Paul’s Letter to the Philippians

“Paul’s short, affectionate letter to the Philippians has been much belabored of late by biblical scholars keen to analyze it in light of Greco-Roman letter-writing conventions. Yet Ben Witherington argues that Philippians shouldn’t be read as a letter at all but, rather, as a masterful piece of long-distance oratory — an extension of Paul’s oral speech, dictated to a scribe and meant to be read aloud to its recipients. With this in mind, Witherington analyzes Philippians in light of Greco-Roman rhetorical conventions, identifying Paul’s purpose, highlighting his main points and his persuasive strategies, and considering how his audience — denizens of a society of limited literacy yet saturated in highly skilled oral rhetoric — would have heard and received Paul’s message” — Publisher description.