Re: Luke 2:1 (off topic)

From: Jeffrey B. Gibson (jgibson000@mailhost.chi.ameritech.net)
Date: Wed Dec 22 1999 - 13:30:23 EST

John Barach wrote:

> B-Greeks:
>
> I've been exegeting Luke 2:1-5 for reasons you may be able to guess.
> One Dutch writer, B. Holwerda, speaks about the worship of the emperor
> and says that because Augustus brought peace to the Empire he was
> greeted as the "Saviour" who descended from heaven and who would ascend
> to heaven again. Could any of you point me to source material which
> might back up this claim?
>
> Holwerda does refer to a "kalenderinschrift" from Priene (9 BC) which
> refers to Augustus as "God" and speaks of his "gospel" and indicates a
> desire to have the calendar start with Augustus's birthday. Where might
> I find a copy of that inscription? (Or could someone copy it and send
> it to me?)
>

Here's a translation of the Priene inscription taken from the "Divine Men, Heros, and
Gods" section of James Tabor's page on _The Jewish Roman World of Jesus_ (which also
contains a subsection on "Ascent to Heaven in Antiquity"). See
http://www.uncc.edu/jdtabor/

Yours,

Jeffrey Gibson 

--
Jeffrey B. Gibson
7423 N. Sheridan Road #2A
Chicago, Illinois 60626
e-mail jgibson000@ameritech.net

**********

 Letter of the Proconsul to the Cities of Asia (9 B.C.E.)

     Whereas the Providence which has guided our whole existence
     and which has shown such care and liberality, has brought our
     life to the peak of perfection in giving to us Augustus Caesar,
     whom it (Providence) filled with virtue for the welfare of mankind,
     and who, being sent to us and to our descendants as a Savior
     (soter), has put an end to war and has set all things in order; and
     whereas, having become visible, Caesar has fulfilled the hopes
     of all earlier times . . .  not only in surpassing all the benefactors
     who preceded him but also in leaving to his successors no hope
     of surpassing him; and whereas, finally, that the birthday of the
     God (i.e. Augustus) has been for the whole world the beginning
     of the gospel (euangelion) concerning him, therefore, let all
     reckon a new era beginning from the date of his birth, and let his
     birthday mark the beginning of the new year.

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