CRISTIANOS, CRISTIANOU

Denny A Diehl dd-1 at juno.com
Thu Oct 24 18:49:49 EDT 2002


Mitch,

> > >Is this word CRISTIANOS, CRISTIANOU meant to be a mean
> > >word? Did others call christians this word because
> > >they did not care for them? I see this word in Acts 11
> > >and 1 Peter 4 but each time I see it I don't see why
> > >people say it was a word that others used about
> > >christians in a bad way.

With regard to the term CRISTIANOS being used
derisively, note:

"...called Christians by the populace.  Christus, from
whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme
penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of
one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most
mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment,
again broke out not only in Judea, the first source of
the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous
and shameful from every part of the world find their 
center and become popular."
   -Tacitus  Ann 15:44

"Punishments were also inflicted on the Christians, a
sect professing a new and mischievous religious belief."
   -Suetonius, The Twelve Caesars, Nero 16

Concerning Christians, Tacitus also wrote:
"Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded
guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude
was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city,
as of hatred against mankind.  Mockery of every sort was
added to their deaths.  Covered with the skins of beasts,
they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to
crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve
as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired."
   -Tacitus Ann 15:44

So, yes, the term "Christian" was held in derision by some
who were pagans.  However, when Peter instructed

"but if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not feel
ashamed, but in that name let him glorify God." -1 Pet 4:16

the name was held as honorable.

All the best.


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