple approaches. As a sort of conclusion in the chapter, he uses the readers past knowledge of other doctrines and sets up the last verse to show charity with degree.
Wow, you picked up on a lot of different things--that's awesome! As I was reading your post, it made it way easier to notice these literary structural tools throughout the scriptures.
ReplyDeleteThat was quite a thorough breakdown of the selected passages. I never would have thought so many rhetorical elements could be found in just a few short verses.
ReplyDeleteThe first section that you described seems to draw more attention to what is going on outside of charity. Then, as you mentioned in the second section, the repetition of form seems to make charity stand out from the monotonous and uniform. I think that is interesting that you can emphasize the greatness of charity by first setting it up next to other great things and setting it high and then emphasizing it with smaller things to show just how great it is.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I think that Paul´s parallelisms really define his writing. I also think that his use of hyperbole of being ¨burned at the stake¨ and profiting nothing definitely gave some gravity to his sermon. I think that you were very thorough with your analysis. Thank you.
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