Christ and Caesar: The Gospel and the Roman Empire in the Writings of Paul and Luke

COVER......Page 1
CONTENTS......Page 8
PREFACE......Page 12
INTRODUCTION......Page 15
PART ONE: The Epistles of Paul......Page 18
Luke's Testimony in Acts 17:1-9......Page 20
The Imperial Cult in Thessalonica......Page 21
Parallelism of Terms......Page 22
Paul's Counter-Imperial Message in 1 Thessalonians?......Page 24
Philippians......Page 28
Romans......Page 33
1 Corinthians......Page 38
"Parallelomania"......Page 45
Deduction from Assumptions......Page 47
Proof-Texting......Page 48
Appeal to Coding......Page 49
No Reference to the Imperial Cult......Page 51
Romans 13:1-7......Page 53
Philippians 1:19-26 and Paul's Attitude to the Roman Court......Page 60
Maintaining the Status Quo before the Imminent End......Page 67
Preaching the Gospel to Hasten the Parousia......Page 70
The Ethic of Perseverance, Nonretaliation, Enemy Love, and Peace......Page 71
The Transcendental Conception of Salvation......Page 75
The Absence of Anti-Imperial Interpretation in the Early Church......Page 77
5. Summary and Conclusion......Page 82
PART TWO: The Writings of Luke (The Gospel according to Luke and the Acts of the Apostles)......Page 90
6. The Gospel Charged as Anti-Imperial......Page 92
The Annunciation Stories (Luke 1:26-80)......Page 94
The Inclusio of the Birth Narrative (Luke 2:1-14) and Paul's Proclamation in Rome (Acts 28:30-31)......Page 95
Peter's Sermon to the Roman Officer Cornelius (Acts 10:34-43)......Page 98
Jesus' Baptism by John the Baptist (Luke 3:21-22)......Page 101
Jesus' Inaugural Sermon (Luke 4:18-19)......Page 104
Jesus' Temptations by Satan (Luke 4:1-13)......Page 105
Jesus' Contrast with Pagan Kings (Luke 22:24-27)......Page 106
Jesus' Politics through Symbolic Acts......Page 108
Jesus' Exaltation to the Throne of David......Page 109
8. Jesus' Redemption: It Is Not a Deliverance from the Roman Empire......Page 111
No Promise or Call for an Overthrow of the Roman Imperial Rule......Page 112
No Call to Establish a Davidic Kingdom of Israel......Page 117
Redefinition of God's People, Israel......Page 118
Rejection of the Idea of Vengeance upon the Gentiles......Page 121
Criticism of Aspirations for a Violent Revolution......Page 122
Jesus Was Declared Innocent by Pilate......Page 128
Exorcism and Healing of the Sick......Page 131
Restoration of Sinners......Page 150
Good News Preached to the Poor......Page 156
Conclusion......Page 164
The Exalted Lord Jesus Christ Continues His Redemptive Work through His Apostles......Page 168
To Persuade the Rulers to Submit to the Kingdom of God and the Lord Jesus Christ?......Page 172
Eschatology......Page 178
An Apology for the Church to the Empire?......Page 185
An Apology for the Empire to the Church?......Page 188
The Purpose of Legitimation......Page 190
Jesus' Example......Page 191
Political Realism......Page 192
An Appreciation of Pax Romana......Page 194
Not Yet the Situation of the Revelation of John......Page 197
Summary and Conclusion......Page 208
Excursus: Revelation, Paul, Hebrews......Page 211
Comparison between Paul and Luke......Page 216
EPILOGUE: Some Implications for Today......Page 217
SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY......Page 221
INDEX OF MODERN AUTHORS......Page 232
INDEX OF SCRIPTURE AND OTHER ANCIENT TEXTS......Page 235