The 'Powers' of Personification: Rhetorical Purpose in the 'Book of Wisdom' and the Letter to the Romans

Joseph R. Dodson

Published by De Gruyter 2008

The 'Powers' of Personification

Rhetorical Purpose in the 'Book of Wisdom' and the Letter to the Romans

Joseph R. Dodson

Volume 161 in the series Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die neutestamentliche Wissenschaft

https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110209778

Overview
Contents

About this book

While scholars have often found value in comparing Wisdom and Romans, a comparison of the use of personification in these works has not yet been made, despite the striking parallels between them. Furthermore, while scholars have studied many of these personifications in detail, no one has investigated an individual personification with respect to the general use of the trope in the work. Instead, most of this research focuses on a personification in relation to its nature as either a rhetorical device or a supernatural power. The “Powers” of Personification seeks to push beyond this debate by evaluating the evidence in a different light – that of its purpose within the overall use of personification in the respective work and in comparison with another piece of contemporaneous theological literature.

This book proposes that the authors of Wisdom and Romans employ personification to distance God from the origin of evil, to deflect attention away from the problem of righteous suffering to the positive sides of the experience, or to defer the solution for the suffering of the righteous to the future.

Author / Editor information

Joseph R. Dodson, Ouachita Baptist University, Arkadelphia, AR, USA.

Reviews

"Dodson's fascinating comparative study, of personification in Wisdom and Romans is a fresh and rich addition to the NT bookshelf. [...] This beautifully written book is a stimulating, original contribution to scholarship."
Jane Heath in: Journal for the Study of the New Testament 5/2010

"Dodson's thoroughly researched discussion carefully examines personification in Wisdom and Romans in an effort to get at the purposes for which this device is deployed. He boldly wades into deep and complex theological waters and seeks to explain how Paul and the sage have navigated the currents. When looking at a device such as personification in a piece of literature, there is a constant struggle not to lose sight of its wider argument. This book sent me back to the primary sources to examine them again with new questions and heightened sensitivity to the way authors use personification and other literary tools. Dodson deserves our thanks for pushing us to see what the texts say and how they say it."
Jim Hamilton SBTS, Louisville

Despite some "inaccuracies and other weaknesses, either insignificant or attributable to scope, the book makes an important contribution to scholarship by presenting the first comprehensive analysis and comparison of the use of personification in Rom and Wis...Dodson's work is thus foundational in several respects. Others working on personification, Rom, Wis, the relationship between these texts, or various topics, such as sin, can be grateful that Dodson has either paved the way or offered important insights."
Alec J. Lucas Loyola University, Chicago

Topics

Frontmatter Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	I
Contents Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	XI
Introduction: Theme, History of Research, Approach Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
Chapter 1. Definitions and Specifications for Personification Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	27
Chapter 2. The Purposes of Personification Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	41
Section II: Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	51
Chapter 3. The Personification of Death in Wisdom Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	56
Chapter 4. The Personification of Creation in Wisdom Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	69
Chapter 5. The Personification of Logos Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	82
Chapter 6. The Personification of Wrath Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	90
Chapter 7. The Personifications of Wisdom Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	101
Section II: Summary and Synthesis Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	115
Section III: Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	119
Chapter 8. The Personifications of Sin and Death Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	123
Chapter 9. The Personification of the Law Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	140
Chapter 10. The Personifications of Grace and Righteousness Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	151
Chapter 11. The Personification of Creation and the Power of the Spirit Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	162
Section III: Summary and Synthesis Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	178
Section IV: Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	182
Chapter 12. The Personifications of Evil in Wisdom and Romans Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	183
Chapter 13. The Personifications of Creation in Wisdom and Romans Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	194
Chapter 14. Common Thread Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	202
Section IV: Conclusion Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	221
Backmatter Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	223

(Deutsch)

Language: English
Publisher: De Gruyter
Audience: Academics, Libraries, Institutes
Pages
- Front matter: 12
- Main content: 264
Keywords: Personification; Romans; Theodicy; The Wisdom of Solomon; Metaphor

eBook

Published: December 10, 2008
ISBN: 9783110209778

Hardcover

Published: December 12, 2008
ISBN: 9783110209761