The X-Files: Chrēstos / Christos / Χρειστος

[Peter Kirby]

This article presents a study of a magical papyrus referring to Chrestos. Similar to another such text referring to 'the god of the Hebrews, Jesus', the author of the article infers that the author is intentionally drawing on multiple other religious traditions, invoking them for the purpose of the spell. The author is neither a Jew nor a Christian themselves.

Eleni Pachoumi, “An invocation of Chrestos in Magic. The question of the orthographical spelling of Chrestos and interpretation issues in PGM XIII.288-95” Hermathena (2010) 188: 29-54

https://www.academia.edu/11809023/_An_i ... _188_29_54

ephesians-philemon.jpg (492.17 KiB) Viewed 613 times

They draw attention to references in Philemon and Ephesians, among other texts.

[Peter Kirby]

This verse previously wasn't listed among the "chrestos" parts of the NT, but it now is.

Philemon 10. I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment.
Philemon 11. Formerly he was useless* to you, but now he is indeed useful* to you and to me.
* Sinaiticus (01): αχρηστον, ευχρηστον
* Alexandrinus (02): αχρηστον, ευχρηστον
* Ephraem (04): αχρηστον, ευχρηστον

I don't know if I can confirm that this is a reference particularly to a name for believers, but an allusion could be there.

[Peter Kirby]

The set of references seen in Ephesians is starting to look suggestive.

Ephesians 2:7. so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus*.
* P46: [εν χρηστοτη]τ̣ι εφ ημας εν τω χω ιη[υ]
* Alexandrinus (02): εν χρηστοτητι εφ ημας εν χω ιυ
* Vaticanus (03): εν χρηστοτητι εφ ημας εν χω ιυ

Ephesians 2:10. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works*, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
* P46: κτισθεντες εν χρω ιηυ επι εργοις αγαθοις
* Sinaiticus (01): κτισθεντες εν χω ιυ επι εργοις αγαθοις
* Alexandrinus (02): κτισθεντες εν χω ιυ επι εργοις αγαθοις
* Vaticanus (03): κτισθεντες εν χω ιυ επι εργοις αγαθοις

Ephesians 4:32. Be kind* to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ* forgave you.
* P46: χρηστοι, χρω
* Sinaiticus (01): χρηστοι, χω
* Alexandrinus (02): χρηστοι, χω
* Vaticanus (03): χρηστοι, χω

[Peter Kirby]

Here are some references in the Pauline letters.

As is usual in these cases, for several, there is a literature concerning their authenticity or spuriousness.

Romans 1:1. Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus*, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,
Romans 1:2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures,
Romans 1:3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh*
Romans 1:4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord*
* P10: δουλος χρυ ιηυ, του γενομενου εκ σπερματος δαυδ κατα σαρκα, ι̣ηυ χρυ του κυ ημων
* P26: [δουλ]ο̣ς̣ ιυ χυ, του γ̣ε̣[νομενου εκ σ]π̣ερματος δαδ̣ κατ[α σαρκα], ι̣υ χυ τ̣ο̣υ̣ κ̣υ̣ [ημων]
* Sinaiticus (01): δουλος ιυ χυ, του γενομενου εκ σπερματος δαδ κατα σαρκα, ιυ χυ του κυ ημων
* Alexandrinus (02): δουλος ιυ χυ, του γενομενου εκ σπερματος δαδ κατα σαρκα, ιυ χυ του κυ ημων
* Vaticanus (03): δουλος χυ ιυ, του γενομενου εκ σπερματος δαυειδ κατα σαρκα, ιυ χυ του κυ ημων

Romans 9:5. to them belong the patriarchs, and of their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ*. God who is over all be blessed for ever. Amen. (RSV)
* P46: χρς
* Sinaiticus (01): χς
* Alexandrinus (02): χς
* Vaticanus (03): χς
* Ephraem (04): χς
* GA 33: χς

2 Corinthians 1:21. And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us,*
* P46: εις χρν και χρισας ημας
* Sinaiticus (01): εις χν και χρεισας ημας
* Alexandrinus (02): εις χν και χρισας ημας
* Vaticanus (03): εις χν και χρεισας υμας
* Ephraem (04): εις χν και χρισας ημας

2 Corinthians 2:14. and to God [are] thanks, who at all times is leading us in triumph in the Christ, and the fragrance* of His knowledge He is manifesting through us in every place. (YLT)
* P46: εν τω χω ιηυ και την οσμην
* Sinaiticus (01): εν τω χω και την οσμην
* Alexandrinus (02): εν τω χω και την οσμην
* Vaticanus (03): εν τω χω και την οσμην
* Ephraem (04): εν τω χω και την οσμην

