Multi-ethnic identity in the new testament: genealogies, myths, and the politics of ancestry

McClain, Rubin James Yi (2025) Multi-ethnic identity in the new testament: genealogies, myths, and the politics of ancestry. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

This book analyzes the construction and negotiation of ethnicity in antiquity, with a particular focus on the New Testament. This work examines multi-ethnic identity by surveying Greco Roman texts and the New Testament, as well as the use of literary constructs like genealogies, lists, and catalogues. I argue that multi-ethnic identity by its very nature is portrayed in a wide ranging way, depending on a variety of factors. Furthermore, these literary constructs are tools used to shape and reimagine identity in response to evolving social, political, and theological circumstances.

The study begins by tracing the conceptual foundations of race and ethnicity in antiquity, situating these categories within the broader history of “scientific racism” and modern scholarship. It highlights how myths of descent, which are shared narratives linking groups to common ancestors, deities, or heroes, were central to constructing ethnic boundaries in both Greco-Roman and Jewish traditions. Far from static or uniform, these myths were highly adaptable, serving as powerful mechanisms for inclusion, exclusion, and the legitimation of social and political hierarchies.

The second section examines how the New Testament engages with and reimagines myths of descent to challenge exclusivist frameworks of ethnic identity. The study explores the narratives of figures such as Herod the Great and the Samaritans, whose identities embody the tensions between inclusion and exclusion in ancient society. These individuals and people groups are described in fluid and changing ways depending on the circumstances and literature.

The middle section of this book examines intermarriage in Jewish literature, which further illustrates how cultural integration challenged traditional ethnic boundaries. These texts reveal a nuanced negotiation of identity, allowing for the possibility of reimagined identities that bridged ethnic divides. What we see in many of these cases is that redescriptions of ethnic identity closely overlap with features of culture such as religious identity and customs.

The following section analyses the genealogies of Jesus in Matthew and Luke, which exemplify the fluid ethnic dynamics. Matthew’s genealogy emphasizes Jesus’ Jewish lineage while including Gentile women, signaling a fundamentally multi-ethnic construction. In contrast, Luke’s genealogy traces Jesus’ lineage to Adam, constructing a universal myth of descent that encompasses all humanity. Together, these genealogies transform traditional descent-based boundary markers into frameworks for multi-ethnic and universal kinship.

The final section focuses on lists in the New Testament, particularly in Acts. These lists, situated at key junctions in the narrative, highlight the growing ethnic diversity of early Christian communities. For instance, the inclusion of “proselytes” and ethnically mixed figures like Timothy demonstrates how early Christian identity expanded beyond ethnic boundaries, such as Jew, Greek, and Gentile.

Ultimately, this book argues that multi-ethnic identity was a pervasive reality in antiquity with the boundaries of identity shifting and changing depending on the author and literature. the New Testament draws upon these ancient assumptions about ethnic identity, with one of the most interpretively significant literary devices being lists and genealogies.

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BL Religion; B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BM Judaism; B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BR Christianity; B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BS The Bible; C Auxiliary Sciences of History > CS Genealogy; D History General and Old World > D History (General) > D051 Ancient History
• Colleges/Schools: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Critical Studies
• Supervisor's Name: Adams, Professor Sean
• Date of Award: 2025
• Depositing User: Theses Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:2025-85438
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 08 Sep 2025 10:30
• Last Modified: 08 Sep 2025 10:39
• Thesis DOI: 10.5525/gla.thesis.85438
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/85438