Becoming Slaves of God. The Pauline Slavery Metaphor in Light of the Papyrological Evidence
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24193/sacrascripta.2022.2.05Keywords:
slavery, documentary papyri, Paul’s letters, Χριστοῦ δοῦλος, manumission, testamentsAbstract
The various terms and representations around slavery and freedom in the letters of Paul are examined in this study against the background of the evidence in the documentary papyri. Thus, the perspective of the primary readers, who were acquainted with such practices from their everyday life, comes strongly to the fore. Especially the very common form of manumission by ransom could have served to some extent as a functional pattern of interpretation for the Pauline redemption theology. Given the important role of Christ’s death in the liberation from sin, law and death, the connection between emancipation and the death of the testator in the testamentary manumissions is brought into discussion. In reference to the Pauline phrase Χριστοῦ δοῦλος, the role of the gods in slavery and emancipation is discussed in connection with the issues of the ἱερόδουλοι and the sacral manumission. No exclusive point of reference for the Pauline slavery metaphors can be determined, rather various terms and images from this broad thematic field are taken up to describe a completely new situation in the existence of individuals and of the world as a whole.
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