The New Testament applies many titles to Jesus: Lord, Saviour, Son of God, and proclamation and proclaimer of the good news. However, what the New Testament doesn’t tell us (but its original audience would readily have understood) was that these titles were already claimed by another figure: Augustus Caesar and his successors, the Roman Emperors. This created social and political conflict between Christians and the dominant culture which upheld such imperial ideology.
One New Testament book in which this conflict between Christian devotion to Christ and Roman imperial ideology can be seen is Philippians. Philippians was likely written during Emperor Nero’s reign. [1] The city of Philippi itself was a Roman colony. Octavian (later Augustus Caesar) had favoured the city and given it the privilege of Roman citizenship. Thus the Philippians developed a fierce loyalty to the emperor in order to pay their debt of gratitude for the emperor’s favour. [2]
This backdrop reveals a whole new dimension to Paul’s encouragement to the Philippian Christians as they sought to follow Christ in a city which fiercely upheld Roman ideology. Paul encourages them to find their status of citizenship not in Rome, but in heaven (3:20) and to conduct themselves “in a matter worthy of [or, “live as citizens worthy of”] the gospel of Christ” in “civic” unity. (1:27). [3]
After the death of Julius Caesar, the Roman empire fell into civil war between Caesar’s supporters and their allies and his assassins and their allies. The civil war created divisions across the empire, and thus a breach of peace, a lack of resources and a loss of stability and security. When Octavian finally emerged victorious and brought security and stability to the empire once more, he was hailed as saviour. [4]
Thus Paul’s message is clear when he encourages the Philippian Christians that they do indeed await a saviour, but this in not the emperor but rather “the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control”—including Nero—“will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body” (3:20-21).
Augustus’ military victory and his imperium rule also earned him the title ‘Lord.’ His subjects throughout the empire bowed their knee and acknowledged that “Caesar is Lord.” Once again, Paul refuses this title to Caesar. He writes,
“9 Therefore God exalted him [Jesus] to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11, emphasis mine).
Augustus claimed the highest place and highest name in the empire to which every knee was to bow and every tongue confess his lordship through blood, violence and war. But Christ? He did it through humble obedience unto death on a cross (Philippians 2:6-8).
Augustus’ restoration of peace, security and prosperity to the provinces through his imperial rule indebted them to eternal gratitude. One way they expressed their gratitude was to hail him as a god. The reasoning was that since he had provided gifts worthy of the gods (peace, stability and prosperity), he was worthy of the honour due the gods. [5] Upon their death, emperors were deified and added to the Roman pantheon. Many emperors refused to be considered divine while they lived, yet were hailed as the “son of god.” Out of this devotion developed the imperial cult, where sacrifices were offered to the emperor.
As with Paul and Philippians, Mark likely wrote his gospel in Rome under the rule of Nero. [6] Nero, while he did not consider himself divine (at least, that he wouldn’t become divine until he died), was often depicted as a god and incarnate Apollo. [7]
However, Mark refuses any of these titles to Nero, but instead presents a different divine son—Jesus Christ, who is called the Son of God on eight occasions (see 1:1, 11; 3:11; 5:7; 9:7; 12:1-11; 13:32; 15:39). Yet Mark goes even further to let his readers know that Jesus is the “Son of God” in a unique sense above and beyond the emperor’s claims. Twice (1:11; 9:7) Mark records God the Father acknowledging Jesus as “my Son—the uniquely beloved one”. [8] For Mark, Jesus’ deity went far beyond merely mediating divine favour and becoming divine at death, but that Jesus was God.
Augustus’ victory and the pax Romana that ensued was called the “good news,” or, in Greek, euaggelion, which is the word translated “gospel.” This word was also used concerning other imperial announcements, such as a military victory or the birth of a son. [9]
Thus the message is clear when Luke records the angels’ words to the shepherds concerning the birth of a new king: “Do not be afraid, I bring you good news [euaggelion] that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11).
The Christian gospel was a direct challenge to the divinity and supremacy of the emperor. It claimed that—in the eyes of the Romans—a false Jewish king and rebel crucified by the Romans was indeed Saviour, Lord and the divine Son of God. [10]
Yet not only was Jesus hailed as having the same titles or greater titles as Caesar; He had exclusive right to these titles. Paul writes to the Corinthians, “For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live” (1Co 8:5-6).
For the Christian, Christ, not Caesar, was Lord, Saviour and the Son of God. Yet Christian leaders were quick to affirm that devotion to Jesus Christ did not mean rebellion against Caesar.
Jesus Himself said to “give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s” (Matthew 22:21). Peter later wrote, “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors … Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honour the emperor” (1Pe 2:13-14, 17).
Why was this? One reason may have been to counteract charges that Christians were subversive rebels. Also, Paul wrote to Christians in Rome itself asserting that such authorities have been established by God and therefore to obey them and to pay taxes (see Romans 13:1-7). Emperors were to be honoured and obeyed as far as it did not contradict devotion to Jesus as the only Lord and Saviour.
Caesar and his imperial cult seem far removed and foreign today. Yet the Christian gospel of Christ’s divinity and supremacy above all human authorities remains the same. All “Caesars” who claim divinity and lordship are illegitimate usurpers. While human leaders may indeed lead nations to stability, security and prosperity, the New Testament authors assert that gratitude and loyalty to such leaders can never infringe on the honour due the Lord Jesus Christ.
Christ, not Augustus or any other “Caesars” who have reigned since, is Lord.
Notes
[1] Mark J. Keown, Exploring the New Testament: Background, Theology and Themes (Auckland: Laidlaw College, 2015), 50.
[2] David A. deSilva, An Introduction to the New Testament: Contexts, Methods and Ministry Formation (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2004), 640-1; Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart, How to Read the Bible Book by Book (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2002), 355.
[3] ibid., 641.
[4] ibid., 56-8.
[5] ibid., 58. This was expressed by the ancient writer Nicolaus of Damascus in Life of Augustus 1.
[6] Keown, Exploring, 50.
[7] ibid.
[8] Frank Thielman, Theology of the New Testament: a canonical and synthetic approach (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005), 63.
[9] Keown, Exploring, 53.
[10] ibid., 51.
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The Chronicles of Storyteller 
Excellent post, Philip.