How did that term come about?
The word “christianos” (Latin, Christianus) was a term of scorn, traced back through a related word which history never “revised”.
“For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Yahudim throughout the world and a ringleader of the sect (G139, hairesis) of the Nazarenes (G3480).” The Greek word hairesis above gives us our word “heresy” translated “sect.” So we know the “sect” being spoken of was not the Christians, because Christians developed later. The word christianos was used twice in the Greek text as a device of scorn, since in the ancient world it conveyed a much different sense than it does today. The use of the word christianos did not “name” the sect, but it was a derisive, scornful label that meant they were like gullible, dumb beasts, or “cretins”.
cre·tin (krēt’n) n.
1. A person afflicted with cretinism.
Slang: An idiot.
[French crétin, from French dialectal, deformed and mentally person found in certain Alpine valleys, from Vulgar Latin *christiānus, Christian, human being, poor fellow, from Latin Chrīstiānus, Christian; see Christian.] Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
The word “watchmen” is the Hebrew word NATSARIM, and means guardians, protectors, preservers, and also means “branches”, as in “descendants”. Immediately, we see the connection with Yahusha’s words about Him being the Root, and His students the “branches,” the off-spring of His teachings. The name by which most Believers are called has no Greek roots; the Hebrew roots of our name are profound.
The word “christianos” (Latin, Christianus) was a term of scorn, traced back through a related word which history never “revised”.
“For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Yahudim throughout the world and a ringleader of the sect (G139, hairesis) of the Nazarenes (G3480).” The Greek word hairesis above gives us our word “heresy” translated “sect.” So we know the “sect” being spoken of was not the Christians, because Christians developed later. The word christianos was used twice in the Greek text as a device of scorn, since in the ancient world it conveyed a much different sense than it does today. The use of the word christianos did not “name” the sect, but it was a derisive, scornful label that meant they were like gullible, dumb beasts, or “cretins”.
cre·tin (krēt’n) n.
1. A person afflicted with cretinism.
Slang: An idiot.
[French crétin, from French dialectal, deformed and mentally person found in certain Alpine valleys, from Vulgar Latin *christiānus, Christian, human being, poor fellow, from Latin Chrīstiānus, Christian; see Christian.] Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
The word “watchmen” is the Hebrew word NATSARIM, and means guardians, protectors, preservers, and also means “branches”, as in “descendants”. Immediately, we see the connection with Yahusha’s words about Him being the Root, and His students the “branches,” the off-spring of His teachings. The name by which most Believers are called has no Greek roots; the Hebrew roots of our name are profound.
Last edited:
