How does the oral performance of a text and its meaning to the original audience affect our understanding of and implementation of discourse analysis? In other words, are we to apply discourse analysis to the text as we have written or are we to keep in mind that the text may have been composed to be read aloud? I think that in our case, it is best that we focus on the text as we have it, but also to realize that how it was read is also important.
A good test case for this I believe is to be found in the book of Hebrews. What we have is a written text that was originally meant to be read aloud (thus making Hebrews more of a sermon than an epistle). Auctor (the author of Hebrews) writes:
Παρακαλω δε υμας αδελφοι ανεχεσθε του λογου της παρακλησεως και γαρ δια βραχεων επεστειλα υμιν
“Now I appeal to you brothers, bare with this word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly.”
Heb 13.22
In this verse, we see both the sermonic aspect of Hebrews as well as the written. That the written aspect is present is evident in the phrase βραχεων επεστειλα υμιν [”I have written to you briefly”]. The sermonic aspect is not as clear, but from a parallel passage it can be deduced. Take for example Acts 13.25, where Paul is encouraged to speak to the men in the synagogue in Antioch:
Ανδρες αδελφοι ει τις εστιν εν υμιν λογος παρακλησεως προς τον λαον λεγετε
“Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people speak.”
Now how does this apply to the text of Hebrews? It’s application is seen in the composition of Hebrews to be both read as a text as well as read (preached?) to a congregation. Returning to Mr. Baker’s original comment, what he says would most certainly apply to the text of Hebrews: that discourse analysis is to be utilized with both the written text as well as the sermonic aspects in mind.
A few examples of this is seen in the rhetorical features that are prevalent in Hebrews. One such feature occurs right in the first verse of Hebrews. Auctor uses the device of alliteration to grab the audiences attention in Heb 1.1:
Πολυμερως και πολυτροπως παλαι ο θεος λαλησας τοις πατρασιν εν τοις προφηταις
“In many parts and many ways, God spoke long ago to the fathers by the prophets.”
To one who would be hearing this sermon, the use of alliteration would instantly be recognized. But because we do not have an original recorded sermon, we must come to these observations from what is written in the text of Hebrews. And so we must start with the text, and from the keep in mind the oral presentation of the text and how it may have been received by the original hearers.
There are many other rhetorical devices that are utilized by Auctor in his sermon. Alliteration is only the tip of the iceberg, and is not used to make a definitive claim. Go and examine the text for yourself and you will see the beauty and craftsmanship of Auctor.
*Originally posted at Nouvum Testamentum*
