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In 3 Maccabees, Jewish people are painfully branded with the ivy symbol of Dionysus, marking their bodies with the sign of their slavery. In Galatians, Paul uses similar imagery, describing his scars from persecution to show he is a slave of Jesus.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
3 Maccabees 2:29
Deuterocanon
28 “Entrance to this temple is to be refused to all those who would not sacrifice. All the Jews were to be registered among the slaves. Those who resisted are to be forcibly seized and put to death. 29 Those who are thus registered are to be marked on their persons by the ivy-leaf symbol of Dionysus, and to be reduced to these limited rights.” 30 To do away with the appearance of hating them all, he had it written underneath, that if any of them should elect to enter the community of those initiated in the rites, these should have equal rights with the Alexandrians. 31 Some of those who were over the city, therefore, abhorring any approach to the city of piety, unhesitatingly gave in to the king, and expected to derive some great honor from a future connection with him.
Date: 100 BCE – 70 CE (based on scholarly estimates)
Galatians 6:17
New Testament
13 For those who are circumcised do not obey the law themselves, but they want you to be circumcised so that they can boast about your flesh. 14 But may I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything; the only thing that matters is a new creation! 16 And all who will behave in accordance with this rule, peace and mercy be on them, and on the Israel of God. 17 From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear the marks of Jesus on my body. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.
Date: 54–55 CE (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... Paul wrote this catalog sometime between 54 and 57 CE. There would have been considerably fewer items on it at the time he wrote Galatians in 49 or early 50 CE. Nevertheless, Paul's South Galatian mission gave ample opportunity for scars (Acts 13-14; 2 Timothy 3:11). Far from being signs of disgrace, Paul pointed to his scars as "brand marks" (stigmata). The term may refer to the custom of fugitives taking refuge in a temple and receiving the marks of the local god (and with these marks of belonging, amnesty from further molestation); it may also refer to the custom of branding slaves with the mark of their owner or (less frequently) soldiers with the mark of their general. While each option is attractive, Paul speaks of himself as Christ's slave with some regularity (Galatians 1:10; Romans 1:1; Philippians 1:1; Titus 1:1; compare also 2 Corinthians 4:5), and this is therefore the likeliest frame of reference. The pragmatic effect of this self-identification would be to claim Christ's protection and authorization (in effect, "if anyone has a problem with me or my gospel, let them take it up with Christ") ..."
David A. DeSilva, The Letter to the Galatians (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 2018), 514.
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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