Beyond a Slave: Support for the Manumission of Onesimus from Discourse Analysis

Did Paul intend for Philemon to manumit Onesimus? This article aims to present evidence in support of a manumissive view of Paul’s communicative intent to Philemon. Through a cognitive functional approach to discourse analysis, the sentence comprising vv. 15–16 is proposed to represent the peak of t...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Arinder, Devin (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: 2024
In: Journal for the study of the New Testament
Year: 2024, Volume: 47, Issue: 2, Pages: 322-347
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B Philemon / Bible. Philemonbrief 15 / Bible. Philemonbrief 16-17 / Paul Apostle / Philemon, Biblical person / Onesimus, Heiliger, Biblische Person
IxTheo Classification:HC New Testament
NCE Business ethics
Further subjects:B Discourse Analysis
B koine Greek
B Cognitive Linguistics
B Philemon
B Pauline Studies
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Description
Summary:Did Paul intend for Philemon to manumit Onesimus? This article aims to present evidence in support of a manumissive view of Paul’s communicative intent to Philemon. Through a cognitive functional approach to discourse analysis, the sentence comprising vv. 15–16 is proposed to represent the peak of the epistle. Coincidingly, this central statement of the letter is precisely where Paul discusses the enslavement of Onesimus. There, through his linguistic choices, Paul construes emphatic discontinuity in Onesimus’s status, resulting in the most salient change in Philemon’s mental representation: Onesimus is no longer a slave, but beyond a slave, a beloved brother.
ISSN:1745-5294
Contains:Enthalten in: Journal for the study of the New Testament
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1177/0142064X241268659