Antonius is not a name directly mentioned in the canonical texts of the Bible. However, the name is historically significant and can be associated with the broader context of the New Testament period, particularly in relation to the Roman Empire, which played a crucial role in the historical and political backdrop of the New Testament narrative.

Historical Context

The name Antonius is most famously associated with the Roman general and statesman Marcus Antonius, commonly known as Mark Antony. Although Mark Antony himself is not mentioned in the Bible, his actions and the political environment he influenced had indirect effects on the world in which the New Testament events unfolded. Mark Antony was a key figure in the transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire, a period that set the stage for the birth of Jesus Christ and the spread of early Christianity.

Roman Influence in the New Testament

The Roman Empire, under which Antonius served, was the dominant political power during the time of Jesus and the early church. The New Testament frequently references Roman authority, as seen in the interactions between Jesus and Roman officials, such as Pontius Pilate, and the Apostle Paul's dealings with Roman authorities during his missionary journeys.

For instance, in the Gospel of John, Jesus is brought before Pilate, the Roman governor, who questions Him about His kingship: "Then Pilate went back into the Praetorium, summoned Jesus, and asked Him, 'Are You the King of the Jews?'" (John 18:33). This encounter highlights the Roman political presence in Judea and the complex relationship between the Jewish leaders and Roman authorities.

Roman Citizenship and the Apostle Paul

The Apostle Paul, a pivotal figure in the spread of Christianity, was a Roman citizen, a status that afforded him certain legal protections and privileges. This is evident in Acts 22:25-28, where Paul asserts his rights as a Roman citizen to avoid unlawful punishment: "As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there, 'Is it lawful for you to flog a Roman citizen who has not been condemned?' When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it. 'What are you going to do?' he said. 'This man is a Roman citizen.' The commander went to Paul and asked, 'Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?' 'Yes,' he answered. Then the commander said, 'I had to pay a lot of money for my citizenship.' 'But I was born a citizen,' Paul replied" .

Cultural and Religious Impact

The Roman Empire's extensive network of roads and relative political stability, known as the Pax Romana, facilitated the rapid spread of Christianity throughout the Mediterranean world. The common use of the Greek language and Roman infrastructure allowed the apostles and early Christians to travel widely and communicate the gospel message effectively.

While Antonius himself is not a biblical figure, understanding the Roman context in which the New Testament was written provides valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities faced by early Christians. The Roman influence is evident in the legal, cultural, and political aspects of the New Testament narrative, shaping the environment in which the early church grew and thrived.FELIX; ANTONIUS

fe'-liks, an-to'-ni-us (Phelix, from Latin felix, "happy"): A Roman procurator of Judea, appointed in succession to Cumanus by the emperor Claudius. The event which led to the introduction of Felix into the narrative of Acts was the riot at Jerusalem (Acts 21:27). There Paul, being attacked at the instigation of the Asiatic Jews for alleged false teaching and profanation of the temple, was rescued with difficulty by Lysias the chief captain. But Lysias, finding that Paul was a Roman citizen, and that therefore the secret plots against the life of his captive might entail serious consequences upon himself, and finding also that Paul was charged on religious rather than on political grounds, sent him on to Felix at Caesarea for trial (Acts 21:31-23:34). On his arrival, Paul was presented to Felix and was then detained for five days in the judgment hall of Herod, till his accusers should also reach Caesarea (Acts 23:33-35). The trial was begun, but after hearing the evidence of Tertullus (see TERTULLUS) and the speech of Paul in his own defense, Felix deferred judgment (Acts 24:1-22). The excuse he gave for delay was the non-appearance of Lysias, but his real reason was in order to obtain bribes for the release of Paul. He therefore treated his prisoner at first with leniency, and pretended along with Drusilla to take interest in his teaching. But these attempts to induce Paul to purchase his freedom failed ignominiously; Paul sought favor of neither Felix nor Drusilla, and made the frequent interviews which he had with them an opportunity for preaching to them concerning righteousness and temperance and the final judgment. The case dragged on for two years till Felix, upon his retirement, "desiring to gain favor with the Jews. left Paul in bonds" (Acts 24:27). According to the Bezan text, the continued imprisonment of Paul was due to the desire of Felix to please Drusilla.

Felix was the brother of Pallas, who was the infamous favorite of Claudius, and who, according to Tacitus (Annals xiii. 14), fell into disgrace in 55 A.D. Tacitus implies that Felix was joint procurator of Judea, along with Cumanus, before being appointed to the sole command, but Josephus is silent as to this. Both Tacitus and Josephus refer to his succeeding Cumanus, Josephus stating that it was at the instigation of Jonathan the high priest. There is some doubt as to the chronology of Felix' tenure of office. Harnack and Blass, following Eusebius and Jerome, place his accession in 51 A.D., and the imprisonment of Paul in 54-56 A.D.; but most modern commentators incline to the dates 52 A.D. and 56-58 A.D. These latter interpret the statement of Paul, "Thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation" (Acts 24:10), as referring to some judicial office, not necessarily that of co-procurator (see Tacitus), previously held by Felix in the time of Cumanus, and argue that this earlier connection of Felix with Judea supplied a reason for the advocacy by Jonathan of Felix' claims to the procuratorship on the deposition of Gumanus. The testimony of Acts as to the evil character of Felix is fully corroborated by the writings of Josephus (BJ, II, xiii). Although he suppressed the robbers and murderers who infested Judea, and among them the "Egyptian" to whom Lysias refers (Acts 21:38), yet "he himself was more hurtful than them all." When occasion offered, he did not hesitate to employ the sicarii (see ASSASSINS) for his own ends. Trading upon the influence of his brother at court, his cruelty and rapacity knew no bounds, and during his rule revolts became continuous, and marked a distinct stage in that seditious movement which culminated in the outbreak of 70 A.D. (so Schurer). His leaving Paul in bonds was but a final instance of one who sacrificed duty and justice for the sake of his Own unscrupulous selfishness. For more detailed information as to dates, etc., compare Knowling (Expos Greek Test., II, 477).

