The followers of the Way never referred to themselves by this name or title only the pagans referred to the followers of The Way as Chrestus or Chrestusians’ as a servant or servants of Yahowah the Mighty One Yahowsha. Chrestus was a derogative and demeaning term or pet name for slaves. This title does not imply, either in Latin, Greek or in Hebrew, a divine nature for the possessor of it, rather a subservient position of slave. In this case one who is called out, free and chooses to serve another.

In the book of Daniel he uses the word/title MessiYah twice, which means the upright, useful and beneficial implement of Yah. Clearly demonstrating the connection between the followers of Yah and Yahowsha the Anointed MessiYah all of whom are called and considered useful servants of Yah or beneficial implements of Yah, those who are called out and called by His Name and found as members of His Family, the Yahuwdym.

Starting around the third to fourth century the licentiousness of authors and copiers of the scriptural text took literary license altering and substituting words and phrases and vowels to suit their particular political and religious influences. Just as the political and rabbinical influences of Jewish authors had done with the scripture alterations as a result of their Babylonian exile had influenced them contrary to the Torah, Prophets and Psalms. Influencing them too choose to alter the text and form the oral traditions of the Talmud. Bringing changes to the original text, written in Paleo Hebrew’s Set-Apart Scriptural text and language. Being separated from all signs and symbols of their God, they learned the pagan ways of the Babylonians and integrated pagan practices into their way of life and their scriptures followed suit by an Aramaic or Babylonian Hebrew text, with different vowel points and intentional altering and hiding Yahowah’s personal and proper name. Replacing Yahowah’s Name with titles of Adon, Adonai, LORD and God which makes it nearly impossible to know Yahowsha, Yahowah is Salvation. The long promised Messiyah of the Torah, Prophets and Psalms fulfilled in the flesh as Immanu’EL Yahowah’s set-apart form of Himself The Set-Apart, Set-Apart Useful, Beneficial, Implement of Yah. Yahowsha the One and Only One who came in His Fathers Name.

Yahowah has given us in His scripture the two personal and proper names and five titles, Yahowah, Yahowsha, Elohim, The Set-Apart Spirit, Messiyah, Stauros the verb and Stauros the noun the upright pole. The earliest manuscripts of the Greek Septuagint did not use placeholders for the specific two deity names and five deity titles the Greek language did not contain letters in their alphabet to write out these names and titles. So the Greek text referred the reader to the original Paleo Hebrew text and using their letters to express and speak the proper names and titles. The early Septuagint authors used the Paleo Hebrew text and letters for all seven. Later copies of the Septuagint used placeholders 100% of the time in every manuscript as did the 69 pre Constantine manuscripts. After Constantine’s influence and the forming of the religion of Christianity the placeholders were abandoned for pagan deity names and titles. So as to lose every connection between Hebrew, Jewishness, the Torah, Prophets and Psalms as well as the personal name of God, Yahowah, His title Elohim, His Messiyah’s Name-Yahshua, the title Messiyah, His Set-Apart Spirit’s title and the verb and noun form of the upright pole which points to Edon the upright One Yahowah, who will come and stand upright on the upright pole so as to cause you to stand upright with Him. This is the story of His Salvation depicted in His seven Miqra’ey.

The original word used in the earliest scriptural text to describe the followers of the WAY that is Yah's Way, they were not called Christos/Christianos but were called and referred to as Chrestus or Chrestusians’... Those who are called out, upright, beneficial, useful, helpful, kind, excellent, worthy and good ones verifying and witnessing to Yahowsha the Anointed Messiyah the upright useful, beneficial, implement of Yah. Who Yahowah himself came as a servant in the form of man in Yahowsha/Immanu’EL. He is described as upright, useful and kind one of whom He said test and see if what I AM saying is trustworthy in the Torah, Prophets and Psalms, read all about me. At this time period there were no such things as Gospels. Where as Christos was used once only in the text to describe the Laodicea assembly who made a drug to smear on their eyes, making them look drugged and whitewashed around the eyes.

Isn't it nice to know you are not a drugged and whitewashed one? But you are a called-out, upright, beneficial, useful, helpful, kind, excellent, worthy and good one verifying and witnessing to Yahowah the Mighty One Yahowsha the Anointed Messiyah. Who is the upright one who came and stood upright on and upright pole so as to cause you to be able to stand upright with Him? If we look deeper in to the Torah we find Yahowah describing Himself as EDON, the Upright ONE, EDON, as examples in scripture we see in Egypt, the EDON, upright pillars of the house where the blood of the lamb was place so that the Set-Apart Spirit would hover over to protect those inside the house and who in the days of desert wandering was the EDON, upright pillar of cloud and by night was the EDON, upright pillar of fire. He Yahowah the Upright One in a set-apart, set-apart manifestation of Him self is the one who came and stood EDON, upright on the upright pole so as to cause you to stand upright with Him. The word EDON was replace by ADON giving us the word LORD a complete and total abomination of the upright one, Yahowah the Mighty One Yahowsha.

