My Lord and My God
Propaganda:
Domitian calls himself "Lord and God" (dominus et deus).
Response?
Thomas affirms that it is Jesus who is "Lord and God" (ὁ κύριός μου καὶ ὁ θεός μου).
Gospel
Propaganda:
The birthday of Augustus was the beginning of the good tidings (= gospel, in the plural) for the world.
Response?
Not to mention other uses of the term "gospel" in Christian texts.
Peace and Safety
Propaganda:
IMT Skam/NebTaeler 324, Troas, century I before Christ:
1 ὁ δῆμος κα[ὶ οἱ ν]έοι
2 [Γναῖον Πο]μπήιον, Γναίου [ὑ]ιόν, Μάγνον, τὸ τρίτον
3 [αὐτοκράτ]ορα, τὸν πατρώνα καὶ εὐεργέτην τῆς πόλεως
4 [εὐσεβεία]ς ἕνεκεν τῆς πρὸς τὴν θεὸν τὴν οὖσαν αὐτῶι
5 [...]ν καὶ εὐνοίας τῆς πρὸς τὸν δῆμον, ἀπολύσαντα
6 [τοὺς ἀ]νθρώπους ἀπό τε τῶν βαρβαρικῶν πολέμων
7 [καὶ τῶν π]ιρατικῶν κινδύνων ἀποκαθεστάκοτα δὲ
8 [εἰρ]ήνην καὶ τὴν ἀσφάλειαν καὶ κατὰ γῆν καὶ κατὰ θάλασσαν.
[My own translation:] The People an[d the Y]ouths (honor) [Gnaeus Po]mpey the Great, [s]on of Gnaeus, [Autocrat] for the third time, the Patron and Benefactor of the city on account o[f his piety] toward the goddess who is [...]n for him and of his goodwill toward the people, having released [h]umans from barbaric wars [and from] dangers from [p]irates, and having restored [pea]ce and safety both by land and by sea.
Psalms of Solomon 8.18 [speaking probably of Pompey]: 18 εἰσῆλθεν ὡς πατὴρ εἰς οἶκον υἱῶν αὐτοῦ μετ᾽ εἰρήνης· ἔστησεν τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ μετὰ ἀσφαλείας πολλῆς. / 18 He went in as a father into the house of his sons with peace; he established his feet with much safety.
Praeneste was "a town that also featured altars celebrating Pax Augusta and Securitas Augusta and was a favorite retreat of both the emperors Augustus and Tiberius" [link].
Claudius Pax coin:
Nero Securitas coin:
"Peace and safety" (pax et securitas) seems to have almost been a slogan for imperial control.
Response?
Nuh uh, says the apostle.
Savior of the World
Propaganda:
1 Τιβέριον Κλαύδιον Καίσαρα Σεβαστὸν
2 Γερμανικὸν αὐτοκράτορα σωτῆρα
3 τοῦ κόσμου ἡ βουλὴ ἡ ἐξ Ἀρείου πάγου
4 [κ]αὶ ἡ βουλὴ τῶν ἑξακοσίων καὶ ὁ δῆμος,
5 στρατηγοῦντος ἐπὶ τοὺς ὁπλείτας τὸ δʹ
6 [Τιβερίου Κ]λαυδίου Νουίου ἐξ Οἴου.
[My own translation:] The Council of the Areopagus [a]nd the Council of the Six Hundred and the People (honor) Tiberius Claudius Caesar Sebastos Germanicus, Autocrat, Savior of the World [σωτῆρα τοῦ κόσμου], while [Tiberius C]laudius Novius is serving as General of the Hoplites from Oeum.
Apparently Claudius Caesar is the savior of the world.
Response?
Philippians 3.20: 20 For our citizenship [πολίτευμα] is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior [σωτῆρα], the Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Timothy 4.10: 10 For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men [σωτὴρ πάντων ἀνθρώπων], especially of believers.
Well, actually, Jesus is the savior of the world.
