Abstract
"Homo reciprocus": Seneca, Paul and benefaction Reciprocity was basic to most forms of social interaction in the ancient Mediterranean world. Any exchange of services/gits was based on the principle that the obligations incurred between two parties required an adequate response. In his ethical treatise on beneit exchange, "De beneficiis,"Seneca presents an idealistic reinterpretation of the basic tenets of benefaction by providing a "lex vitae", a law of conduct, according to which the giving of beneits becomes an intrinsically rewarding experience in itself. On his part, the apostle Paul conceptualises his "ecumenical" collecion for the Jerusalem church in terms of the principles inherent to beneit exchange in the Graeco-Roman world. He involves his communities as beneiciaries in the reciprocal relationship between himself and Jerusalem. In Romans 15:25-31, when the acceptance of the collecion hangs in the balance, Paul reinterprets the reciprocal relationship with Jerusalem in terms of altruistic Christian principles. From this new angle of incidence his churches are presented as having successfully completed the collection since they unselishly fulilled their moral duies towards the latter.
Highlights
Reciprocity was basic to most forms ofsocial interaction in the ancient Mediterranean world
Any exchange of services/gifts was based on the principle that the obligations incurred between two parties required an adequate response
The aposde Paul conceptualises his "ecumenical" coUection for the Jerusalem church in terms ofthe principles inherent to benefit exchange in the Graeco-Roman world. He involves his communities as beneficiaries in the reciprocal relationship between himself anti Jerusalem
Summary
Die mens is 'n "wederkerige wese," homo reciprocus. Die mens gee niks weg sonder om een of ander vorm van beloning terug te verwag nie. In hierdie hierargies-gestruktureerde wereld gee enige weldaad anleiding tot differensiasies in sosiale status op sowel interpersoonlike as kollektiewe vlak; des te meer wanneer 'n gewer beheer uitoefen oor dienstelmiddele wat ander benodig sonder dat hy of sy behoefte het aan die dienste wat die ontvangers aan hom of haar kan teruggee. Hierdie wanbalanse wat met die gee van weldade gepaard gaan, het tot voortdurende "agonistiese" wedywerings tussen weldoeners en ontvangers gelei. Cicero (De officiis 1.47), skryf dat wanneer enige uitruil van middelelgeskenke tussen twee individue plaasvind, dan word daar 'n adekwate respons van die kant van die ontvanger vereis. Volgens Seneka (Ben 1.4.2), vonn hierdie resiprositeit tussen gewer en ontvanger die belangrikste bousteen waarop die welsyn van die gemeenskap fllS. "Holllo reciproclls:" Sene,"" PIIIlIIlS en weIIIoenerslutp algemeen geldige Meditereense prinsipe van resiprositeit, sowel as op ,n belangrike vroeg-Christelike invalshoek tot hierdie sosiale verskynsel
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