Many words and phrases in our current English Text we call the bible, have been altered to reflect sun god worship in name and title's influencing what we call Christianity and Judaism as well as other religions.

“Come Out Of Her My People” by CJ Koster

Similar to the foregoing components of Sun-worship which had been adopted into the church, we have similar proof of the adoption of a pagan word or name, although less convincing of its absolute solar origin. However, we can clearly see that, with the Greeks using both the Greek words Messias (a transliteration) and Christos (a translation) for the Hebrew Mashiach (Anointed), the word Christos was far more acceptable to the pagans who were worshipping Chreston, Chrestos, and perhaps also those worshipping Krista. But we will come to that later.

The Hebrew word Mashiach has been translated in the Old Testament of the King James Version as "Anointed" in most places, but as "MessiYAH" in two places, namely Dan. 9:25 and 26. This word is a title, although it was used as an appellative (name) later on. Thus, this word was faithfully translated as "Anointed Implement of Yah" in the Old Testament and only in Dan 9:25 and 26 was its Hebrew character retained in the transliterated "MessiYAH". Likewise, we find that the Greeks also admitted their transliterated form Messias in the Greek New Testament in John 1:41 and John 4:25.

Why then did they introduce or use the word Christos in the rest of the Greek New Testament? Even if they had preferred Christos to Messias, why did our translators transliterate the word as "Christ"? Why did they not transliterate the word, as was done in Dan 9:25 and 26, as "MessiYAH", seeing that the Greeks had also accepted their Greek transliteration of the word, namely Messias in John 1:41 and John 4:25? Ferrar Fenton's translation, The Complete Bible in Modern English, used "MessiYAH" instead of "Christ" in most places where the word is used alone, except when used as the combination "Jesus Christ". Similarly, the New English Bible has used "MessiYAH" in its New Testament in many places. The Good News Bible has restored the word "MessiYAH" in no less than 70 places in its New Testament. The New International Version gives the alternative "MessiYAH" in almost all places, by means of a footnote. Dr. Bullinger in The Companion Bible, appendix 98 IX, says, "Hence, the Noun (Christos) is used of and for the MessiYAH, and in the Gospels should always be translated 'MessiYAH'". Also, Benjamin Wilson in his Emphatic Diaglott has restored the words "Anointed" and "MessiYAH" in many places.

Yahowsha Himself said in John 4:22, "For salvation is from the Jews," NASB. Not only was our MessiYAH born from a Hebrew virgin, but also all of His Saving Message, the teachings, "the root and fatness" (Rom. 11:17), the Glad Tidings, "spiritual things" (Rom. 15:27), "the citizenship of Israel" (Eph. 2:12, Rotherham), "covenants of promise" (Eph. 2:12), "the spiritual blessings" (Rom. 15:27, NIV and TEV) - are all from the Jews! The Good News Bible, in its rendering of Rom. 9:4-5 added the word "True" to the word "Worship" to make it clearer. Speaking of literal Israel, it read, "They are The Mighty One's people; He made His covenants with them and gave them the Law; they have the True Worship; they have received The Mighty One's promises; they are descended from the famous Hebrew ancestors; and MessiYAH, as a human Being, belongs to their race." Read this passage in the NIV and NEB to.

These New Testament texts irrefutable prove the Jewishness of our MessiYAH. That well-known scholar of the Old Testament, as well as New Testament, Prof. Julius Wellhausen, who in all his works expressed his hatred towards Pharisaical Judaism, nevertheless wrote the following bold words, "Jesus ... was a Jew. He proclaimed no new faith, but He taught that the Will of God must be done. The Will of God stands for Him, as for the Jews, in eh Law, and in the other Set-Apart Scriptures that are classed with it."200 Yahowsha could not have been known as Christos amongst His people. His title was known as Mashiach in Hebrew and Mesiha in Aramaic - to those who accepted Him as such, Matt. 16:16, John 6:69 etc. This title is easily transliterated as "MessiYAH", and is generally accepted, and has been accepted, just like the Greek Messias. Why then have they not persisted with it? Even if they wanted to translate it, why have they not translated it as "Anointed", as was done in the English translation of the King James Version's Old Testament?