Advent
Propaganda:
Adventus coin (Nero):
F. F. Bruce, Commentary on 1 & 2 Thessalonians, page 57: The παρουσία (Lat adventus) of a very important person might inaugurate a new era, as happened with the visit of Hadrian to Athens and other Greek cities in A. D. 124--an inscription of A. D. 192/3 at Tegea is dated "in the year 69 of the first παρουσία of the god Hadrian in Greece...." Not long after 1 Thessalonians was written, coins bearing some such legend as adventus Augusti were struck at Corinth and Patras to commemorate an official visit of Nero.
N. T. Wright, Jesus and the Victory of God, page 341: Parousia means 'presence' as opposed to apousia, 'absence'; hence it denotes the 'arrival' of someone not at the moment present; and it is especially used in relation to the visit 'of a royal or official personage' [note 95: Liddell-Scott-Jones, page 1343].
Response?
- 1 Corinthians 16.17.
2 Corinthians 7.6.
2 Corinthians 7.7.
2 Corinthians 10.10.
Philippians 1.26.
Philippians 2.12.
- Matthew 24.3.
Matthew 24.27.
Matthew 24.37.
Matthew 24.39.
1 Corinthians 15.23.
1 Thessalonians 2.19.
1 Thessalonians 3.13.
1 Thessalonians 4.15.
1 Thessalonians 5.23.
2 Thessalonians 2.1.
2 Thessalonians 2.8.
2 Thessalonians 2.9 (the advent or presence of the man of lawlessness).
James 5.7.
James 5.8.
2 Peter 1.16.
2 Peter 3.4.
2 Peter 3.12 (the advent of the day of God).
1 John 2.28.
Ignatius to the Smyrnaeans 9.3 (long recension only).
Shepherd of Hermas, Parable 5.5.3: "The fence posts are the Lord's holy angels who surround his people. The weeds that were removed from the vineyard are the lawless deeds of the slaves of God. The foods that he sent to him from his dinner are the commandments he has given his people through his Son. The friends and advisers are the holy angels who were created first. And the absence of the master is the time that remains until his coming [παρουσίαν]."
Justin Martyr, 1 Apology 52.3: 3 For the prophets have proclaimed two advents [παρουσίας] of His: the one, that which is already past, when He came as a dishonoured and suffering Man; but the second, when, according to prophecy, He shall come from heaven with glory, accompanied by His angelic host, when also He shall raise the bodies of all men who have lived, and shall clothe those of the worthy with immortality, and shall send those of the wicked, endued with eternal sensibility, into everlasting fire with the wicked devils.
Refer also to Dialogue with Trypho 14, 32, 40, 52, 110, 121.
Eusebius, History of the Church 5.24.1-8: 1 But the bishops of Asia, led by Polycrates, decided to hold to the old custom handed down to them. He himself, in a letter which he addressed to Victor and the church of Rome, set forth in the following words the tradition which had come down to him: 2 "We observe the exact day; neither adding, nor taking away. For in Asia also great lights have fallen asleep, which shall rise again on the day of the Lord's coming [παρουσίας], when he shall come with glory from heaven, and shall seek out all the saints. Among these are Philip, one of the twelve apostles, who fell asleep in Hierapolis; and his two aged virgin daughters, and another daughter, who lived in the Holy Spirit and now rests at Ephesus; and, moreover, John, who was both a witness and a teacher, who reclined upon the bosom of the Lord, and, being a priest, wore the sacerdotal plate. 3 He fell asleep at Ephesus. 4 And Polycarp in Smyrna, who was a bishop and martyr; and Thraseas, bishop and martyr from Eumenia, who fell asleep in Smyrna. 5 Why need I mention the bishop and martyr Sagaris who fell asleep in Laodicea, or the blessed Papirius, or Melito, the Eunuch who lived altogether in the Holy Spirit, and who lies in Sardis, awaiting the episcopate from heaven, when he shall rise from the dead? 6 All these observed the fourteenth day of the passover according to the Gospel, deviating in no respect, but following the rule of faith. And I also, Polycrates, the least of you all, do according to the tradition of my relatives, some of whom I have closely followed. For seven of my relatives were bishops; and I am the eighth. And my relatives always observed the day when the people put away the leaven. 7 I, therefore, brethren, who have lived sixty-five years in the Lord, and have met with the brethren throughout the world, and have gone through every Holy Scripture, am not affrighted by terrifying words. For those greater than I have said, 'We ought to obey God rather than man.'" 8 He then writes of all the bishops who were present with him and thought as he did. His words are as follows: "I could mention the bishops who were present, whom I summoned at your desire; whose names, should I write them, would constitute a great multitude. And they, beholding my littleness, gave their consent to the letter, knowing that I did not bear my gray hairs in vain, but had always governed my life by the Lord Jesus."