2 Corinthians 2:15 For we are the aroma of Christ* to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing,
2 Corinthians 2:16 to one a fragrance* from death to death, to the other a fragrance* from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?
2 Corinthians 2:17 For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ*.
* P46: οτι χυ ευωδια εσμεν, οσμη, οσμη, εν χω
* Sinaiticus (01): οτι χυ ευωδια εσμεν, οσμη, οσμη, εν χω
* Alexandrinus (02): οτι χυ ευωδια εσμεν, οσμη, οσμη, εν χω
* Vaticanus (03): οτι χυ ευωδια εσμεν, οσμη, οσμη, εν χω
* Ephraem (04): οτι χυ ευωδια εσμεν, οσμη, οσμη, εν χω

Galatians 3:16. Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ*.
* P46: ος εστιν χρς
* Sinaiticus (01): ος εστιν χς
* Alexandrinus (02): ος εστιν̣ χς
* Vaticanus (03): ος εστιν χς
* Ephraem (04): ος εστι χς

According to my 'Shorter Readings of Paul':

https://peterkirby.com/marcions-shorter ... -paul.html

Galatians 3:16 and Romans 9:5 are noted as absent from Marcion's text.

The case of Romans 1:2-3 is more complicated but still, arguably, absent:

BeDuhn writes, “Rom. 1.1-7a is unattested. There must have been something equivalent to v. 1. We would certainly expect Tertullian and Epiphanius to cite vv. 2-3 against Marcion had they been present in the Apostolikon; yet why do they not explicitly note an omission? They would have had the opportunity to do so either here or elsewhere where they discuss Paul’s attribution of Davidic ancestry to Jesus (cf. Tertullian, Carn. Chr. 22.2; Prax. 27.11).” (The First New Testament, p. 295)

If Tertullian knew of this passage, neglecting to point out its absence in the Apostolikon may just be an application of the principle, “it is superfluous for me to discuss the passages he has left out, since my case is stronger if he is shown wrong by those he has retained.” (AM 5.4) Indeed, perhaps noticing this very omission led the weary Tertullian to comment, when beginning on the epistle to the Romans, “The nearer this work draws to its end, the less need there is for any but brief treatment of questions which arise a second time, and good reason to pass over entirely some which we have often met with.” (AM 5.13)

BeDuhn goes on to quote from the Commentary on John 10.4 by Origen that Marcion “rejects [Jesus’] birth from Mary so far as his divine nature is concerned.” But the author is speaking hypothetically in this passage and referring to Romans 1:3 in his own text of Paul: “Marcion, I suppose, took sound words in a wrong sense.” This leaves us to think that what follows is likely only an inference made by Origen, not based on anything other than that Marcion (as was well-known) “made bold to delete from the Gospels the passages” with “His birth from Mary.”

There is nothing to suggest that the 2 Corinthians passages were absent from Marcion's text.

[Peter Kirby]

Theophilus of Antioch, writing around 180 CE, understands well both derogatory use of the term and its punning allusions:

As for your laughing at me and calling me ‘Christian’ [χριστιανόν], you know not what you are saying.	περὶ δὲ τοῦ σε καταγελᾶν μου, καλούντα με χριστιανόν, οὐκ οἶδας ὅ λέγεις.
First, because that which is anointed [χριστόν] is sweet and useful [εὔχρηστον], and not subject to ridicule.	πρῶτον μὲν ὅτι τὸ χριστόν ἡδύ καὶ εὔχρηστος καὶ ἀκαταγέλαστόν ἐστιν
For what ship can be useful and safe, if it is not first anointed [χρισθῇ, presumably here meaning ‘caulked’]?	ποίον γὰρ πλοῖον δύναται εὔχρηστον εἶναι καὶ σώζεσθαι, ἐὰν μὴ πρῶτον χρισθῇ;
Or what tower or house is beautiful and useful when it has not been anointed?	ἢ ποῖος πύργος ἢ οἰκία εὔμορφος καὶ εὔχρηστός ἐστιν, ἐπὰν οὐ κέχρισται;
And what man, when he enters into this life or is about to wrestle, is not anointed with oil?	τίς δὲ ἄνθρωπος εἰσελθὼν εἰς τόνδε τὸν βίον ἢ ἀθλῶν οὐ χρίεται ἐλαίῳ;
What work of art, what ornament has beauty unless it is anointed and burnished?	ποῖον δὲ ἔργον ἢ κόσμιον δύναται εὐμορφίαν ἔχειν, ἐὰν μὴ χρισθῇ καὶ στιλβωθῇ;
The air finally and all that is under heaven is so to say anointed by light and spirit.	εἶτα ἀὴρ μὲν καὶ πᾶσα ἡ ὑπ’ οὐρανὸν τρόπῳ τινὶ χρίεται φωτὶ καὶ πνεύματι.
And do you not wish to be anointed with the oil of God?	σὺ δὲ οὐ βούλει χρισθῆναι ἔλαιον θεοῦ;
So then it is for the sake of this that we are called Christians: because we are anointed with the oil of God.	τοιγαροῦν ἡμεῖς τούτου εἵνεκεν καλούμεθα χριστιανοὶ ὅτι χρειόμεθα ἔλαιον θεοῦ.

