John 15.14 and the PhIL- Lexeme in Light of Numismatic Evidence: Friendship or Obedience?

Commentators regularly note the alleged tension in John 15 between ‘friendship’ and ‘obedience’. This article employs numismatic inscriptional evidence to explore the ΦΙΛ- lexeme and more carefully denote the semantic domains of relevant terminology. This analysis confirms that no such tension exist...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:New Testament studies
Main Author: Theophilos, Michael 1979- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Cambridge Univ. Press [2018]
In: New Testament studies
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B Bible. Johannesevangelium 15,14 / Greek language / Noun / Philos / Friendship / Obedience / Roman Empire
IxTheo Classification:CB Christian life; spirituality
CH Christianity and Society
HC New Testament
Further subjects:B Roman coins
B Friendship
B Lexicography
B friend of Caesar
B John 15.14
B Numismatics
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Description
Summary:Commentators regularly note the alleged tension in John 15 between ‘friendship’ and ‘obedience’. This article employs numismatic inscriptional evidence to explore the ΦΙΛ- lexeme and more carefully denote the semantic domains of relevant terminology. This analysis confirms that no such tension exists within the socio-political context in which the Gospel was written. The inclusion of specific political terminology on Roman coins (for example, ΦΙΛΙΑ; ΦΙΛΟΚΑΙΣΑΡ; ΦΙΛΟΚΛΑΥΔΙΟΣ; ΦΙΛΟΡΩΜΑΙΟΣ; ΦΙΛΟΣΕΒΑΣΤΩΝ) was one way in which elite concepts of political friendship, evidenced in Cicero and Seneca, were communicated to the masses. In light of the numismatic evidence, the ΦΙΛ- lexeme can refer not only to the emotional bond of friendship, but also the dimension of obligation.
ISSN:1469-8145
Contains:Enthalten in: New Testament studies
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1017/S0028688517000285