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Nicholas Elder, Speech-in-Character, Diatribe, and Romans 3: 1–9: Who’s Speaking When and Why It Matters. By Justin King, The Journal of Theological Studies, Volume 70, Issue 2, October 2019, Pages 804–807, https://doi.org/10.1093/jts/flz066
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In this monograph Justin King argues for a ‘rescriptive reading’ of Rom. 3:1–9 on the basis of the ancient rhetorical practices of speech-and-character and diatribe. In this pericope Paul famously poses several questions and responses in dialogical style. Recent scholarship has scripted Paul’s dialogue with an imaginary interlocutor in two ways. ‘Traditional readings’, as King calls them, have the interlocutor pose questions in Rom. 3:1, 3, 5, 7–8c and Paul answer these questions in Rom. 3:2, 4, 6, and 8d (3). ‘Rescriptive readings’ of the dialogue attribute the questions and answers to Paul and the interlocutor in ways that diverge from the ‘traditional’ script. King ultimately opts for a rescriptive reading that takes Paul as the questioner in Rom. 3:1, 3, 5, 7–8c, and 9a and Paul’s interlocutor as the speaker in Rom. 3:2, 4, 6, 8d, and 9b. Paul functions as a Socrative teacher leading his student away from the erroneous position of exclusive Jewish advantage that the interlocutor expresses in Rom. 3:2 to a proper understanding of God’s impartial judgement and mercy by Rom. 3:9.