Further context:
2 Maccabees 8.12-13: 12 Word came to Judas concerning Nicanor's invasion; and when he told his companions of the arrival [παρουσίαν] of the army, 13 those who were cowardly and distrustful of God's justice ran off and got away.
2 Maccabees 15.21: 21 Maccabeus, perceiving the coming [παρουσίαν] of the hosts and the varied supply of arms and the savagery of the elephants, stretched out his hands toward heaven and called upon the Lord who works wonders; for he knew that it is not by arms, but as the Lord decides, that he gains the victory for those who deserve it.
3 Maccabees 3.17-18: 17 They accepted our presence [παρουσίαν] by word, but insincerely by deed, because when we proposed to enter their inner temple and honor it with magnificent and most beautiful offerings, 18 they were carried away by their traditional conceit, and excluded us from entering; but they were spared the exercise of our power because of the benevolence which we have toward all.
The following instances of παρουσία are the only three in the Wars, and all refer to the presence or coming of a military leader or force:
- 2.21.6 §79, of Josephus with his army.
4.5.5 §345, of the Idumeans.
5.9.4 §410, of Titus.
- 1.8.2 §168, of Abraham.
1.19.1 §281, of good things.
1.19.3 §287, of Jacob.
1.19.5 §296, of Esau.
2.3.1 §20, of Joseph as housemate.
2.13.1 §279, of Aaron and Moses.
4.8.2 §180, of things lacking.
5.1.26 §109, of the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.
5.8.10 §304, of Samson.
5.11.2 §355, of the ark of the covenant.
6.4.2 §102, of Samuel.
8.13.3 §325, of Elijah.
11.8.4 §328, of Alexander the king.
12.2.11 §86, of gift-bearers.
12.2.11 §93, of elders from Jerusalem.
12.6.2 §160, of an ambassador.
12.8.6 §352, of Judas Maccabeus to a military encampment.
13.9.2 §266, of ambassadors homeward.
18.6.4 §161, of Tiberius Caesar.
19.8.1 §339, of a king.
20.2.2 §31, of Izates, king-to-be.
20.2.2 §32, of Izates, king-to-be.
- 3.5.2 §79, on Sinai.
3.8.5 §202, in the tabernacle.
3.8.5 §203, in the tabernacle.
9.4.3 §55, to the servant of Elijah. Elijah asks God "to make apparent his power and presence [παρουσίαν]" to his servant in the face of a humanly superior force. This is the clearest theophanic usage of the term in Josephus, in my judgment, in which the presence of God is set parallel to his power.