Theophilus, ad Autolycum 1.12, as translated by J. L. Moles.

As part of the author's apologetic purpose, the name χριστιανόν is elevated above meaning merely a follower of Christ, being turned into something to which nobody could object, as being one anointed with the oil of God (χρειόμεθα ἔλαιον θεοῦ). Of course, those mocking had much less in mind, i.e., they were just mocking those called Christian (χριστιανόν).

In the process, Theophilus clearly shows himself to be very comfortable with the allusion of the name to εὔχρηστος (useful) and the association of it with being ἡδύ (sweet to the smell), while more directly identifying the meaning of being a Christian (χριστιανόν) with the word translated "that which is anointed" (τὸ χριστόν), i.e. the anointed one, the Christ.

[Peter Kirby]

Clement of Alexandria (Exhortation 12, ANF translation):

It is time, then, for us to say that the pious Christian[?] alone is rich and wise, and of noble birth, and thus call and believe him to be God's image, and also His likeness, having become righteous and holy and wise by Jesus Christ[?], and so far already like God. Accordingly this grace is indicated by the prophet, when he says, "I said that ye are gods, and all sons of the Highest." For us, yea us, He has adopted, and wishes to be called the Father of us alone, not of the unbelieving. Such is then our position who are the attendants of Christ[?].

"As are men's wishes, so are their words; As are their words, so are their deeds; And as their works, such is their life."

Good is the whole life of those who have known Christ[?].

My translation:

So, it is fitting for us to say that only the godly Christian[?] is truly rich, prudent, noble, and with this, an image resembling God.	Ὥρα οὖν ἡμῖν μόνον θεοσεβῆ τὸν Χριστιανὸν[?] εἰπεῖν πλούσιόν τε καὶ σώφρονα καὶ εὐγενῆ καὶ ταύτῃ εἰκόνα τοῦ θεοῦ μεθ' ὁμοιώσεως,
and to say and believe that he has become 'just and pious with understanding' under Christ[?] Jesus, and already to be similar to God to such an extent.	καὶ λέγειν καὶ πιστεύειν «δίκαιον καὶ ὅσιον μετὰ φρονήσεως» γενόμενον ὑπὸ Χριστοῦ[?] Ἰησοῦ καὶ εἰς τοσοῦτον ὅμοιον ἤδη καὶ θεῷ.
For the prophet does not conceal this grace, saying, 'I proclaim that you are gods and sons of the Most High.'	Οὐκ ἀποκρύπτεται γοῦν ὁ προφήτης τὴν χάριν λέγων, »ἐγὼ εἶπον ὅτι θεοί ἐστε καὶ υἱοὶ ὑψίστου πάντες.»
Us, because he has adopted us and wants to be called the Father of us alone, not of those who disobey.	Ἡμᾶς γάρ, ἡμᾶς εἰσπεποίηται καὶ ἡμῶν ἐθέλει μόνων κεκλῆσθαι πατήρ, οὐ τῶν ἀπειθούντων.
Because, indeed, this is simply the way things are for followers of Christ[?].	Καὶ γὰρ οὖν ὧδέ πως ἔχει τὰ ἡμέτερα τῶν Χριστοῦ[?] ὀπαδῶν
As intentions are, so are the words.	οἷαι μὲν αἱ βουλαί, τοῖοι καὶ οἱ λόγοι
As words are, so are the actions.	ὁποῖοι δὲ οἱ λόγοι, τοιαίδε καὶ αἱ πράξεις
And as one's deeds are, so is the life.	καὶ ὁποῖα τὰ ἔργα, τοιοῦτος ὁ βίος
Excellent, the fullness of being human, is life for those who have known Christ[?].	χρηστὸς ὁ σύμπας ἀνθρώπων βίος τῶν Χριστὸν[?] ἐγνωκότων

An association with χρηστὸς is also made by Clement here.