C. M. Kerr

5344. Phelix -- "fortunate," Felix, a governor of Judea
... Masculine Transliteration: Phelix Phonetic Spelling: (fay'-lix) Short Definition:
Felix Definition: Felix, third name of (Marcus) Antonius Felix, procurator of ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5344.htm - 7k

Phasaelus is Too Hard for Felix; Herod Also Overcomes Antigonus in ...
... Phasaelus Is Too Hard For Felix; Herod Also Overcomes Antigonus In Rattle; And The
Jews Accuse Both Herod And Phasaelus But Antonius Acquits Them, And Makes ...
/.../chapter 12 phasaelus is too.htm

That Upon the Conquest and Slaughter of vitellius Vespasian ...
... 2. In the mean time, Antonius Primus took the third of the legions that were in
Mysia, for he was president of that province, and made haste, in order to fight ...
/.../chapter 11 that upon the.htm

A Great Slaughter About Ascalon. Vespasian Comes to Ptolemais.
... had almost no assistance to be relied on [near them], for the garrison consisted
of one cohort of footmen, and one troop of horsemen, whose captain was Antonius ...
/.../chapter 2 a great slaughter.htm

Alexander
... 3. However, Gabinius sent before him Marcus Antonius, and followed himself with
his whole army; but for the select body of soldiers that were about Antipater ...
/.../chapter 8 alexander.htm

Herod Ejects Antigonus, the Son of Aristobulus Out of Judea, and ...
... 2. Now Antonius and Caesar had beaten Cassius near Philippi, as others have related;
but after the victory, Caesar went into Gaul, [Italy,] and Antony marched ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 12 herod ejects antigonus.htm

Letter ccix. (AD 423. )
... home without accomplishing the business for which he had journeyed so far, offered
to the people, without their seeking him, a young man, Antonius, who was ...
/.../augustine/the confessions and letters of st/letter ccix a d 423.htm

How Scaurus Made a League of Mutual Assistance with Aretas; and ...
... mountains of Arabia. Gabinius therefore came upon him, having sent Marcus
Antonius, with other commanders, before. These armed such ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 5 how scaurus made.htm

Of the Holy Monk Julianus.
... Before this time in the reign of Constantius the great Antonius [773] had acted
in the same way in Alexandria, for he abandoned the desert and went up and down ...
/.../the ecclesiastical history of theodoret/chapter xxiv of the holy monk.htm

The Honors that were Paid the Jews; and the Leagues that were Made ...
... 9. Now after Caius was slain, when Marcus Antonius and Publius Dolabella were consuls,
they both assembled the senate, and introduced Hyrcanus's ambassadors ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 10 the honors that.htm

Rhetoric and Eloquence
... Did Antonius, pleading the cause of M. Aquilius, trust to the force of his reasons
when he abruptly tore open his garment and exposed to view the honorable ...
/.../kleiser/the training of a public speaker/rhetoric and eloquence.htm

Antonius
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia FELIX; ANTONIUS. fe'-liks, an-to'-ni-us
(Phelix, from Latin felix, "happy"): A Roman procurator ...
/a/antonius.htm - 10k

Procurator
... But Claudius appointed a freedman, Antonius Felix, brother of the famous minister
of finance, Pallas, as procurator of Judea (Suetonius, Claudius xxviii ...
/p/procurator.htm - 13k

Jabneh (1 Occurrence)
...Antonius allowed it to be revived, but it was again suppressed because of
hostile language on the part of the rabbis (ibid., 451-52). ...
/j/jabneh.htm - 10k

Jabneel (2 Occurrences)
...Antonius allowed it to be revived, but it was again suppressed because of
hostile language on the part of the rabbis (ibid., 451-52). ...
/j/jabneel.htm - 11k

Felix (11 Occurrences)
... When Felix gave place to Festus, being "willing to do the Jews a pleasure," he left
Paul bound. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. FELIX; ANTONIUS. ...
/f/felix.htm - 15k

Colony (1 Occurrence)
... organized after the great battle of 42 BC, fought in the neighboring plain by Brutus
and Cassius, the champions of the fated Republic, and Antonius and Octavian ...
/c/colony.htm - 10k

Antothijah (1 Occurrence)

/a/antothijah.htm - 6k

Antonia

/a/antonia.htm - 7k

Abilene (1 Occurrence)
... The territory of Abilene was part of the Iturean Kingdom, which was broken up when
its king, Lysanias, was put to death by M. Antonius, circa 35 BC The ...
/a/abilene.htm - 9k

Machpelah (6 Occurrences)
... were buried with their wives. Antonius Martyr (circa 600) and Arculf (698)
also mention this monument. Mukaddasi speaks (circa 985 ...
/m/machpelah.htm - 19k

Who was Justin Martyr? | GotQuestions.org

Who was Porcius Festus? | GotQuestions.org

Who is Felix in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus