Χριστός (Christ) in Septuagint and Sanskrit?

The forum for those who still struggle with morphology, syntax, and idiom, or who wish to discuss basic questions about the meaning of Greek texts, syntax, or words.
Forum rules
This is not a place for students to ask for the answers to their homework assignments. Users who do that may be banned.
Post Reply
Jonathan Robie
Posts: 4167
Joined: May 5th, 2011, 5:34 pm
Location: Durham, NC
Contact:

Re: Χριστός (Christ) in Septuagint and Sanskrit?

Post by Jonathan Robie »

Solomon wrote: July 7th, 2022, 9:18 pm The Greek Χριστός (Christ) in Septuagint many times. It was used for the translation of Hebrew word מָשִׁיחַ (Messiah) That was before the Christ.
It was used in Leviticus 4:3.

Did ancient Greek used the word "Χριστός" for anyone else? Anyone other than Messiah?
Was there any concept of Messiah in the ancient Greek culture?
Last time, I pointed you to two lexicons available online. This question also seems to be the kind of thing where a lexicon is the best starting point. So next time, you might want to start by telling us which lexicons you have looked at and what you learned from them. (If you aren't able to use a Greek lexicon yet, I would work on that skill first, we can help.)

Here's Abbott-Smith:
χριστός (Χρ-), -ή, -όν (< χρίω), [in LXX for מָשִׁיחַ and cogn. forms ;]
1. 1. as adj.,
(a) of things, anointing, to be used as ointment (Æsch., Eur., al.; τ. ἔλαιον τὸ χ., Le 21:10);
(b) of persons, anointed (ὁ ἰερεὺς ὁ χ., Le 4:5; οἱ χ. ἰευρεῖς, II Mac 1:10): ὁ χ. τοῦ κυρίου or Θεοῦ (I Ki 2:10, Ps 2:2, al.), of the Messiah (Aram., מְשִׁיחָא; cf. Dalman, Words, 289 ff.), Lk 2:11, 26 Jo 1:41, Ac 2:36 4:26, al.
2. As subst., ὁ Χριστός, the Messiah, the Christ: Mt 2:4, Mk 8:29, Lk 2:11, Jo 1:20, Ac 2:31, Ro 7:4, al.; Ἰησοῦς, Mk 1:1, Jo 1:17, Ac 2:38, al.; Χ. Ἰησοῦς, Mt 1:18, WH, mg. [p. 485] Ac 5:42, Ro 6:3, al.; Χ. κύριος, Lk 2:11; Ἰησοῦς Χ. ὁ κύριος, Ac 15:26, Ro 1:7, al.
That points you to some of the significant Septuagint uses:
  • Leviticus 4:5
    καὶ λαβὼν ὁ ἱερεὺς ὁ χριστὸς ὁ τετελειωμένος τὰς χεῖρας ἀπὸ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ μόσχου καὶ εἰσοίσει αὐτὸ ἐπὶ τὴν σκηνὴν τοῦ μαρτυρίου·
  • 2 Macc 1:10
    Οἱ ἐν Ιεροσολύμοις καὶ οἱ ἐν τῇ Ιουδαίᾳ καὶ ἡ γερουσία καὶ Ιουδας Ἀριστοβούλῳ διδασκάλῳ Πτολεμαίου τοῦ βασιλέως, ὄντι δὲ ἀπὸ τοῦ τῶν χριστῶν ἱερέων γένους, καὶ τοῖς ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ Ιουδαίοις χαίρειν καὶ ὑγιαίνειν.
  • 1 Sam 2:10
    κύριος ἀσθενῆ ποιήσει ἀντίδικον αὐτοῦ, κύριος ἅγιος. μὴ καυχάσθω ὁ φρόνιμος ἐν τῇ φρονήσει αὐτοῦ, καὶ μὴ καυχάσθω ὁ δυνατὸς ἐν τῇ δυνάμει αὐτοῦ, καὶ μὴ καυχάσθω ὁ πλούσιος ἐν τῷ πλούτῳ αὐτοῦ, ἀλλ᾽ ἢ ἐν τούτῳ καυχάσθω ὁ καυχώμενος, συνίειν καὶ γινώσκειν τὸν κύριον καὶ ποιεῖν κρίμα καὶ δικαιοσύνην ἐν μέσῳ τῆς γῆς. κύριος ἀνέβη εἰς οὐρανοὺς καὶ ἐβρόντησεν, αὐτὸς κρινεῖ ἄκρα γῆς καὶ δίδωσιν ἰσχὺν τοῖς βασιλεῦσιν ἡμῶν καὶ ὑψώσει κέρας χριστοῦ αὐτοῦ.
  • Psa 2:2
    παρέστησαν οἱ βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς, καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντες συνήχθησαν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ κατὰ τοῦ κυρίου καὶ κατὰ τοῦ χριστοῦ αὐτοῦ διάψαλμα
I am attaching more as a file here:
xristos.lxx.txt
(14.76 KiB) Downloaded 84 times
Someone else can probably give you better information on classical usage, the examples shown in Logeion are from the New Testament, a broader search doesn't show me much.
Solomon wrote: July 7th, 2022, 9:18 pm Χριστός is from Proto-Indo-European *gʰrēy- (“to smear”).

It is related to ancient Sanskrit word घृत • (ghṛtá) for "Ghee".
According to Wikipedia in Hindu religion:
Ghee is used for bathing the deities on the appearance day of Krishna. It is also used for religious purposes and is highly esteemed by the Hindus
I think this relationship is via χρίω. I imagine the role of olive oil for ancient Hebrews resembles the role of ghee for ancient Hindus. I don't know much about the role of olive oil in the ancient near east in general.
ἐξίσταντο δὲ πάντες καὶ διηποροῦντο, ἄλλος πρὸς ἄλλον λέγοντες, τί θέλει τοῦτο εἶναι;
http://jonathanrobie.biblicalhumanities.org/
Devenios Doulenios
Posts: 230
Joined: May 31st, 2011, 5:11 pm
Location: Carlisle, Arkansas, USA
Contact:

Re: Χριστός (Christ) in Septuagint and Sanskrit?

Post by Devenios Doulenios »

Jonathan,

Many thanks for the file on the usage of χριστός in the LXX! I've only done a partial study of that, so it will come in handy when I return to it. I downloaded it today.

εὐχαριστῶ σοι, ῶ φίλε! χάριν ἔχω σοι. 8-)
Dewayne Dulaney
Δεβένιος Δουλένιος

Blog: https://letancientvoicesspeak.wordpress.com/

"Ὁδοὶ δύο εἰσί, μία τῆς ζωῆς καὶ μία τοῦ θανάτου."--Διδαχή Α, α'
Post Reply

Return to “Beginners Forum”