F. F. Bruce
Emperor
Worship in the Roman Province of Asia
"Under
Roman Law...Christians were liable to suffer penalties
imposed by Roman law just because they were Christians,
Christian apologists continued to protest that they were
innocent of any crime but their protests went
unheeded...those who voiced such protests were told that
they might easily prove their loyalty to the empire by
worshipping the state gods, and in particular by burning
incense to the emperor's image or swearing by his
divinity...the Christians refusal to countenance such
claims, and the language in which they ascribed divine honor
to Jesus, could easily be given the appearance of sedition.
Of all the provinces of the Roman Empire, there was none in
which emperor-worship was more thoroughly organized than in
Asia. In the Asian city of Pergamum the cult of Rome and
Augustus was established as early as 29 BC. Some think that
John had this cult in mind when he described Pergamum as the
place 'where Satan's throne is' (Rev. 2: 13)-- although
others think of the cult of Asklepios, the healing-god with
his serpent-image, which was also located there. At any
rate, in addition to the other forms of paganism with which
Christians in the province of Asia had to live, there was
this specially seductive form. Coolness towards the imperial
cult might be put down to lack of patriotism.
We remember how Paul had friends among the Asiarchs of
Ephesus, who warned him not to enter the theatre when the
riotous demonstration was being held in defense of the great
goddess Artemis against her traducers. But it was from the
Asiarchs-- the leading men in the cities of the province of
Asia--that the high priesthood of the imperial cult was
recruited, and the Asian aristocracy thought it an honour to
serve in this way. The temptation must at times have been
strong for Christians to compromise just a little, to avoid
giving their pagan neighbours the impression that they did
not appreciate the blessings of peace and prosperity which
the institution of the empire had brought to that part of
the world. But the majority would not compromise, and to
them the imperial cult proved a deadly enemy."
F. F. Bruce,
"The Defense of the Gospel" Revised Ed. (England: Inter
Varsity Press, 1982) p. 67
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