Epigraphic evidence offers an important and yet oft-neglected dimension to the history of biblical reception. One of the most curious cases of epigraphic incidence of a biblical text is the use of Romans 8.31. Within early Christian writings, this Pauline passage is used approximately 20 times across nine different writers before 604 ce. However, the words of Romans 8.31 may be found on at least 23 epigraphic artifacts from this same period, and in particular, on the door lintels of homes. This article explores what might account for the discrepancy between the literary and epigraphic use of Romans 8.31, the possible apotropaic function of this phrase, and how such evidence might inform the interpretation and reception of this Pauline passage.
Purchase
Buy instant access (PDF download and unlimited online access):
Institutional Login
Log in with Open Athens, Shibboleth, or your institutional credentials
Personal login
Log in with your brill.com account
D. Feissel, “The Bible in Greek Inscriptions” in The Bible in Greek Christian Antiquity, P.M. Blowers, ed. (Notre Dame, in. 1997) 289-298; 292.
F. Millar, “Epigraphy” in Sources for Ancient History, M. Crawford, ed. (Cambridge. 1983) 80-136; 80.
P.M. Head, “Additional Greek Witnesses to the New Testament (Ostraca, Amulets, Inscriptions, and other Sources)” in The Text of the New Testament in Contemporary Research: Essays on the Status Quaestionis, B.D. Ehrman and M.W. Holmes, ed. nttsd 42 (Leiden. 2013) 429-460; 431.
M. Humphries, “Material Evidence (1): Archaeology” in The Oxford Handbook of Early Christian Studies, S. Ashbrook Harvey and D.G. Hunter, ed. (Oxford. 2008) 87-103; 96. doi: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199271566.001.0001. For difficulty with dating epigraphic inscriptions, see also Felle, Biblia Epigraphia, 23-25, 34.
Millar, “Epigraphy,” 110. For an example of the importance of context for documentary and literary texts see A. Luijendijk, “A New Testament Papyrus and Its Documentary Context: An Early Christian Writing Exercise from the Archive of Leonides (P.Oxy. II 209/P10)”. jbl 129, no. 3 (2010) 575-596. doi: 10.2307/25765953.
Millar, “Epigraphy,” 110. See also D. Lincicum, “The Epigraphic Habit and the Biblical Text” Bulletin of the International Organization for Septuagint and Cognate Studies 41 (2008) 84-92.
See Felle, Biblia Epigraphia, 526; W.K. Prentice, “The Character and Purpose of the Inscriptions of Northern Central Syria,” in Greek and Latin Inscriptions, Part III of the Publications of an American Archeological Expedition to Syria in 1899-1900 (New York. 1908); L. Jalabert, “Notes d’épigraphie chrétiennes” in Recherches de science religieuse 1 (1910) 68-71 and (1911) 59-61; L. Jalabert, “Citations bibliques dans l’épigraphie grecque” in Dictionnaire d’archéologie chrétienne et de liturgie, vol. 3. F. Cabrol and H. Leclercq, ed. (Paris. 1914) cols. 1731-1756; and L. Jalabert and R. Mouterde (with C. Mondésert), Inscriptions grecques et latines de la Syrie, vol. 4: Laodicée, Apamène (Paris. 1955).
Prentice, Princeton University Archaeological Expeditions, 38.
W.K. Prentice, “Magical Formulae on Lintels of the Christian Period in Syria,” American Journal of Archaeology, 10.2 (1906) 137-150; 138. doi: 10.2307/496990.
G.H.R. Horsley, “The Inscriptions of Ephesos and the NT” NovT 34.2 (1992) 105-168; 167. doi: 10.2307/1561039.
All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
---|---|---|---|
Abstract Views | 577 | 62 | 8 |
Full Text Views | 276 | 6 | 1 |
PDF Views & Downloads | 130 | 11 | 2 |
Epigraphic evidence offers an important and yet oft-neglected dimension to the history of biblical reception. One of the most curious cases of epigraphic incidence of a biblical text is the use of Romans 8.31. Within early Christian writings, this Pauline passage is used approximately 20 times across nine different writers before 604 ce. However, the words of Romans 8.31 may be found on at least 23 epigraphic artifacts from this same period, and in particular, on the door lintels of homes. This article explores what might account for the discrepancy between the literary and epigraphic use of Romans 8.31, the possible apotropaic function of this phrase, and how such evidence might inform the interpretation and reception of this Pauline passage.
All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
---|---|---|---|
Abstract Views | 577 | 62 | 8 |
Full Text Views | 276 | 6 | 1 |
PDF Views & Downloads | 130 | 11 | 2 |