The idea of Christians as noble born (εὐγενῆ), discussed previously, would not be foreign to Clement, per one LSJ definition:

οἱ χρηστοί, like οἱ ἀγαθοί, those of good family, X.Ath.1.4,6.

[Peter Kirby]

Theophilus of Antioch, writing around 180 CE, understands well both derogatory use of the term and its punning allusions:

As for your laughing at me and calling me ‘Christian’ [χριστιανόν], you know not what you are saying.	περὶ δὲ τοῦ σε καταγελᾶν μου, καλούντα με χριστιανόν, οὐκ οἶδας ὅ λέγεις.
First, because that which is anointed [χριστόν] is sweet and useful [εὔχρηστον], and not subject to ridicule.	πρῶτον μὲν ὅτι τὸ χριστόν ἡδύ καὶ εὔχρηστος καὶ ἀκαταγέλαστόν ἐστιν
For what ship can be useful and safe, if it is not first anointed [χρισθῇ, presumably here meaning ‘caulked’]?	ποίον γὰρ πλοῖον δύναται εὔχρηστον εἶναι καὶ σώζεσθαι, ἐὰν μὴ πρῶτον χρισθῇ;
Or what tower or house is beautiful and useful when it has not been anointed?	ἢ ποῖος πύργος ἢ οἰκία εὔμορφος καὶ εὔχρηστός ἐστιν, ἐπὰν οὐ κέχρισται;
And what man, when he enters into this life or is about to wrestle, is not anointed with oil?	τίς δὲ ἄνθρωπος εἰσελθὼν εἰς τόνδε τὸν βίον ἢ ἀθλῶν οὐ χρίεται ἐλαίῳ;
What work of art, what ornament has beauty unless it is anointed and burnished?	ποῖον δὲ ἔργον ἢ κόσμιον δύναται εὐμορφίαν ἔχειν, ἐὰν μὴ χρισθῇ καὶ στιλβωθῇ;
The air finally and all that is under heaven is so to say anointed by light and spirit.	εἶτα ἀὴρ μὲν καὶ πᾶσα ἡ ὑπ’ οὐρανὸν τρόπῳ τινὶ χρίεται φωτὶ καὶ πνεύματι.
And do you not wish to be anointed with the oil of God?	σὺ δὲ οὐ βούλει χρισθῆναι ἔλαιον θεοῦ;
So then it is for the sake of this that we are called Christians: because we are anointed with the oil of God.	τοιγαροῦν ἡμεῖς τούτου εἵνεκεν καλούμεθα χριστιανοὶ ὅτι χρειόμεθα ἔλαιον θεοῦ.

Theophilus, ad Autolycum 1.12, as translated by J. L. Moles.

As part of the author's apologetic purpose, the name χριστιανόν is elevated above meaning merely a follower of Christ, being turned into something to which nobody could object, as being one anointed with the oil of God (χρειόμεθα ἔλαιον θεοῦ). Of course, those mocking had much less in mind, i.e., they were just mocking those called Christian (χριστιανόν).

In the process, Theophilus clearly shows himself to be very comfortable with the allusion of the name to εὔχρηστος (useful) and the association of it with being ἡδύ (sweet to the smell), while more directly identifying the meaning of being a Christian (χριστιανόν) with the word translated "that which is anointed" (τὸ χριστόν), i.e. the anointed one, the Christ.

Theophilus of Antioch began his work with similar punning (from ad Autolycum 1.1, in the ANF translation):

Since, then, my friend, you have assailed me with empty words (λόγοις κενοῖς), boasting of your gods of wood and stone, hammered and cast, carved and graven, which neither see nor hear, for they are idols, and the works of men's hands; and since, besides, you call me a Christian (χριστιανὸν), as if this were a damning name (κακὸν τοὔνομα) to bear, I, for my part, avow (ὁμολογῶ) that I am a Christian (χριστιανός), and bear this name beloved of God (τὸ θεοφιλὲς ὄνομα), hoping to be serviceable (εὔχρηστος) to God. For it is not the case, as you suppose, that the name of God (τοὔνομα τοῦ θεοῦ) is hard to bear; but possibly you entertain this opinion of God, because you are yourself yet unserviceable (ἄχρηστος) to Him.

The remarks on εὔχρηστος and ἄχρηστος recall the language of Philemon.

Theophilus of Antioch, writing in Greek, approaches punning on this name in a way similar to Justin and Clement.

