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corpus-paul - "Iesous Kurios" to Roman ears

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  • From: "Jon Peter" <jnp AT home.com>
  • To: "Corpus Paulinum" <corpus-paul AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: "Iesous Kurios" to Roman ears
  • Date: Wed, 14 Jul 1999 17:27:38 -0700


In rummaging through last week's posts for a recap on exchanges, I came
across a statement that I'd previously overlooked and would like to learn
more about, if anyone has info. I had written:


> > Paul is better able to write "Christ Jesus is Lord" --
> > which he must do, as his duty and calling from Christ -- without risking
an
> > accusation of sedition for it, precisely because he goes on to write
> > approvingly of submission to secular authorities. The "sedition" of
"king
> > Jesus" becomes quite acceptable to Rome this way
> >
>

To which the reply was:

> Unfortunately for your case, this ignores the fact that within the Roman
world calling
> Jesus "Lord" is something which is even more politically significant and
seditious
> than calling him King, since such a confession devalues the claim made by
Romans in
> similar confessions of allegiance to the Emperor that only Caesar was
Lord.
>
> > >


This is quite interesting and it refers to historical circumstances I'd
never heard about before. I was not aware that KURIOS was a politically
loaded word signifying sedition. If that is so, and if writing or speaking
of someone as KURIOS was per se impermissible, it completely changes my
understanding of NT documents.

Any amplification that list members might be able to provide would be
valuable, such as the dates when the KURIOS label was banned or its usage
outside the imperial cult hazardous, the circumstances; any exceptions that
were allowed, and instances of enforcement. Presumably, NT writers such as
Paul knew that using this language was dangerous. Why were they apparently
unwary? Also, I'm curious (pun not intended) as to whether the LXX used
KURIOS for Yahweh, and if so, how this was excusable and KURIOS IESOUS was
not.

Best regards,

Jon





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