Tae Hun Kim, «The Anarthrous ui(o\j qeou= in Mark 15,39 and the Roman Imperial Cult», Vol. 79 (1998) 221-241

This article points up evidence by which the language of the Roman imperial cult might help make clearer what a reader of Mark's Gospel might understand when the centurion (Mark 15,39) refers to Jesus as ui(o\j qeou=. Knowing how an audience familiar with this cult language would react, Mark intentionally speaks of Jesus as ui(o\j qeou= at 1,1, as well as at 15,39.

is a collection of inscriptions and legends that contain the name and office of Augustus. The basic form of the Latin inscriptions attributed to Augustus is as follows: IMP CAESAR DIVI F AVGVSTVS (ILS 113; CIL XI 0367; 21 CE). This was the standard form of the name and title of Augustus but it varied slightly to accommodate his other titles and office that the occasion called for. The following is one of the longer examples: IMP CAESARI DIVI F AVGVSTO PONTIFIC MAXIMO PATRI PATRIAE AVG XV VIR S F VII VIR EPVLON COS XIII IMP XVII TRIBVNIC POTEST XXX (ILS 107; 7-8 CE). The name of the person is Caesar divi f(ilius) Augustus (Octavian) and his titles and office as shown here are imperator, pontifex maximus (‘chief priest’), pater patriae (‘father of the state’)²⁶,