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The Ancient World Behind the Text: Ideas

The customs, offices and ideas a first reader knew without being told, what each meant then, and the nearest thing you already know.

Patrons, clients and benefactors

Favors in the Roman world came with strings. A patron gave help and protection, the client paid it back in loyalty and public honor, and rulers who gave gifts to the public were hailed as benefactors.

Greek and Roman worldCity, trade and civic life

First, in plain English

She brought us a casserole when we moved in, so now we owe her a dinner. In the Roman world almost every favor worked like that, with far more at stake. A powerful person, the patron, did favors and gave protection. The person helped, the client, paid it back with loyalty and public praise. Rulers and rich citizens who paid for buildings or food for a city were honored as benefactors, and a dinner invitation was usually given with the return invitation in mind.

What it meant then

Keener's glossary describes the Roman patron as the social superior who granted favors to his clients and acted as their political sponsor. The duties ran both ways, and clients were to honor their patrons as benefactors. Inscriptions across the empire honored rulers and other powerful people as benefactors for their gifts to the public, and eastern rulers even claimed to be divine. Benefaction was widely praised in Greek circles. Ancient culture stressed returning favors, and people kept careful track of what they owed. Hosts invited people of somewhat lower status, such as clients, in return for honor, but not beggars or the destitute. Peers expected to be invited back. Blomberg speaks of the "pervasive practice of patron-client relationships and reciprocity between benefactors and those helped by them" in the world of Luke's first readers. In Acts, Lydia acts as patron of the mission, as well-to-do women sponsored associations; perhaps a tenth of ancient benefactors were women. Between people of unequal rank, friends often meant benefactors, as with Paul's friends among the Asiarchs. The islanders of Malta repaid Paul's healings with honors and supplies. The word Paul uses of Phoebe was applied especially to patrons. The patron of a religious association, usually well-to-do, hosted it and held some authority (Keener). At Corinth an inscription records that Erastus laid a pavement at his own expense in return for his aedileship. Gratitude to benefactors was an essential virtue. Yet a plain thank you could cast the receiver as a dependent client, and asking for money put one in a lower place.

The bridge to today

An analogy: a mill town where the owner paid for the library, the ballpark and the new church roof. His name is on every building, people greet him with respect in the street, and everyone knows which candidate he wants them to vote for.

What it changes in the reading

Because a favor created a debt of honor, giving to people who can never repay, as in Luke 14:12-14, deliberately steps outside the system. The title benefactor was a ruler's boast, which is why Luke 22:25 sets it against service. Ronald Hock, as Blomberg reports, reads the unforgiving servant of Matthew 18:23-35 against the expectation that someone helped by a superior would do the same for those below him.

Where the analogy breaks

Not one rich man's local generosity. A mill owner's gifts sit on top of wages, laws and a secret ballot. Ancient patronage ran the whole society, from emperors hailed as divine benefactors down to hosts and guests, and both sides kept count of every favor in public.

Where scholars disagree

How Paul's gift relationship with Philippi worked. Keener and his notes read Philippians 4:10-20 as a thank-you that avoids casting Paul as a client; Wright and Bird call it a reciprocal financial partnership, set against his refusal of Corinth's money; the ESV Study Bible likens the letter to a missionary support letter.

