the Third Week of Advent
Click here to join the effort!
Bible Encyclopedias
Citizenship
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
or 1. Philological
These words, with the meanings which they have in the Bible, are the nouns, πολίτης ,
2. Civil
(1) The word for citizen is sometimes used to indicate little if anything more than the inhabitant of a city or country. "The citizens of that country" ( Luke 15:15 ); "His citizens hated him" (Luke 19:14 ). Also the quotation from the Septuagint, "They shall not teach every man his fellow-citizen" (Hebrews 8:11; compare Jeremiah 31:34 ). So also in the Apocrypha (2 Macc 4:50; 5:6; 9:19).
(2) Roman citizenship .
But this citizenship in Tarsus did not of itself confer upon Paul the higher dignity of Roman citizenship. Had it done so, Claudius Lysias would not have ordered him to be scourged, as he did, after having learned that he was a citizen of Tarsus (Acts 21:39; compare Acts 22:25 ). So, over and above this Tarsian citizenship, was the Roman one, which availed for him not in one city only, but throughout the Roman world and secured for him everywhere certain great immunities and rights. Precisely what all of these were we are not certain, but we know that, by the Valerian and Porcian laws, exemption from shameful punishments, such as scourging with rods or whips, and especially crucifixion, was secured to every Roman citizen; also the right of appeal to the emperor with certain limitations. This sanctity of person had become almost a part of their religion, so that any violation was esteemed a sacrilege. Cicero's oration against Verres indicates the almost fanatical extreme to which this feeling had been carried. Yet Paul had been thrice beaten with rods, and five times received from the Jews forty stripes save one (2 Corinthians 11:24 , 2 Corinthians 11:25 ). Perhaps it was as at Philippi before he made known his citizenship (Acts 16:22 , Acts 16:23 ), or the Jews had the right to whip those who came before their own tribunals. Roman citizenship included also the right of appeal to the emperor in all cases, after sentence had been passed, and no needless impediment must be interposed against a trial. Furthermore, the citizen had the right to be sent to Rome for trial before the emperor himself, when charged with capital offenses (Acts 16:37; Acts 22:25-29; Acts 25:11 ).
How then had Paul, a Jew, acquired this valued dignity? He himself tells us. In contrast to the parvenu citizenship of the chief captain, who seems to have thought that Paul also must have purchased it, though apparently too poor, Paul quietly, says, "But I was free born" (King James Versions; "a Roman born" the Revised Version (British and American), Acts 22:28 ). Thus either Paul's father or some other ancestor had acquired the right and had transmitted it to the son.
3. Metaphorical and Spiritual
What more natural than that Paul should sometimes use this civic privilege to illustrate spiritual truths? He does so a number of times. Before the Sanhedrin he says, in the words of our English Versions, "I have lived before God in all good conscience" (Acts 23:1 ). But this translation does not bring out the sense. Paul uses a noticeable word,
Later, writing from Rome itself to the Philippians, who were proud of their own citizenship as members of a colonia , a reproduction on a small scale of the parent commonwealth, where he had once successfully maintained his own Roman rights, Paul forcibly brings out the idea that Christians are citizens of a heavenly commonwealth, urging them to live worthy of such honor (Philippians 1:27 margin).
A similar thought is brought out when he says, "For our commonwealth (
These files are public domain and were generously provided by the folks at WordSearch Software.
Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. Entry for 'Citizenship'. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/isb/c/citizenship.html. 1915.
