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Roman Law
Ius Civile (“civil law” or “law of the city”)
Roman Law
Roman law that applied only to Roman citizens
Around 450 BC, Roman law codified in Twelve Tables that
governed citizenship rights, property ownership, contracts,
marriage, and family governance.
Family-Centric: Main focus of Roman law is on authority of the
male head of household (paterfamilias). All family property, legal
obligation, and dependents were under his absolute legal
authority.
Ius Civile (“civil law” or “law of the city”)
Twelve Tables
Transparent and visible set of laws for all Roman citizens.
Provides due process and accountability.
Background on Ancient Roman Government
https://www.worldhistory.org/Twelve_Tables/
Paterfamilias
“father of the family”
Patria Potestas: Absolute legal authority
over his household, including his wife,
children, grandchildren, adopted family
members, and slaves
Property Control: Owned all family
property and assets, including slaves.
No one owned land, property, or assets
without his consent.
Roman Adoption
Roman Adoption was a two-step legal process that legally removed the
authority of the old father and created full authority under the new
father. Two steps are Adoptio and Adrogatio
Adoptio
Transfer of Patria Potestas: A Roman citizen is under the absolute
authority of the head of their original household.
Erasure of the Past (The Dissolution of Debt): When someone is
adopted into a new family, all debts and property belonged to the head
of the household. During adoption, personal debts are legally
canceled.
Adrogatio
Full Rights of Heirs: The adopted son was legally integrated into the
new family as a legitimate heir.
Roman Adoption
Personal Debts
Roman Adoption
Roman Adoption
Galatians 4:1-7 NLT
1 Now I mean that the heir, as long as he is a
minor, is no different from a slave, though he is
the owner of everything.
2 But he is under guardians and managers until the
date set by his father.
3 So also we, when we were minors, were enslaved
under the basic forces of the world.
Roman Adoption
Galatians 4:1-7 NLT
4 But when the right time came, God sent his Son,
born of a woman, subject to the law.
5 God sent him to buy freedom for us who were
slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his
very own children.
6 And because we are his children, God has sent the
Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to
call out, “Abba, Father.”
7 Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own
child. And since you are his child, God has made you
his heir.
Roman Adoption
BEFORE
“…under guardians and managers…”
“…slaves to the law…”
THEN
“…God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to
the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us…”
AFTER
“…adopted to be His children…”
Roman Adoption
Roman Law: Legal Rights Terminated
Old father loses all legal rights over the person
What did Jesus do for you?
Believers are liberated from the power of Sin and Death
Romans 6:18 NLT
18 Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have
become slaves to righteous living.
Roman Adoption
Roman Law: Legal Status Transferred
Legally transferred from old father to the new father.
What did Jesus do for you?
Believers receive a new identity has “sons of God”
Galatians 4:6-7 NLT
6 And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son
into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”
7 Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you
are his child, God has made you his heir.
Roman Adoption
Roman Law: All Liabilities and Debt are Eliminated
Since you are legally transferred to another father, liabilities and
debt do not transfer with you. Therefore, you have no debt with the
new father.
What did Jesus do for you?
Your old past does not matter anymore.
Colossians 2:14 NLT
14 He canceled the record of the charges against us and took
it away by nailing it to the cross.
Roman Adoption
Roman Law: Inheritance
New adoption has full equal inheritance. Full legal heir.
What did Jesus do for you?
Believers are co-heirs with Jesus Christ.
Romans 8:17 NLT
17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact,
together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are
to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
Roman Adoption
Roman Law: Adoption requires Official Witnesses
People in court are witnesses to the legal adoption.
What did Holy Spirit do for you?
Holy Spirit bears witness to the adoption.
Romans 8:16 NLT
16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are
God’s children.
Roman Adoption
Romans 8:12-17 NLT
12 Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no
obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do.
13 For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if
through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of
your sinful nature, you will live.
14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of
God.
15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful
slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted
you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”
16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we
are God’s children.
17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact,
together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we
are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
Roman Adoption
Ephesians 1:3-6 NLT
3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the
heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.
4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us
in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.
5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by
bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he
wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.
6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out
on us who belong to his dear Son.
Roman Adoption
Ephesians 1:13-14 NLT
13 And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News
that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you
as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago.
14 The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he
promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did
this so we would praise and glorify him.
You belong to God
Full Equal Heirs
Full Inheritance
YOU ARE ADOPTED!
1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (NLT)
23 For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night
when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread
24 and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, "This is
my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.“
25 In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, "This cup is
the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with
my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it."
26 For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing
the Lord’s death until he comes again.
