Imperial Cult and Honorary Terms in the New Testament (Paradosis: Contributions to the History of Early Christian Literature and Theology 23)

Acknowledgments......Page 3
Plan......Page 5
Bibliography......Page 7
Abbreviations......Page 15
Introduction......Page 17
I. The Sources of the Imperial Cult and Its Early Development......Page 21
a) Divine Honours in the Hellenistic East......Page 22
b) Divine Honours in the Roman Republic......Page 25
c) Divine Honours in the Early Empire......Page 28
a) The Attitude of Christ towards the Roman Empire......Page 34
b) The Attitude of St. Paul towards the Emperor......Page 37
c) The Attitude of Pilate and the Significance of the Expression 'Friend of Caesar'......Page 42
1. The 'Blasphemous Titles' of the First Beast......Page 48
a) The Title 'Κυριος' in Imperial and Christian Usage......Page 51
b) 'Σωτηρ' - Its Hellenistic and Christian Meaning......Page 61
c) The Title of 'Divi Filius'......Page 69
2. Acclamations - a Possible Interpretation of the Term 'Blasphemous Titles' as Used in the Apocalypse......Page 72
3. The Legend of 'Nero Redivivus'......Page 86
a) The Priesthoods......Page 94
b) The Significance of the Term 'Image of the Beast' and the Importance of Statues in Imperial Cult Worship......Page 106
1. The Notion of 'Ascension' as an Expression of Glorification......Page 115
2. The Profane and Religious Implications of the Term 'Επιφανεια'......Page 136
VI. Persecution in Relation to the Imperial Cult......Page 147
a) Direct Persecution and Its Causes......Page 148
b) Indirect Persecution......Page 156
Conclusion......Page 161
Scriptural Index......Page 164
Indices......Page 165
Modern Scholars......Page 168