Chrestiani before Christiani

Discussion about the New Testament, apocrypha, gnostics, church fathers, Christian origins, historical Jesus or otherwise, etc.
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Giuseppe
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Chrestiani before Christiani

Post by Giuseppe »

Vigilius of Thapsus (circa 484) tells in ‘Contra Arianos’ that the name “Christian” was first adopted when some had illegally joined the believers in ‘Christ’; among those quasi-believers are then counted the followers of Dositheus, Theudas, Judas the Gaulonite and John the Baptist.

“Many propagators of new doctrines had arisen, contrary to the doctrine of the apostles, and all called their followers disciples, nor was there any difference of designation between the true and the false disciples, whether they were followers of Christ, or of Dositheus, of Theudas, a certain Judas, or John, for all professed a quasi-belief in Christ.

If true, this would raise the question: how were called the adorers of Jesus before that the survived messianists joined the group by making it known as Christiani?

A possible answer: Chrestiani
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billd89
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Yes.

Post by billd89 »

I'm sold. I recall there have been a few threads on this? I posted a Reply.

In later time, when Christianity had finally triumphed, the spelling χρηστιανός {=chrestianos} was proscribed as heretical.”

Destroy that history!
Secret Alias
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Re: Chrestiani before Christiani

Post by Secret Alias »

χρηστοί
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GakuseiDon
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Re: Yes.

Post by GakuseiDon »

billd89 wrote: Wed Oct 13, 2021 3:19 pm I'm sold. I recall there have been a few threads on this? I posted a Reply.

In later time, when Christianity had finally triumphed, the spelling χρηστιανός {=chrestianos} was proscribed as heretical.”

That's interesting. When was "Chrestian" proscribed as heretical, and why? I'd be interested in evidence for that, since it implies that there were a group of heretical Christians that called themselves "Chrestians".

Tertullian notes that Christians were sometimes called "Chrestians" by pagans:
http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/t ... ian06.html

The name Christian, however, so far as its meaning goes, bears the sense of anointing. Even when by a faulty pronunciation you call us "Chrestians" (for you are not certain about even the sound of this noted name), you in fact lisp out the sense of pleasantness and goodness.

Giuseppe
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Re: Chrestiani before Christiani

Post by Giuseppe »

Tacitus mentions the Chrestiani as victims of Nero. And Suetonius talks about a Chrestus who put in trouble the Jews in Rome under Claudius.
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billd89
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The Chrestiani, in the 2nd C.

Post by billd89 »

GakuseiDon wrote: Wed Oct 13, 2021 10:56 pm
billd89 wrote: Wed Oct 13, 2021 3:19 pm I'm sold. I recall there have been a few threads on this? I posted a Reply.

In later time, when Christianity had finally triumphed, the spelling χρηστιανός {=chrestianos} was proscribed as heretical.”

That's interesting. When was "Chrestian" proscribed as heretical, and why? I'd be interested in evidence for that, since it implies that there were a group of heretical Christians that called themselves "Chrestians".
The citation is here. It is not elaborated. No Strawman, thx.

The Antioch populace, as Tacitus says, called this sect "Chrestiani" c.40-45 A.D. Tertullian's excuse was far from the final word. And the common myth-conception that it was a simple misspelling is blatantly false, disingenuous. The Church Fathers represent a calculated revisionism. What happened to the 'sect'? I suppose the 'savior rabble' lurched from one temple to another...

Background:
This random blog post makes some interesting points and provides excellent additional detail:
Long before a wandering prophet in Galilee drafted into deity decades after his life on earth was saddled with the epithet, several Hellenistic deities were bestowed with the title, such as Osiris Chreistos, Isis Chreste, Helios Christos, Apollo Chrestos, Serapis Chrestos, Hades Chrestos, Persephone Chreste, Hermes Chrestos, Eileithyia Chreste, and Chrestos Mithras.

1 Enoch, 2nd century
This second century BCE pseudepigraphic, apocalyptic work introduces the title ‘Son of man’ as a designation for the coming messianic figure. Along with the title Eklektos (‘Chosen One’), it uses both terms with which this essay is concerned, Chrestos (‘Righteous One’) and Christos (‘Anointed One’).

I presume all and sundry have seen the Roger Pearse post:
We also read in J. M. Robertson, Christianity and Mythology, p. 331, that Osiris, the Sun-deity of Egypt, was reverenced as Chrestos. We also read of the heretic Gnostics who used the name Chreistos.

Alien gods? Gnostics? No wonder the "Chrestiani" were deemed heretical. Books were overwritten, so scorned was the name. Intuitively: yes, the spelling was proscribed as heretical.

Ointment Cup, or "Through Chrestos the Magician"? (Artifact recovered by divers in the harbor of Alexandria, dated 3rd C BC to 1st C. AD.)
Image
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