The Letters to Philemon, the Colossians, and the Ephesians: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary on the Captivity Epistles

The epistolary prescript -- Thanksgiving/exordium : a refresher course -- A closer look : when rhetoric is not mere rhetoric -- An appeal for a useful servant -- A closer look : Paul in chains, Pnesimus in bondage -- Peroratio : summing up and touching the heart of the matter -- A closer look : the cost of manumission -- Epistolary conclusion -- Bridging the horizons : Philemon -- The authorship of Colossians -- Further thoughts on the relationship of Colossians and Ephesians -- The false teaching/philosophy in Colossae -- The theology of Colossians -- The occasion of Colossians -- Epistolary prescript -- Exordium/thanksgiving prayer -- Narratio the pattern of Christ -- A closer look : the formation of the Christ hymn -- Propositio/partitio -- Probatio argument one: minister of the mystery -- Probatio argument two: the bone of contention -- A closer look : the Colossian "philosophy" -- A closer look : the theological substance of Colossians -- Probatio argument three: the necessity of virtue -- Vice and virtue lists -- The household code -- A closer look : evaluating the household codes fairly in Paul's context -- A closer look : Paul on marriage and slavery in context -- Peroratio prayer and wisdom -- Epistolary closing -- Bridging the horizons : Colossians -- Homilies in the New Testament era -- Ephesians as a letter to Ephesus -- Epideictic rhetoric : the art of persuasive sermon-making -- Pseudonymity -- Epistolary prescript -- Exordium : a blessing of a eulogy -- A closer look : for heaven's sake -- Thanksgiving prayer/captatio benevolentiae -- A closer look : the ethos of community in Ephesians -- Narratio : Gentiles then and now and their apostle -- Concluding prayer and doxology -- Exhortatio : reminder of community values and virtues -- The formation of a more perfect union -- A closer look : what goes up must come down -- Pneumatic exegesis -- New creatures : putting off and putting on -- The imitation of God, the image of holiness -- Christians in the house -- A closer look : the Christian household code revisited -- Peroratio : standing notwithstanding the opposition -- Epistolary postscript : the end of the matter -- Bridging the horizons : Ephesians