Another Look at Adoption in Romans 8:15 in Light of Roman Social Practices and Legal Rules

Abstract

This study investigates the legal and social background of Paul's adoption metaphor in its historical context (particularly, in terms of Roman social practices and legal rules), and applies it to an interpretation of Paul's adoption metaphor. Firstly, adopting complete strangers was rare in Roman society, and adoptees were usually chosen from among close relatives and friends' children. Secondly, adopting slaves should be distinguished from adopting freeborn children in Roman social practice and law. Thirdly, adoption in the presence of a legitimate heir was also regarded as unusual in Roman society. Therefore, it should be noted that Paul's adoption metaphor was unusual, because the metaphor refers to adopting slaves in the presence of a legitimate heir, and that this metaphor functions to stress God's unusual and extraordinary favour and love to the believers in the context of Rom 8:15.