[Peter Kirby]

I have added two links to papers on the "Christianos Graffito" found at Pompeii (buried in 79 CE) in the 19th century. The discussion of the inscription has always been marred by association with far-fetched speculation that goes well beyond the evidence. It also took a firm step backwards early on by the publication of the inscription in the well-known reference, Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum vol. 4, in a greatly obfuscated form (but without any new evidence to justify the many changes made, relative to the three eyewitness accounts).

A turning point in the discussion came from M. Guarducci, “La più antica iscrizione del nome dei Cristiani”, in: Romische Quartalschrift, 57 (1962), pp. 116-125. Guarducci identified the probable first word of the inscription, the name "Bovios." This led to the reconstruction of this line of the inscription as "Bovios is listening to the Christians." Like others, Guarducci also identified the fourth and fifth lines as coming from a different hand.

Guarducci, Wayment and Grey, and Tuccinardi differ in their reconstruction of the fifth line.

Jesus Followers in Pompeii: The Christianos Graffito and “Hotel of the Christians” Reconsidered
https://www.jjmjs.org/uploads/1/1/9/0/1 ... ompeii.pdf

Christian Horrors in Pompeii: A New Proposal for the Christianos Graffito
https://www.jjmjs.org/uploads/1/1/9/0/1 ... inardi.pdf

For the purpose of this thread, the most interesting part of the inscription would be the presence of the word Christianos (accusative plural).

There are three accounts here: Giuseppe Fiorelli (the archaeologist who found the inscription first), Giulio Minervini (another archaeologist who arrived soon after in order to make a sketch), and Alfred Kiessling (an archaeologist who saw it later that year, making another sketch).

The statement from Fiorelli was that he “read at the end of the first line . . . HRISTIANOS or . . . HRISTIANVS.” Fiorelli indicates, by this, that he was not able to make out clearly the letter before 'H' here. The statement from Fiorelli can be compared to the two sketches regarding this part of the inscription (the fourth and fifth lines):

graffito.jpg (172.32 KiB) Viewed 502 times

All three witnesses are very clear about the letters 'RISTIAN' here. The first two witnesses clearly saw the end of the word here (which Fiorelli says was "OS" or "VS" and which Minervini sketched as "OS"). The first two witnesses also saw the "H" here as well, which Kiessling's sketch can show only in a deteriorated form. Of course, Kiessling was aware that the graffito was already on its way to fading, which is the best explanation of why the "H" is not clearly visible in Kiessling's sketch and why the last two letters now left only one line visible to Kiessling.

As a result, we can conclude that the graffito read 'HRISTIANOS' here. The first letter must have been hard to make out, based on Fiorelli's statement. Both Minervini and Kiessling attempt to draw the preceding letter: Minervini more clearly as a 'C', Kiessling as just a slightly curved line. All three witnesses may have been dealing with damage at this part of the graffito already.

Even with the difficulty of reading the first letter (which might be marked as a letter whose form is being reconstructed from context), a fairly cautious conclusion regarding the the inscription having the word 'Christianos' here can be reached.

Based on the discussion in Italian by Guarducci, a similar conclusion is reached by Alastair M. Small, "Urban, suburban and rural religion in the Roman period" (pp. 184-211) in The World of Pompeii (Routledge 2007), p. 194.

The evidence for Christianity in Pompeii and Herculaneum is of uneven value, and has been much debated, but when the more dubious arguments are discounted there remains a residue of archaeological documentation which should leave no doubt that there were Christians in Pompeii before the eruption. The clearest indication is a graffito scratched in charcoal on a wall of an inn situated on the via del Balcone Pensile (VII.11.11–14), which was recorded by several authorities at the time of the excavation in 1862 but had vanished within two years. The beginning and end are uncertain, but the word christianos clearly occurred on the fourth line.[68]

[68] M. Guarducci, “La più antica iscrizione col nome dei Cristiani”, Römische Quartalschrift, 1962, vol. 57, pp. 116–25. She transcribes the line as Bovios audi(t) christianos: Bovius listens to Christians, and interprets it as a malignant comment, suitable for the wall of a drinking house.

[Peter Kirby]

Getting an overview of the fragments of literary texts that have been found isn't necessarily easy. In this regard, this document from Larry Hurtado is a valuable reference (even if demurring from some of the dates, perhaps):

https://larryhurtado.files.wordpress.co ... -texts.pdf

There's a lot here that could be surveyed for additional references, not yet cataloged in this thread.

[Secret Alias]

The idea that an erudite individual like Clement didn't know how to differentiate between Christos and Chrestos is ludicrous.