The letters to Philemon, the Colossians, and the Ephesians : a socio-rhetorical commentary on the captivity Epistles / Ben Witherington III.

Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

The letter to Philemon -- The epistolary prescript : vv. 1-3 -- Thanksgiving/exordium : a refresher course : vv. 4-7 -- A closer look : when rhetoric is not mere rhetoric -- An appeal for a useful servant : vv. 8-16 -- A closer look : Paul in chains, Onesimus in bondage -- Peroratio : summing up and touching the heart of the matter : vv. 17-22 -- A closer look : the cost of manumission -- Epistolary conclusion : vv. 23-24 -- Bridging the horizons : Philemon -- The letter to the Colossians -- The authorship of Colossians -- Further thoughts on the relationship of Colossians and Ephesians -- The false teaching/philosophy in Colossae -- The theology of Colossians -- The occasion of Colossians -- Epistolary prescript : 1.1-2 -- Exordium/thanksgiving prayer : 1.3-14 -- Narratio : the pattern of Christ : 1.15-20 -- A closer look : the formation of the Christ hymn -- Propositio/partitio : 1.21-23 -- Probatio : argument one : minister of the mystery : 1.24-2.5 -- Probatio : argument two : the bone of contention : 2.6-3.4 -- A closer look : the Colossian "philosophy" -- A closer look : the theological substance of Colossians -- Probatio : argument three : the necessity of virtue : 3.5-4.1 -- Vice and virtue lists : 3:5-17 -- The household code : 3:18-4:1 -- A closer look : evaluating the household codes fairly in Paul's context -- A closer look : Paul on marriage and slavery in context -- Peroratio : prayer and wisdom : 4.2-6 -- Epistolary closing : 4:7-18 -- Bridging the horizons : Colossians -- The homily called Ephesians -- Homilies in the New Testament era -- Ephesians as a letter to Ephesus? -- Epideictic rhetoric : the art of persuasive sermon-making -- Pseudonymity? -- Epistolary prescript : 1.1-2 -- Exordium : a blessing of a eulogy : 1.3-14 -- A closer look : for heaven's sake -- Thanksgiving prayer/captatio benevolentiae : 1.15-23 -- A closer look : the ethos of community in Ephesians -- Narratio : Gentiles then and now and their apostle : 2.1-22; 3.2-13 -- Concluding prayer and doxology : 3.1, 14-21 -- Exhortatio : reminder of community values and virtues : 4.1-6.9 -- The formation of a more perfect union : 4.1-16 -- A closer look : what goes up must come down : pneumatic exegesis -- New creatures : 4.17-24; putting off and putting on : 4.25-32 -- The imitation of God, the image of holiness : 5.1-21 -- Christians in the house : 5.21-6.9 -- A closer look : the Christian household code revisited -- Peroratio : standing notwithstanding the opposition : 6.10-20 -- Epistolary postscript : the end of the matter : 6.21-24 -- Bridging the horizons : Ephesians.