A rhetorical analysis of the first prefixed letter (1:1-1:10a) in 2 Maccabees : Septuagint conference articles (LXXSA 2014)

The text of 2 Maccabees has been fruitfully explored throughout the centuries. An aspect which scholars have struggled with is the significance of the two prefixed letters. The discussions on the reason for adding the letters are, however, mainly concerned with the respective authors, vocabulary and main ideas which are present in both the letters and the narrative. This article proposes an alternative approach to the problem. Through applying a rhetorical analysis to the first prefixed letter, the study explicates similarities in the communicative strategies applied in both the letter and the narrative. Both focus on a unified and ideal group who function as ambassadors for a specific purpose, and both employ the elements of threat and response in order to highlight important ideas. This will hopefully provide new insight into the reasons for attaching this letter to such a rhetorically effective narrative.