Corpus-Paul

[James Miller <themiller7 AT worldnet.att.net>]

Gary Burnett wrote, "The generally accepted background these days for Romans
is based on the expulsion and the subsequent return of Jews to Rome due to
an edict of Claudius around 49 . . ."

I agree that this is the "generally accepted background" for Romans. It is
often simply assumed to be true in much recent writing on Romans. But I
think the idea that an expulsion of Jews under Claudius, and their later
return, determined the situation among those to whom Paul wrote in Rome
needs to be challenged.

I will briefly list a few objections (taken from Achtemeier), then recommend
a couple of items worth consulting.

1. Neither Suetonius nor Orosius states how many Jews were sent out of Rome,
though Luke states it was "all the Jews of Rome." Estimates of the Jewish
population of Rome in the mid-50's run as high as 40,000-50,000. A total
expulsion was simply impossible.

2. Suetonius says "Jews" were expelled. Orosius isn't sure whether only Jews
or Christians as well were expelled. Luke says all the Jews were expelled.
Who is right?

3. Orosius (writing in the early fifth century) is the only one who provides
us with a date for the expulsion. He gives Josephus as the source for that
information. Such a reference to an expulsion under Claudius cannot be
located in Josephus. So the date of 49 C.E. depends on a fifth-century
source who cites what a appears to be a non-existent source.

4. Cassius Dio denies Claudius sent the Jews out of Rome because there were
too many of them. Instead, Claudius banned them from meeting together.

5. Finally, we have a much more firmly attested date for an expulsion under
Tiberius.

These problems with conflict among sources, the date and reliability of one
important source, the feasibility of a large-scale expulsion, all call into
question the extent, or even fact, of an expulsion under Claudius in 49
C.E.. Some have dated the expulsion referred to in our sources to 41 C.E.,
where we have better evidence of Claudius taking action against Jews.

The most complete treatment of the subject is Mark Nanos's superb book, THE
MYSTERY OF ROMANS (Fortress, 1996), 372-87. See also Paul Achtemeier,
"Unsearchable Judgments and Inscrutible Ways" in PAULINE THEOLOGY IV:
LOOKIND BACK, PRESSING ON, eds. E. Elizabeth Johnson and David M. Hay
(Scholars Press, 1997), esp. 5­7.

My own conclusion (see THE OBEDIENCE OF FAITH, THE ESCHATOLOGICAL PEOPLE OF
GOD, AND THE PURPOSE OF ROMANS [SBL, 2000]) is that Claudius probably did
take some action against the Jews in Rome in 49 C.E.. But that action would
be too small to decisively shape the character of the Jesus movement in Rome
in the late 50's when Paul writes.

James C. Miller
Daystar University
Nairobi Kenya
themiller7 AT worldnet.att.net