Passages where it appears

{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/luke-14-1-14\/","n":"Luke 14:1-14, Dropsy at a Pharisee's table, and guests who cannot repay","s":"On a Sabbath at the house of a leading Pharisee, Jesus heals a man with dropsy, tells the guests not to grab the best places, and tells the host to invite people who cannot invite him back.","r":"Luke 14:1-14"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/luke-16-1-13\/","n":"Luke 16:1-13, The dishonest manager","s":"A rich man's manager, about to be dismissed for wasting his master's property, calls in the master's debtors and cuts their bills. The master praises his shrewdness.","r":"Luke 16:1-13"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/luke-22-24-38\/","n":"Luke 22:24-38, Benefactors, thrones, sifting and two swords","s":"At the last supper the disciples argue over who is greatest. Jesus contrasts kings who are called benefactors with himself as one who serves, promises them thrones, warns Peter that Satan has asked to sift them, and speaks of swords.","r":"Luke 22:24-38"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/acts-16-11-15\/","n":"Acts 16:11-15, Lydia at the place of prayer","s":"In Philippi, a Roman colony, Paul finds women gathered by the river on the Sabbath. Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from Thyatira, believes, is baptized with her household and insists that the missionaries stay at her house.","r":"Acts 16:11-15"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/acts-28-1-10\/","n":"Acts 28:1-10, Malta: the viper and the goddess Justice","s":"The islanders of Malta welcome the shipwrecked with a fire. When a viper fastens on Paul's hand they decide that Justice will not let a murderer live; when he takes no harm they call him a god. Publius, the island's chief man, takes them in, and Paul heals his father and many others.","r":"Acts 28:1-10"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/romans-15-25-33\/","n":"Romans 15:25-33, The gift for Jerusalem","s":"Before coming west Paul must take a gift from the churches of Macedonia and Achaia to the poor among the believers in Jerusalem. He asks for prayer that he will be kept safe and the gift accepted.","r":"Romans 15:25-33"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/romans-16-1-2\/","n":"Romans 16:1-2, Phoebe of Cenchreae","s":"Paul commends Phoebe, a servant or deacon of the church at Cenchreae and a patron of many, Paul included, and asks the Romans to welcome her and help her in whatever she needs.","r":"Romans 16:1-2"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/romans-16-17-27\/","n":"Romans 16:17-27, Tertius, Gaius and Erastus","s":"Paul warns against those who cause divisions, promises that God will soon crush Satan under the believers' feet, and passes on greetings from Corinth, including his scribe Tertius, his host Gaius and Erastus the city treasurer.","r":"Romans 16:17-27"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/1corinthians-1-18-2-5\/","n":"1 Corinthians 1:18-2:5, The foolishness of the cross","s":"Paul sets the message of a crucified Messiah, folly to Greeks and a stumbling block to Jews, against the wisdom and eloquence Corinth admired, and reminds the believers that few of them were wise, powerful or well born.","r":"1 Corinthians 1:18-2:5"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/1corinthians-7-17-24\/","n":"1 Corinthians 7:17-24, Circumcised or not, slave or free","s":"Paul tells each believer to live the life the Lord assigned when he was called: the circumcised should not undo it, the uncircumcised should not seek it, and a slave should not be troubled, though he should take his freedom if he can.","r":"1 Corinthians 7:17-24"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/1corinthians-9-1-27\/","n":"1 Corinthians 9:1-27, Free, unpaid and in training","s":"Paul defends his right as an apostle to be supported and explains why he has never used it, makes himself a slave to all to win more, and pictures his discipline as an athlete's training for a wreath that will not wither.","r":"1 Corinthians 9:1-27"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/1corinthians-10-23-11-1\/","n":"1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1, Dinner at an unbeliever's house","s":"Paul tells believers to eat whatever is sold in the meat market and whatever an unbelieving host serves without asking questions, unless someone points out that it was offered in sacrifice.","r":"1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/1corinthians-11-17-34\/","n":"1 Corinthians 11:17-34, The Lord's Supper in a rich man's house","s":"Paul rebukes the church because at the Lord's Supper some go hungry while others eat their fill and get drunk, retells the tradition of the Last Supper, and tells them to wait for one another.","r":"1 Corinthians 11:17-34"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/2corinthians-1-1-11\/","n":"2 Corinthians 1:1-11, The God of all comfort and the sentence of death","s":"Paul opens by blessing the God of all comfort and tells the Corinthians that in Asia he was so crushed that he felt he had received the sentence of death, so that he learned to rely on the God who raises the dead.","r":"2 Corinthians 1:1-11"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/2corinthians-8-1-15\/","n":"2 Corinthians 8:1-15, The Macedonians' giving and the manna","s":"Paul holds up the generosity of the poor Macedonian churches, appeals to Christ who became poor, and asks the Corinthians to finish their gift so that there may be equality, as there was with the manna in the wilderness.","r":"2 Corinthians 8:1-15"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/2corinthians-11-1-15\/","n":"2 Corinthians 11:1-15, The betrothed virgin, the free gospel and the angel of light","s":"Jealous as a father who has promised his daughter to one husband, Paul fears the Corinthians will be led astray as Eve was; he defends preaching to them free of charge and calls his rivals false apostles disguised as Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.","r":"2 Corinthians 