Nie-egte vrae in 1 Korintiërs 9

Abstract

Non-real questions in 1 Corinthians 9In 1 Corinthians 9 Paul is defending his apostleship in a forceful way. In this process he uses a number of non-real questions, which commentators usually describe as rhetorical questions. The purpose of this article is to analyse and describe these questions more clearly using a model, based on speech act theory. The model distinguishes between real and non-real questions, the latter being divided into six main and a few sub-categories of non-real questions. Four of these categories are identified in 1 Corinthians 9.The conclusion reached is that the denominator “rhetorical question” is an oversimplification that does not do justice to the various types of questions used in the chapter. By distinguishing and describing the types of questions within a scientific framework, more light is shed on the way in which Paul uses them to convince his audience of his apostleship. The article also contributes to the translation and exegesis of this important chapter in the letter.