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Rhetoric and Theology in the Holiness Code

Kim, Sun-Jong 1

1호남신학대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

As an enforceable rule, the law regulates and controls human behavior. In that regard, the language of the legal profession should be clear and distinct. When the law is written ambiguously, its various interpretations will cause lots of problems. In this point, the Holiness Code(Lev 17-26), one of the main law codes in the Hebrew Bible, does not meet the linguistic criteria of the modern law. In this law code, one can find the art of persuasion such as inventio, dispositio, and elocutio that were developed in the classical rhetoric in order to persuade the audience. In the Holiness Code appear various rhetorical arrangements, for example the parallelism in a micro-structure and the chiasm in a macro-structure. By using rhetorical techniques such as omission, metaphor, and repetition, the Holiness Code does not satisfy the legal language up to a modern standard. However, this legislation does not expose its naivete as being written in ancient times. On the contrary, its style aims to persuade the audience or the readers who listen or read the Law and finally to invite them to live autonomously according to the Word. This intent is not revealed only by the stylistic scheme of this law code. The Holiness Code does not mention political and social personage like king, judge, and ruler that are found in the Covenant Code(Exod 20:22-23:33) and the Deuteronomic Code(Deut 12-26). No political power is given to the priests. This fact gives a lot of implication to the religious, political, and legal groups who use the rhetorical devices actively.

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