A Letter of Recommendation? 207 composition of the letter, it makes more sense to consider Demetrius as a praiseworthy character previously known by Gaius, rather than a stranger letter-carrier. 3. Third John’s use of Rhetoric Today’s scholars estimate that in ancient Roman Palestine, only about 10 percent of the population was able to read and write (15). The number of people who had access to formal rhetorical training was dramatically less. However, as DeSilva puts it, the New Testament authors very likely had the chance to enjoy the “informal training of hearing orators at work, of learning inductively the art of persua- sion”(16). Moreover, if we observe for instance the way letters were written — the various styles and different formats of literary letters, the less refined correspondence found on papyri, and the ostraca — we notice some widespread patterns. In one way or another, these patterns were influenced by Cicero’s letters, mostly published after his death in 43 BCE (17). Though a number of commentaries on letter writing were written during late antiquity, it is hard to know if they had an actual impact on the way letters were written. The consensus today seems to be that these commentaries were rather acknowledging and rationalizing the different patterns and styles already in use, since ancient letter books of styles and the actual letters share the same basic three-fold understanding of the functions and purposes of correspon- dence: Philophronesis (the friendly relationship between two persons); Parousia (reviving the friendly relationship of physically separated correspondents; Omilia/dialogos (main function of the letter: dialogic conversation) (18). It has already been shown that letters were used to carry religious and philosophical teachings since the first century CE (19). Further, it is very likely that New Testament authors were exposed to the art of (15) W.V. HARRIS, Ancient Literacy (Cambridge 1989) 1-24; C. HEZSER, Jewish Literacy in Roman Palestine (Text und Studien zum antiken Judentum; Tübingen 2001) 496. (16) D.A. DESILVA, Honor, Patronage, Kinship & Purity. Unlocking New Testament Culture (Downers Grove, IL 2000) 42, n. 19. (17) W.G. DOTY, Letters in Primitive Christianity (Guides to Biblical Scholarship; Philadelphia, PA 1973) 2-3. (18) See for instance Demetrius’ Peri hermeneias. DOTY, Letters, 8-9; 11-12. (19) Cf. the letters of Apollonius of Tyana (born 4 BCE), cited by DOTY, Letters, 3.