Hebrews and the Implied Author's Rhetorical Ethos

 

Prof. Walter Übelacker
Lund University, Lund, Sweden

 

The paper begins with a short summary of statements concerning the rhetorical ethos as presented by Aristotle, Cicero and Quintilian. Thereafter, the letter to the Hebrews is used as case-study in order to evaluate how Hebrews reflects traits of requirements or suggestions by the classical rhetoricians to strengthen the ethos of the author and the possible impact upon the addressees. Special weight will be given to the exordium, but also other parts of Hebrews will be examined. Hebrews clearly shows the author's aim to persuade the addressees of his reliability, his personal authority as companion and his apt argumentation, apt disposition and his highly sophisticated elocutio (his linguistic elaboration of the text). All this is done to make his addressees willing to accept his appeal and act as he recommends.