Robert L. Mowery, «Son of God in Roman Imperial Titles and Matthew», Vol. 83 (2002) 100-110

The christological formula qeou= ui(o/j, which appears in the NT only in three Matthean passages (14,33; 27,43.54), exactly parallels the two-word Roman imperial son of god formula found in the titulature of Augustus, Tiberius, Nero, Titus, and Domitian. This formula occurred more widely in first century imperial titulature than has previously been reported; in addition, various three-word imperial son of god formulas also deserve notice. The Matthean formula qeou= ui(o/j would have evoked Roman imperial usage for at least some members of Matthew’s community.

au)tokra/twr Kai=sar qeou= ui(o_j Sebasto/j which became common after Octavian received the title Augustus (translated as Sebasto/j)¹² and various longer formulas which became common during the final years of his rule ¹³.

        Augustus was honored as a god in the East during his reign, and some Greek texts hail him as both qeo/j and qeou= ui(o/j ¹⁴. He was formally designated a divus in Rome after his death. His successor and adopted son Tiberius could therefore call himself ‘son of god Sebastos’.

        Tiberius, who reigned during 14-37 CE, was the emperor during the ministries of John the Baptist and Jesus (Luke 3,1). He is identified as qeou= Sebastou= ui(o/j by various inscriptions and coins¹⁵, and he is called qeou= ui(o/j by inscriptions located in such widely-scattered regions as Egypt, Achaia, Asia, Cilicia, and even the northern shore of the Black Sea¹⁶. Tiberius is called a god by various Greek inscriptions and coins¹⁷, and he is hailed as both ‘god’ and ‘son of god Sebastos’ by a few Greek sources¹⁸. Early Christians who heard about these imperial honors may not have known that Tiberius was never officially declared a divus by the Roman Senate.

        Gaius Caligula’s principate (37-41 CE) was brief and tumultuous. He was Tiberius’ adopted grandson and heir¹⁹, and a letter from the first year of his reign identifies him as ‘grandson of Tiberius Caesar’ and ‘descendant of god Sebastos’ (qeou= Sebastou= e!ggonoj)²⁰. Note that this letter recognizes Sebastos (Augustus) as a god but withholds this honor from Tiberius. While Gaius apparently never used the formula qeou= ui(o/j, he demanded divine honors in the East and perhaps even in Rome²¹. But he was assassinated, and no successor claimed to be a son of the god Gaius.

        Claudius, who reigned during 41-54 CE, did not claim to be the son of a god. He was the son of Drusus, and various inscriptions call him simply Drou/sou ui(o/j²². But he was acclaimed a god in the East during his