Abstract

The author shows how Paul creates the image of the righteous Apostle
referring to arguments and witnesses in order to authenticate the self-portrait
found in Rom 9,1-5 as well as the credibility of the arguments submitted;
this is so also in section Rom 9,6–11,36. Paul carefully planned the rhetorical
strategy and strengthened the arguments competently, as well as the
authority and credibility of the witnesses cited. In the adopted rhetoric and
theological strategy, he refers three times to the biblical legal tradition of the
need to appoint two or three witnesses. He thus built the triple sequence of
the next three testimonies: 1. “I say the truth in Christ”; 2. “I’m not lying;
3. “My conscience in the Holy Spirit testifies to my conscience.” Then he presented three witnesses with the highest authority and credibility: 1. God
in Christ; 2. The conscience of the Apostle; 3. The Holy Spirit. Throughout
the section, the quoted texts are cited from three great biblical traditions:
1. legal; 2. prophetic; 3. sapiential. Therefore, the Apostle consistently presented the maximum number of witnesses (three), additionally multiplied
by three autonomous circles.