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Early "Chrestians"

The sources of "Chrestian" [χρηστιανος]
and "Christian" [χριστιανος] in Antiquity

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The sources of Chrestian [χρηστιανος]
and Christian [χριστιανος] in Antiquity


Explanatory Hypothesis

As a result of this situation - that the term "Chrestian" (and not "Christian") invariably appears with the earliest evidence - the question must naturally arise as to why. How is the chronology of the use of the terms "Chrestian" and then "Christian" to be explained?

The sequence of events appears to be something like this, where the date of 316 CE is taken from the earliest of Emperor Constantine's "Chi-Rho" coins:




TEXT VERSION OF EVIDENCE DATA


The sources of "Chrestian" [χρηστιανος] and "Christian" [χριστιανος] in Antiquity 


The following list has been extracted from the tabulation here:
http://www.mountainman.com.au/essenes/chrestians%20christians.htm



1.00) Manuscript Evidence: "Chrestian" exclusively dominates earliest evidence from 3rd/4th centuries

1.01) SB XII 10772 ................. "Chrestian" [3rd/4th century?]
1.02) P.Laur. II 42 ................ "Chrestian" [3rd/4th century?]
1.03) P.Oxy.XLIII 3149 ............. "Chrestian" [5th century?]
1.04) SB XVI 12497 ................. "Chrestian" [3rd/4th century?]
1.05) P.Oxy XLII 3035 .............. "Chresian"  [28 February 256 CE]
1.06) P.Oxy.XLIII 3119 ............. "Chrestian" [3rd/4th century?]
1.07) PGM IV. 3007-86 .............. "The Good" ("Chrestos") [4th century]
1.08) Manichaean Mss: Kellis ....... "The Good" ("Chrestos") [4th century?]
1.09) Cartonage NHC7 ............... "The Good" ("Chrestos") [4th century] 
1.10) [#01] Codex Sinaiticus........ "Chrestian" [4th century?] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codex_Sinaiticus
.
1.11) Miniscule 1243 ............... "Chrestian" [11th century]


2.00) Manuscript Evidence: "not known"
2.01) Chester Beatty 45 ............ lacunae, nomina sacra form?  [3rd century]


3.00) Manuscript Evidence: "Chreistian" (Transitional spelling? epsilon-iota diphthong) 
3.01) [#03] Codex Vaticanus ....... "Chreistians" [4th century] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codex_Vaticanus 
3.02) [#05] Codex Bezae ........... "Chreistians" [6th century] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codex_Bezae 


4.00) Manuscript Evidence: Uncials/Majuscules - "Christian" (later evidence from 5th/6th centuries????)
4.01) [#02] Codex Alexandrinus .... "Christian" [5th century?] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codex_Alexandrinus
4.02) [#08] Codex Laudianus ....... "Christian" [6th century?] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codex_Laudianus 
4.03) [#14] Codex Mutinensis ...... "Christian" [7th century] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codex_Mutinensis
4.04) [#20] Codex Angelicus ....... "Christian" [9th century] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codex_Angelicus
4.05) [#25] Codex Porphyrianus .... "Christian" [9th century] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codex_Porphyrianus 
4.06) [#44] Codex Athous Lavrensis. "Christian" [9th century] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codex_Athous_Lavrensis 
4.07) [#049] Codex at Mt. Athos ... "Christian" [9th century] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncial_049 
4.08) [#056] Codex at Paris ....... "Christian" [10th century] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncial_056

      Manuscript Evidence: Miniscules: 
4.09) 1 (12th), 
4.10) 88 (12th),  
4.11) 104 (dated 1087 CE), 
4.12) 226 (12th), 
4.13) 323 (12th), 
4.14) 330 (12th), 
4.15) 440 (14th), 
4.16) 547 (11th), 
4.17) 614 (13th), 
4.18) 618 (12th), 
4.19) 927 (dated 1133 CE), 
4.20) 945 (11th), 
4.21) 1175 (14th), 
4.22) 1241 (12th), 
4.23) 1245 (12th), 
4.24) 1270 (11th), 
4.25) 1505 (12th), 
4.26) 1611 (10th), 
4.27) 1646 (12th), 
4.28) 1739 (10th), 
4.29) 1828 (14th) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minuscule_182 
4.30) 1837, 
4.31) 1854, 
4.32) 1891, 
4.33) 2147, 
4.34) 2344, 
4.35) 2412, 
4.36) 2492, 
4.37) 2495.
etc
 
Source: New Testament Greek Manuscripts: Acts - (1996) by Reuben Swanson (Editor) 

Carolingian minuscule: Carolingian or Caroline minuscule is a script developed as a calligraphic standard in Europe so that the Latin alphabet could be easily recognized by the literate class from one region to another. It was used in the Holy Roman Empire between approximately 800 and 1200. Codices, pagan and Christian texts, and educational material were written in Carolingian minuscule throughout the Carolingian Renaissance. The script developed into blackletter and became obsolete, though its revival in the Italian renaissance forms the basis of more recent scripts.

Also see the massive 9th century forgery mill operating in Carolingian France:

Pseudo-Isidorian Decretals

Reading Pseudo-Isidore Blog: Eric Knibbs

Petition to the British Museum: C14 dating of Codex Alexandrinus




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Sources of Chrestos & Christos | The Chi-Rho | Nomina Sacra | Thesis | Mountain Man