Scalometry and the Pauline Epistles (Journal For The Study Of The New Testament Supplement Series)

Publisher Description

The book brings insights from the creative arts to the study of New Testament structures. 'Scale' is well known and understood in creative arts such as architecture, sculpture and music, but New Testament scholars have given no significant consideration to scale changes in the Biblical texts. A robust methodology allows scale changes in literature to be examined scientifically and reveals 'scale-related' patterns in the epistles. To determine the significance of these patterns, George Barr has conducted a wide survey covering many texts in Greek, Latin and English. It reveals that the patterns found in the New Testament are very rare indeed, if not unique, and gives grounds for the belief that such patterns are associated with authorship. The patterns found in the Pauline epistles clarify some theories regarding the origins of the epistles and, in some cases, shed new light on their compilation. Associated with the Pauline epistles are other works that possibly come from the same group of missionaries. To understand the patterns found in the Pauline corpus, these must also be considered. Together, they point to the work of a small team and give new insight into the preaching of the