The 'Bible Character' who came to Britain: The Answer

Legend says Joseph of Arimathea came to Britain either with a teenaged Christ (And did those feet in ancient times walk upon England’s mountains green?) or after the resurrection, to bury the Holy Grail. There is no evidence for this; it was probably a monkish ploy to attract more pilgrims to the town’s abbey.

There are plenty of articles on the internet claiming the British people and their royal family are the heirs of King David. This ‘British Israelism’ grew popular at the height of empire, with various scriptures about the Judean throne applied to the royal family. As Britain’s star waned, and America’s ascended, those same ideas were applied to Washington. One site conveniently claims that the United Kingdom is Ephraim and the United States Manasseh. Interesting, but unfounded.

In 2 Timothy 4:21,we read:

Eubulus greets you, as well as Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brethren.

The identify of some of those who bore these names at the time have been preserved. One was senator Rufus Aulus Pudens. He was recorded by the first-century poet Martial having a wife Claudia who had "sprung from the blue Britons", for which she is called ‘Claudia the Foreigner’. Interesting- but there’s no direct link between the two named by Paul and the two named by Martial. The name Pudens was not uncommon, and Claudia was very common.

The only person who definitely came to Britain named in the Bible is Claudius, Roman emperor (reigned AD 41-54). He’s mentioned in Acts 11:28 and 18:2, and he came to Britain just after the Roman invasion in AD43, bringing reinforcements and some elephants with which to impress the natives. Ironic that the only ‘Bible character’ who reached our island also claimed to be a god, which he most certainly was not.

Then hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, that all peoples of the earth may know Your name and fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this temple which I have built is called by Your name.

-2 Chron 6:33

Image by Julie Bradford from Pixabay