Diagnosing Deviance: Pathology and Polemic in the Pastoral Epistles (Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen Zum Neuen Testament)

In this study, Andrew M. Langford demonstrates that the single, post-Pauline author of the Pastoral Epistles ("the Pastor") crafts a stigmatizing depiction of his theological opponents by spatializing, demonizing, and pathologizing their alleged deviance. Through close comparative readings of ancient medical and philosophical literature, the author argues for the necessity of interpreting the Pastor's pathologizing of deviance in light of ancient disease etiologies and models of corporeality. With this book, the author contributes to recent interpretive insights about the function of authorial fiction in antiquity and demonstrates that the Pastor is self-consciously appropriating the Pauline epistolary to craft his approach to his theological opponents. Cover Title Preface Table of Contents List of Modern Abbreviations Note on Style Introduction: Deviance in the Pastoral Epistles A. The Pastor’s Paradox B. Argumentative Trajectory Chapter 1: Diagnosing Deviance: Foundational Considerations A. Authorship and Authenticity Criticism: Changing of the Tide B. Corpus Paulinum, Corpus Pastorale I. The Pastorals as Letter Corpus? II. Linguistic Variation III. Lexical and Thematic Similarities IV. Pauline Letters as Intertexts for the Pastorals V. Crafting Pseudonymous Letters to Individuals VI. Date and Early Reception of the Pastorals C. Deviance and Opponents in the Pastoral Epistles I. Identifying Opponents and the History of Scholarship II. Rhetoric and Reality: Reorienting the Study of Opponents D. Conclusion Chapter 2: Spatializing Deviance: Staying, Straying, and Satan A. Placing and Demonizing B. Spatializing Morality: A Locative Framework for the “Satanic” and the “Demonic” C. Time, Place, and Space: Movement Language and Kinetic Imagery I. Mapping the Moral and Spiritual Cosmos through Time and Place II. Human Actors in Time III. Movement Terms as Moral Markers IV. The Moral Significance of Travel D. Placing the Divine and the Devilish I. Nonhuman Actors in Space & Time II. Space, Place, and the Devil III. The “Snare” of the Devil IV. Handing Over to Satan E. 1 Timothy 1:18–20 and 1 Corinthians 5:1–5 I. Intertextual Analysis II. Contextualization of 1 Timothy 1:18–20 III. 1 Timothy 1:18–20 IV. 1 Corinthians 5:1–5 V. From 1 Corinthians 5 to the Pastorals F. Conclusion Chapter 3: Demonizing Deviance: Rethinking the Doctrines of Demons A. Demonic Doctrines in Historical Perspective I. Locating Demons in Antiquity II. “Demonic” in Spatial Perspective III. “Demonic” in Polemical Perspective IV. “Demonic” in Pathological Perspective Excursus: “Demonic” Communication B. Demonic Doctrines in Pauline Perspective: 1 Timothy 4:1–5 and 1 Corinthians 7, 8, and 10 I. Questions and Argument II. Δαιμόνια, Εὐχαριστία, and God as Creator C. Conclusion Chapter 4: Pathologizing Deviance: Toward an Alternative Account of Medical Terminology in the Pastoral Epistles A. Defining Health and Disease I. Medical Conceptions of Health II. Popular Conceptions of Ὑγίεια III. Health as a Constructed Category B. Health and Salvation in the Pastoral Epistles and Paul I. Healthy Words and Healthy Teaching in the Pastorals II. Paul as Precursor: Error, Sickness, and Judgment (1 Cor 11:27–30) C. The “Healthy Teaching” in the Pastoral Epistles I. Scholarly Approaches to the Healthy Teaching II. Do Healthy Words Heal? D. Philosophy and Health in the Greco-Roman World I. Philosophers and Health of Body and Soul II. A Healthy Soul: The Goal of Philosophy III. Virtue and Health, Vice and Disease IV. Therapy of Error V. Psychosomatic Illness VI. The Health of the Body and Its Relationship to the Health of the Mind E. Sick