The Structure of Second Corinthians: Pauls Theology of Ministry

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Hiramatsu Kei examines the literary structure of 2 Corinthians, and how it can illuminate our understanding of this Pauline letter and its intended message. He explores the theoretical foundations of Inductive Bible Study as an approach which focuses on the meaning of biblical passages to the original audience, and how this can inform meaning for readers today; while using readers' perceptions of the meaning of the biblical text in its final form as a starting point, he also prioritizes the literary context as consequential evidence for interpretation. Hiramatsu proposes that 2 Corinthians consists of seven major segments which coherently develop Pauls discourse pertaining to ministry, and he argues that there are two major components of the literary structure: the division of the letter into the seven parts and the identification of major structural relationships between the divided parts and the letter as a whole. He discusses the theological implications that arise from a literary investigation, illustrating that an inductive and integrative approach not only presents a more suitable and helpful literary structure for 2 Corinthians but also demonstrates the relevance of studying the literary structure when seeking to gain understanding of the theological implications of this Pauline letter.

Reviews

Reading 2 Corinthians is no easy task. What is the shape of Pauls argument What can account for the major structural developments in the text Turning to scholarship for answers is a bewildering experience as there are as many solutions to these questions as there are scholars of 2 Corinthians. Of course, the various partition theories, chronologies of Paul and his letters, and historical-critical reading strategies complicate matters further. What is needed is an integrated approach that doesnt lose sight of the wood for the trees, one that is conversant with the major scholarly issues and can advance a thesis with methodological clarity. Thankfully, into these choppy waters now wades Kei Hiramatsu with a set of elegant and sophisticated proposals to account for the shape of 2 Corinthians as a whole. He is conversant with the insights of topical, epistolary, rhetorical, literary, and discourse analytical findings, but moves beyond them all by employing an inductive and integrated methodology. The result is a compelling account of the major structural relations of the letter as a whole, both in broad sweep and in detail. Hiramatsus structural analysis and methodology also offer him opportunity to present fresh perspectives on the theology of 2 Corinthians. It is, therefore, a delight that this learned and important work is now available to the wider academic community. Simply put, any future scholarly engagement with 2 Corinthians will need to tackle Hiramatsus scholarship. * Chris Tilling, St Mellitus College, UK *

Author Bio

Hiramatsu Kei is New Testament Faculty at Central Bible College, Japan. He has presented and published articles on Pauline letters, especially on the Corinthian Correspondence. He is the first Langham Scholar from Japan.