Testament of Abraham 13: 13 And Abraham said, "My Lord chief-captain, who is this most wondrous judge? And who are the angels that write down? And who is the angel like the sun, holding the balance? And who is the fiery angel holding the fire?" The chief-captain said, "Do you see, most holy Abraham, the terrible man sitting upon the throne? This is the son of the first created Adam, who is called Abel, whom the wicked Cain killed, and he sits thus to judge all creation, and examines righteous men and sinners. For God has said, I shall not judge you, but every man born of man shall be judged. Therefore he has given to him judgment, to judge the world until his great and glorious coming [παρουσίας], and then, O righteous Abraham, is the perfect judgment and recompense, eternal and unchangeable, which no one can alter. For every man has come from the first-created, and therefore they are first judged here by his son, and at the second coming [παρουσίᾳ] they shall be judged by the twelve tribes of Israel, every breath and every creature. But the third time they shall be judged by the Lord God of all, and then, indeed, the end of that judgment is near, and the sentence terrible, and there is none to deliver. And now by three tribunals the judgment of the world and the recompense is made, and for this reason a matter is not finally confirmed by one or two witnesses, but by three witnesses shall everything be established. The two angels on the right hand and on the left, these are they that write down the sins and the righteousness, the one on the right hand writes down the righteousness, and the one on the left the sins. The angel like the sun, holding the balance in his hand, is the archangel, Dokiel the just weigher, and he weighs the righteousnesses and sins with the righteousness of God. The fiery and pitiless angel, holding the fire in his hand, is the archangel Puruel, who has power over fire, and tries the works of men through fire, and if the fire consume the work of any man, the angel of judgment immediately seizes him, and carries him away to the place of sinners, a most bitter place of punishment. But if the fire approves the work of anyone, and does not seize upon it, that man is justified, and the angel of righteousness takes him and carries him up to be saved in the lot of the just. And thus, most righteous Abraham, all things in all men are tried by fire and the balance."
Lives of the Prophets (recensio anonyma), Jeremiah 9-10: 9 This prophet, before the destruction of the temple, took possession of the ark of the law and the things within it, and caused them to be swallowed up in a rocky cliff, and he said to those who were present, 10 "The Lord departed from Sinai into heaven, and he will again come with might; and this shall be for you the sign of his appearance [παρουσίας], when all the Gentiles worship a piece of wood."
Meeting
Propaganda:
Cicero, Letters to Atticus 8.16[.1]: See how they are rushing to meet Caesar, and parading their loyalty to him! Why, the country towns are offering him prayers as though he were a god, and not sham ones, as those offered on behalf of the other when he was ill. But the simple fact is that whatever mischief this Pisistratus abstains from doing is as much a subject for gratitude as if he had prevented some one else from doing it. They hope the one will be lenient; they believe the other to be enraged. What processions do you suppose there to be from the towns [quos fieri censes ἀπαντήσεις ex oppidis], and what honors!
Cicero, Letters to Atticus 16.11.6: The municipal towns show astonishing enthusiasm for the boy. For instance, on his way into Samnium he came to Cales and stopped at Teanum. There was a wonderful procession to meet him, and loud expressions of encouragement [mirifica ἀπάντησις et cohortatio].
Josephus, Wars 7.5.2 §100: But when the people of Antioch were informed that Titus was approaching, they were so glad at it, that they could not keep within their walls, but hasted away to give him the meeting [ἐπὶ τὴν ὑπάντησιν].
Response?
Further context:
Tobit 11.15b-16 (Sinaiticus version): 15b And Tobit went in rejoicing and blessing God with all his body. And Tobias told his father that his journey was successful and that he brought money and how he wed Sarah, the daughter of Raguel, and that behold she is arriving and is near the Gate of Nineveh. 16 And Tobit went out by the gate of Nineveh to meet [εἰς ἀπάντησιν] the bride, rejoicing and blessed God. And the men of Nineveh marveled, seeing him proceeding and walking along with all his strength and being led by the hand by no one.
Matthew 25.1: 1 "Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went out to meet [D, W, Byzantine: εἰς ἀπάντησιν; א, B: εἰς ὑπάντησιν] the bridegroom."
Matthew 25.6: 6 "But at midnight there was a shout, 'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet [א, B, D, W, Byzantine: εἰς ἀπάντησιν] him.'"
John 12.12-13: 12 On the next day the great multitude who had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 took the branches of the palm trees, and went out to meet [A: εἰς ἀπάντησιν; א, B, W: εἰς ὑπάντησιν; D: εἰς συνάντησιν] Him, and began to cry out, "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel."
Acts 28.15: 15 And the brethren, when they heard about us, came from there as far as the Market of Appius and Three Inns to meet [A, B, Byzantine: εἰς ἀπάντησιν; א: εἰς ὑπάντησιν] us; and when Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.
What other examples are there? Please be as specific as possible, and give examples. Thanks.
Ben.