Words, Sick Deeds, Sick Opponents I. Describing Quality of Speech and Doctrine as Sick II. Vice Lists as Symptomologies III. Pain (1 Tim 6:9–10) IV. “Progress” as Diagnostic Indicator VI. Wicked Suppositions VI. Sickened Searchings, Overzealous Investigations E. Conclusion Chapter 5: Corporealizing Deviance: Bodies in the Pastoral Epistles A. The Body as a Constructed Ideological Site B. The Bodies of the Opponents and Those They Lead Astray I. The Living-Dead Body II. Bellies III. Mouths C. The Body of Christ and the Ecclesial Epidermis(2 Tim 2:14–18) I. Literary Context of 2 Timothy 2:14–18 II. Skin as Site III. Scholarship on 2 Timothy 2:17 IV. Ancient Definitions & Depictions of Gangrene V. Etiology of Gangrene: Wounds and Humors VI. The Visually Grotesque VII. Gangrene as Malodorous Malady VIII.Treatments and Their Implications for 2 Timothy 2:17 IX. Implications of the Imagery of Gangrene D. Healthy Teaching and Pathological Itching (2 Tim 4:1–5) I. Literary Context of 2 Timothy 4:1–5 II. Scholarship on 2 Timothy 4:1–5 III. Εὐκαίρως Ἀκαίρως? (2 Tim 4:2) IV. “In Season and Out” and the Philosopher’s Therapy V. “Not Putting Up with the Healthy Teaching”: Petulant Patients VI. “According to Their Own Lusts”: The Pathology of Desire VII. “Itching Ears” or Ears to Be Tickled or Scratched? VIII. Κνηθόμενοι τὴν Ἀκοήν: A Pathological Condition E. Conclusion Chapter 6: Avoiding Deviance: Keeping Timothy Healthy A. Establishing Authority B. Paulus Medicus: The Ideal Physician in the Pastorals C. Training Timothy (1 Tim 4:6–16) I. Ἡ Σωματικὴ Γυμνασία and the Art of Bodily Care (1 Tim 4:7–8) II. Establishing Ἡ Σωματικὴ Γυμνασία in Its Literary Context III. Timothy’s Training in Its Cultural Context IV. Appropriate Exercises and Forms of Speech (1 Tim 4:11–16) D. Timothy’s Body as Site (1 Tim 5:17–25) I. Diagnosing Scholarship on 1 Timothy 5:23 II. The Theory and Practice of Physiognomy III. Literary Context of 1 Timothy 5:17–25 IV. Timothy’s Scrutiny as Diagnostic Practice V. Timothy’s Ailments: Appearing to Be Morally Compromised VI. The Pastorals vs. the Homologoumena in the Depiction of Paul E. Conclusion Chapter 7: Intellectualizing Deviance: The Corrupted Νοῦς and Psychosomatic Disease A. Argument Overview B. Νοῦς in Paul’s Letters and the Pastorals I. Nοῦς in the Pastorals: Literary and Intertextual Contexts ΙΙ. Νοῦς in 1 Corinthians ΙΙΙ. Νοῦς and Ἀδόκιμος Νοῦς in Romans IV. Paul and the Pastor on Νοῦς V. Νοῦς as a Corruptible Organ of the Soul C. Toward a New Understanding of Νοῦς in the Pastorals: Ancient Discourses on Νοῦς and Its Pathology I. The Questions and the Argument II. Physicality & Locality of the Soul III. The Hippocratic Writings IV. Plato V. Aristotle VI. Physicians and Philosophers in the Hellenistic and Early Imperial Period VII. Philo D. Conclusion Chapter 8: Deviance as a Crisis of Conscience A. Questions & Argument B. Συνείδησις in the Pastorals and Paul C. Συνείδησις in the Pastorals in Light of Greek and Roman Literature I. Συνείδησις as an Element of the Soul II. The Ἀγαθὴ Συνείδησις (1 Tim 1:5–7 and 1:18–20) ΙΙΙ. Purity, Defilement, and Συνείδησις IV. The Καθαρὰ Συνείδησις (1 Tim 3:9 and 2 Tim 1:3–5) V. Συνείδησις and Νόσος VI. The Conscience as Cauterized, Not Branded VII. Reorienting the Discussion of the Cauterized Conscience VIII. Νοῦς and Συνείδησις as Cognitive Organs of the Soul (Titus 1:13–16) D. Conclusion Conclusion Bibliography Index of Ancient Sources Select Modern Sources Index Index of Subjects Andrew M. Langford examines the rhetoric of medical metaphors in three New Testament letters (1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus) and demonstrates how these letters utilize disease metaphors to promulgate a distinctive vision of opponents and how to deal with them in the post-Pauline era.