Inventing Hebrews

Michael Wade Martin is a Professor of New Testament in the Alfred and Patricia Smith College of Biblical Studies at Lubbock Christian University. He is the author of Judas and the Rhetoric of Comparison in the Fourth Gospel (2010) and co-author of Ancient Rhetoric and the New Testament (forthcoming). Jason A. Whitlark is an Associate Professor of New Testament in Baylor University's Honors College. He also serves as the Assistant Faculty Director of the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core. He is the author of Enabling Fidelity to God: Perseverance in Hebrews in Light of the Ancient Reciprocity Systems of the Ancient Mediterranean World (2009) and Resisting Empire: Rethinking the Purpose of the Letter to the 'Hebrews' (2014).

• 1. Structuring Hebrews: modern approaches to an ancient text; Part I. Laying the Foundation – Syncrisis in Hebrew: 2. Comparing covenants: the syncritical backbone of Hebrews; 3. Choosing the advantageous: deliberative syncrisis and epideictic syncrisis in Hebrews; Part II. Arranging the Speech – The Ancient Rhetorical Design of Hebrews: 4. Arranging an ancient speech: ancient compositional theory and a proposal for modern analysis; 5. Proving the case: argumentatio in Hebrews; 6. Presenting the facts relevant to the case: narratio in Hebrews; 7. Beginning with favor: exordium in Hebrews; 8. Ending with recapitulation and emotion: Peroratio in Hebrews; 9. Putting it all together: the rhetorical arrangement and aim of Hebrews; 10. Examining implications: Early Christian sermons and apostasy in Hebrews.

'This well-written book is carefully and cogently argued. This book will be most valuable to scholars and advanced students interested in the structure of Hebrews or in the application of classical rhetoric to NT studies in general.' Brian C. Small, Religious Studies Review