The Rhetorical Criticism of the New Testament

Rhetorical criticism, as a method of analyzing texts, is rooted in the ancient art of rhetoric, which was developed in the Greek and Roman worlds. This form of critique examines how authors use language, structure, and stylistic elements to persuade, inform, or move an audience. In its earliest form, rhetoric was more concerned with public speaking, particularly in the courts and the political arena, but it gradually evolved into a more general theory of persuasive communication, influencing everything from oratory to written texts.
The use of rhetorical criticism to analyze the New Testament provides an invaluable lens through which we can understand how the early Christian writers conveyed their messages to their diverse audiences, including Jews, Gentiles, and Romans.