Imperial Cult Archives - Bob on Books

Cover image of "Jesus and Divine Honors" by D. Clint Burnett

Paul and Imperial Divine Honors, D. Clint Burnett. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing (ISBN: 9780802879851) 2024.

Summary: Studies inscriptional evidence in three cities offering a nuanced treatment of the Roman imperial cult.

“Jesus is Lord; Caesar is not.” This statement by a prominent New Testament scholar summarizes the conflict early Christians faced in the Roman empire. In particular, it is assumed that Roman subjects were required to offer sacrifices to the Roman emperors, who were considered divine. Thus Christians faced a dilemma that could lead to alienation at the very least and persecution at the most.

While D. Clint Burnett does not disagree outright with this contention, he believes the actual situation was more complex and varied by the particular city considered. He does so on the basis of the inscriptional evidence from several Roman cities to which the Apostle Paul wrote: Philippi, Thessalonica, and Corinth. Specifically he surveys literary, epigraphic, numismatic, and archaeological evidence.

In his introductory chapter, he offers the example of another city, Gythium. He shows how imperial divine honors were “intertwined with the public lives of Greco-Roman communities and had political, economic, social, and religious components that one cannot neatly separate.” They were public, often part of festivals, and similar in character to worship of other gods. A key motive was to express gratitude for benefactions, not only to divinized deceased rulers but to their living counterparts, even though these often had not yet attained the status of divus. This was first accorded by the Roman Senate, and then adopted by local officials, though this varied by city.

After his introduction, Burnett devotes a chapter each to the evidence from Philippi, Thessalonica, and Corinth. In each chapter, he reviews the archaeological evidence pertaining to the imperial divine honors accorded different Roman emperors. Then, he considers the imperial cultic officials who were priests and benefactors, the location of imperial divine honors, and of what imperial honors consisted. Synthesizing this data, he then considers the implications for early Christians in each city.

Burnett concludes that differences in practice and the character of each city, as well as that of the respective churches resulted in different experiences. In Philippi, where conservative values ruled and imperial divine honors focused on the deceased divi (with the exception of Tiberias), proclamation of Jesus as Lord resulted in imprisonment for some. By contrast, Thessalonica saw their gods working through the Julio-Claudian line to prosper the city. Hence, they granted imperial divine honors to both living and deceased Julio-Claudians. The Thessalonian Christians’ aggressive evangelism jeopardized the harmonious status quo, leading to their mistreatment.

Corinth differed both in bestowing divine honors only posthumously and extended these to non-Julio-Claudians. What sets apart the Corinthian church is that non-believers in Corinth failed to see how counter-cultural were the gospel claims. This had to do with both the Jewish apocalyptic beliefs of Christians and the un-Christian behavior of some. Consequently, they were able to live peaceably in the surrounding culture.

Burnett’s study is valuable in two aspects. First, he helps the reader understand what the Roman imperial cult looked like in these different cities. While there were commonalities, it was anything but uniform. And second, he shows that the Christian experience of the imperial cult was anything but uniform as well. This does not undercut the radical implications of saying “Jesus is Lord.” Rather, Burnett shows that the reception of this message was shaped by local, and not just empire-wide factors. Likewise, the contrast between Philippi and Thessalonica on one hand, and Corinth on the other also underscores the matter of Christian faithfulness in forthright proclamation. The culture will not trouble the church whose proclamation is muted, unclear, and morally compromised.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review.

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A Week in the Life of Ephesus (A Week in the Life Series), David A. deSilva. Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2020.

Summary: A historical novel exploring the religious and cultural context of Ephesus during the reign of Domitian c. 90 AD.

The latest installment in the IVP Academic “A Day in the Life Series” acquaints us with the religious and cultural context during the reign of Domitian, around 90 AD. Like other books in the series, David deSilva uses a historical fiction approach centering around Amyntas, a prosperous Christian landowner in a context becoming increasingly hostile to Christians, who were considered atheists because they did not join in the worship of the pantheon of deities, from local deities to the cult of the Roman Emperor Domitian.

Amyntas hosts a gathering of Christians in his home. Some community leaders, who are also involved in the various religious cults, including that of the Emperor Domitian, for whom Ephesus has been designated a regional center, collude in a plot to trap Amyntas. They invite him to become a neopoios for the temple of Domitian. This is a kind of caretaker or trustee position, that on the face of it is an honor and would make him an insider. But it would either compromise him, or “out” him as a Christian, leading to his being ostracized, or worse. A close friend, and then his own son, are beaten up for their Christian beliefs.

A Christian friend from Pergamum suggests that he “go along to get along.” After all, “idols don’t really mean anything.” The contacts he would make, and the influence he would wield, could help the Christians. People from his house church disagree, and even ask Amyntas’ friend to leave. Amyntas struggles to decide. It becomes more complicated when a letter arrives from the John, in exile on the isle of Patmos.

Through the narrative and sidebars, we learn about the pantheon of gods, and emperor worship, and how Christians worshiped. An underlying theme is the power of imperial Rome and how that power was projected through the imperial cult, and how imperial Rome was a drain on the rest of the empire. Although set two millenia ago, the narrative raises questions about what Christian faithfulness looks like in relation to the competing claims of empire. We are forced to consider what we would do, or perhaps are doing, when faced with the conflicting claims to allegiance of empire, and the kingdom of God. David deSilva portrays the subtle guise in which the temptation may come, the allure of the inner ring, the justifications one may use, and the real consequences of Christian faithfulness many through the ages have faced.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions I have expressed are my own.