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.

eventually became the recipient of cults in many other cities. Price claims that his cult was found in thirty-four cities in Asia Minor⁴⁵, and Hänlein-Schäfer studies sixty-six cult locations scattered throughout the empire⁴⁶.

        Although the First Gospel does not announce where it was composed, scholars tend to locate the Matthean community in one of two eastern regions: Palestine, where various sites have been proposed, or Syria, where the most common choice is Antioch⁴⁷. Christians who lived in either region could have known about the imperial cult. Josephus reports that Herod erected temples for Augustus at Caesarea Maritima, Sebaste (Samaria), and Paneion (Caesarea Philippi)⁴⁸, and excavations have identified the probable locations of all three⁴⁹. Since the formula qeou= ui(o/j appears in many references to Augustus, Yarbro Collins makes the reasonable assumption that this formula would have been celebrated at all three of these temples⁵⁰.

        This formula must have also been well-known in Syria. In 27 BCE Augustus received Syria (along with Spain and Gaul, in addition to Egypt) as his province, and this special relationship continued throughout his reign. Antioch was the center of Roman power and authority in the province. Besides being the third largest city in the empire, Antioch was the seat of the governor of Syria, the center of the Roman administration of the province, the home of three or four legions, and the site of numerous temples, administrative buildings, statues, and other evidences of Roman power and authority⁵¹. Coins struck in Antioch during the first decade BCE may testify to the presence of the imperial cult in this city⁵².

        Although Augustus was consecrated a divus after his death, various inscriptions created years after his death honor him as both qeo/j and qeou= ui(o/j. One such inscription, for example, was created at Miletus about 50 CE⁵³. These inscriptions and the many earlier inscriptions which honor Augustus as qeou= ui(o/j served as mute witnesses to this imperial son of god formula long after they had been created. The continuing prominence of