11:1-15"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/2corinthians-12-11-18\/","n":"2 Corinthians 12:11-18, Not a burden: parents save for their children","s":"Paul says the Corinthians forced him to play the fool; the signs of an apostle were done among them, and his only fault was not to burden them, since parents save up for their children, not children for their parents.","r":"2 Corinthians 12:11-18"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/philippians-1-1-11\/","n":"Philippians 1:1-11, A letter between friends, and a partnership in the gospel","s":"Paul and Timothy greet the believers at Philippi with their overseers and deacons, thank God for their partnership in the gospel from the first day, and pray that their love will grow until the day of Christ.","r":"Philippians 1:1-11"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/philippians-2-19-30\/","n":"Philippians 2:19-30, Timothy and Epaphroditus, commended and sent","s":"Paul commends Timothy as a son who serves with him and plans to send him soon, and sends home Epaphroditus, the church's messenger, who nearly died on their errand.","r":"Philippians 2:19-30"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/philippians-4-10-23\/","n":"Philippians 4:10-23, A thank-you without a thank you, and Caesar's household","s":"Paul acknowledges the Philippians' gift in the language of contentment and of business receipts and sacrifice, without a direct thank you, and closes with greetings from the saints of Caesar's household.","r":"Philippians 4:10-23"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/1thessalonians-4-9-12\/","n":"1 Thessalonians 4:9-12, A quiet life and your own hands","s":"Paul praises the church's love for the whole family of believers in Macedonia and urges them to love more, to live quietly, mind their own business and work with their hands, so that outsiders respect them and they depend on no one.","r":"1 Thessalonians 4:9-12"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/1thessalonians-5-12-28\/","n":"1 Thessalonians 5:12-28, Leaders, prophets, a holy kiss and a letter read to all","s":"Paul asks the church to honor those who work hard over them, to warn the idle and help the weak, to rejoice, pray and give thanks, not to quench the Spirit or despise prophecy but test everything, and to have the letter read to all.","r":"1 Thessalonians 5:12-28"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/1timothy-5-1-16\/","n":"1 Timothy 5:1-16, Older men as fathers, and the widows' list","s":"Timothy is to treat older and younger believers as family; the church is to honor widows who are truly in need, families are to support their own, and only older widows of proven character are to be put on the list.","r":"1 Timothy 5:1-16"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/1timothy-6-1-10\/","n":"1 Timothy 6:1-10, Slaves under the yoke, and godliness as gain","s":"Slaves are to respect their masters so that the faith is not slandered, and those with believing masters are to serve them all the more; then Paul turns on teachers who treat godliness as a way to get rich, and warns that the craving for money breeds every kind of harm.","r":"1 Timothy 6:1-10"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/2timothy-1-8-18\/","n":"2 Timothy 1:8-18, Not ashamed of my chains, the deposit, and Onesiphorus","s":"Paul tells Timothy not to be ashamed of the Lord's testimony or of him as a prisoner, but to share his suffering and guard the good deposit; everyone in Asia has deserted him except Onesiphorus, who searched Rome until he found him.","r":"2 Timothy 1:8-18"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/philemon-1-7\/","n":"Philemon 1-7, The church in Philemon's house","s":"Paul, a prisoner, and Timothy write to Philemon, to Apphia and Archippus, and to the church that meets in Philemon's house, and Paul thanks God for Philemon's love and faith, his partnership, and the way he has refreshed the hearts of God's people.","r":"Philemon 1-7"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/james-2-1-13\/","n":"James 2:1-13, The gold ring and the good seat","s":"James forbids favoritism in the assembly. A rich man with a gold ring is given a good seat and a poor man in dirty clothes is told to stand, though it is the rich who drag believers into court and slander the noble name; the royal law of love rules out partiality, and mercy triumphs over judgment.","r":"James 2:1-13"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/2peter-1-1-21\/","n":"2 Peter 1:1-21, A reminder before the tent is folded","s":"Simeon Peter writes to those who share a faith as precious as his, through whom they may share in the divine nature, and urges them to add virtue to virtue. Knowing his death is near, he means to remind them, for he was an eyewitness of Christ's majesty on the holy mountain, and the prophetic word is a lamp in a dark place until the morning star rises.","r":"2 Peter 1:1-21"}

Sources

Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, on Luke 14:12, 14:13, 16:2-4, 16:6-7, 16:8, 22:24-25 and 23:12, and Glossary, entries Client and Patron
NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, notes on Luke 14:12, 16:4, 16:8, 22:25 and 23:12
Kenneth E. Bailey, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes, ch. 26, The Parable of the Unjust Steward
Craig L. Blomberg, Interpreting the Parables, 5.4 Other Literary Approaches, and 8.1.3 The Unprofitable Servant
NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, notes on Acts 16:15, 19:31 and 28:10
Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, on Acts 16:15 and 19:30-31
Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, on Romans 16:2
ESV Study Bible, study notes on Romans 16:2 and 16:23
Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, introduction to Philippians 4:10-20
NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, note on Philippians 4:10-20
N. T. Wright and Michael F. Bird, The New Testament in Its World, ch. 19, Philippians, Introduction
ESV Study Bible, Introduction to Philippians, Literary Features

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