Ancient Literary Criticism and Major Structural Relationships: A Comparative Analysis

Authors

Matthew R. Peterson, Asbury Theological Seminary
Dain Alexander Smith, Asbury Theological Seminary

Abstract

The texts of the New Testament (NT) emerged during an era that produced robust literary and rhetorical criticism. This article draws from works produced during that period to investigate similarities and differences between the figures discussed by ancient literary theorists and the Major Structural Relationships (MSRs) identified by David R. Bauer and Robert A. Traina. Ultimately, this article reveals that the MSRs proposed in their Inductive Bible Study (IBS) handbook are not merely an invention of modern literary critical reading strategies but reflect devices incorporated into ancient literature and identified and discussed by ancient literary theorists.

DOI

10.7252/Journal.01.2020S.3

Recommended Citation

Peterson, Matthew R. and Smith, Dain Alexander (2020) "Ancient Literary Criticism and Major Structural Relationships: A Comparative Analysis," The Journal of Inductive Biblical Studies: Vol. 7: Iss. 2, p. 32-60.
Available at: https://place.asburyseminary.edu/jibs/vol7/iss2/4