Rhetoric of the Gospel: Theological Artistry in the Gospels and Acts, The

The Rhetoric of the Gospel: Theological Artistry in the Gospels and Acts. By C. Clifton Black. St. Louis, Mo.: Chalice, 2001. xvii + 224 pp. $26.99 (paper).

This is an erudite and elegantly written collection of essays which brings together several of Black's articles extending the insights of rhetorical criticism to the gospels and Acts. Among biblical scholars, "rhetoric" is a slippery term. Black's initial chapter presents the scholarly landscape and the bases for Black's own use of "rhetoric." When Black speaks of rhetoric he refers to "those distinctive properties of human discourse, especially in its artistry and argument, by which the authors of biblical literature have endeavored to convince others of the truth of their beliefs" (p. 2).

Black is a gifted reader of the New Testament and well versed in those ancient sources which address themselves to rhetoric and rhetorical techniques. This combination results in chapters which present close readings of particular aspects of the gospels and Acts, interspersed with discussions about how ancient rhetorical theorists might have understood the literary artistry of these texts.

Some chapters cover large amounts of text. For example, in "Matthew's Characterization of Faith," Black shows both the inadequacy of the distinction between "round" and "flat" characters and how theologically deft Matthew is when it comes to presenting characters in his gospel. Here attention to the whole yields incisive theological judgments based on a rhetorical understanding of Matthean characterization.

In "The case of the Feckless Fiecelle," Black examines the curious role of John Mark in Acts. Although John Mark makes only limited appearances in Acts, Black's discussion of the textual intricacies of those appearances offers a compelling explanation of John Mark's withdrawal from the Pauline mission in Acts 13 and why Luke presents him as simply disappearing towards Cyprus with Barnabas in Acts 15. Here, close attention to a few small textual clues opens up a much richer picture of the early Christian mission.

It is indisputably clear that Black's knowledge oi various rhetorical theorists, along with his robustly theological approach to Scripture, have formed him to be a wise reader and clear expositor whose work is always enjoyable and edifying. If there is a flaw in this volume it is that there is not a great deal of argument to connect the reading of the gospels and Acts to the comments about rhetorical theorists. For example, as these chapters are presented, one could be well persuaded by Black's arguments about Matthew and John Mark without ever knowing anything about Quintilian, Cicero, or Aristotle. It may be that Black would respond that he could not have produced his reading of Matthew apart from having studied rhetorical theory. This may be true. It does not, however, argue in favor of a particular approach to biblical interpretation. Rather, it indicates the importance of the Formation of the interpreter over theories of interpretation. That matter aside, anyone who studies the gospels and Acts, and especially anyone who preaches, needs to read this book.

STEPHEN FOWL

Loyola College in Maryland

Baltimore, Maryland

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