The epithet in the Apostle Paul. Morphology, semantics and hermeneutic function of the adjective in the Pauline texts

The present study attempts to study the function of the adjective within the Pauline corpus of the New Testament, that is, the way in which the adjective contributed to the formation of the theological discourse of the apostle, using as an interpretative tool one of the disciplines of Linguistics, that of Morphology. The linguistic hermeneutical orientation of the study contributes to the understanding of the text and message of the apostle, while seeking to enrich his hermeneutical approach within the whole of biblical research.

All adjectives are recorded and classified according to their morphological construction. From the set of constructed adjectives, the neologisms of the corpus are searched and the morphology and semantics of each neologism are specifically described. Mainly, hermeneutical issues related to the linguistic construction of adjectives are investigated and explanations related to them are proposed. The adjectives are grouped according to the persons identified (Christ, the apostle, the bishops, the people of the end times, the believers, some groups with actions contrary to those of the apostles, people in general), things (the Bible, the gifts, some concepts) and those that are indicative of relationships, and explaining how the apostle’s language choices serve the purpose of writing the letters in an attempt to illuminate important issues that were of concern to church communities. It is documented that neologic adjectives are used in a specific contextual context, theological, creating a specific vocabulary, theological, since the apostle Paul makes use of it in addressing a specific social group with specific characteristics, common experiences, events and situations. The apostle, through the neological adjectives, as can be concluded from their study, mainly aims to emphasize and ensure the unity of the believers as members of the church community and uses them as a pastoral tool and structural element of his theological writing, as they embody his theology.