Our research into this matter has produced some revealing similarities between Christos and certain pagan names and titles. F.D. Gearly, writing in The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, vol. 1, pp. 571-572, says, "the word Christos ... was easily confused with the common Greek proper name Chrestos, meaning 'good'." He also quotes a French theological dictionary which says, "It is absolutely beyond doubt that Christus and Chrestus, Christiani and Chrestiani, were used indifferently by the profane and Christian authors of the first two centuries of our era." he continues, "in Greek, 'e' and 'i' were similarly pronounced and often confused, the original spelling of the word should be determined only if we could fix its provenance (origin). ... The problem is further complicated by the fact that the word Christianos is a Latinism ... and was contributed neither by Jews nor by the Christians themselves." He quotes various scholars to support his proposition that the word Christianos was introduced from one of three origins: (a) The Roman police (b) The Roman populace (c) Unspecified pagan provenance (origin)." he then proceeds, "The three occurrences of 'Christian' in the NT suggest that the term was at this time primarily used as a pagan designation. Its infrequent use in the NT indicates not so much lateness of origin as pagan provenance (origin)." This almost sensational admission as to the confusion and uncertainty between Christos and Chrestos, Christus and Chrestus, Christiani and Chrestiani, is well documented and shared and published by other scholars too, 201 as well as by the Early Fathers: Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Lanctantius and others.201 This confusion and uncertainty can only encourage and encourage us to return to the only Source of Truth, the Word, the Scriptures, before it was translated into the languages of the pagans. Only then can we find peace in the truth of Yahowsha being the Anointed, the One promised to Israel.

Who was this Chrestos or Chreston with which Christos became confused with? We have already seen that Chrestos was a common Greek proper name, meaning "good". Further, we see in Pauly-Wissowa, Realencyclopaedie, under "Chrestos", that the inscription Chrestos is to be seen on a Mithras relief in the Vatican. 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.202 The confusion, and syncretism, is further evidenced by the oldest Christian building known, the Synagogue of the Marcionites on Mt. Hermon, built in the 3rd century, where the MessiYAH's title or appellation is spelt Chrestos.203 Justin Martyr (about 150 C.E.) said that Christians were Chrestoi or "good". Tertullian and Lactantius inform us that "the common people usually called Christ Chrestos". Clement of Alexandria, in the same age, said, "all who believe in Christ are called Chrestoi, that is 'good men.'"203

The word Christos could even have been more acceptable to the Krishna-worshippers, because the name of Krishna was pronounced, and still is to the present day, as Krista, in many parts of India.204Thus, we can readily see that the word Christos was easier to convert the pagans with than the word "MessiYAH", especially because of the anti- Judaism that prevailed among the pagans. The syncretism between Christos and Chrestos (the Sun-deity Orsiris), is further elucidated by the fact of emperor Hadrian's report, who wrote, "There are there (in Egypt) Christians who worship Serapis; and devoted to Serapis, are those who call themselves 'Bishops of Christ'."198 Serapis was another Sun-deity who superseded Osiris in Alexandria. Once again, we must not falter nor stumble over this confusion among the Gentiles. Rather, we must seek the truth, primarily from the faithfully preserved Old testament Scriptures - see 2 Tim. 3:16, John 17:17, Ps. 119:105, Isa 40:8. We must worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth, as well as His Son, Yahowsha the MessiYAH, Who is sitting at His right hand. We do accept every word in the New Testament, but we do desire to return to the original Scriptures of the New Testament, as far back as we possibly can. As previously mentioned, the Greeks changed Elijah into Helias in the Greek New Testament, and the Helios-worshippers must have been overjoyed because of their Sun-deity being assimilated to the Elijah of the Scriptures. To avoid the confusion between Helias and Helios, we should abide by the Hebrew "Elijah". Likewise, to avoid confusion between Christos and Chrestos, we should abide by the word Anointed - remembering that Osiris the Sun-deity, amongst others, was called Chrestos. Mithras too, was possibly called Chrestos (see above).

Source: http://www.isr-messianic.org/pubs/come_out.shtml

Historicity of Jesus

Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus (c. 69–140) wrote the following in his Lives of the Twelve Caesars about riots which broke out in the Jewish community in Rome under the emperor Claudius:

"As the Jews were making constant disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus, he (Claudius) expelled them from Rome".

The event was noted in Acts 18:2. The term Chrestus also appears in some later texts applied to Jesus, and Robert Graves, among others, consider it a variant spelling of Christ, or at least a reasonable spelling error. On the other hand, Chrestus was itself a common name, particularly for slaves, meaning good or useful. In regards to Jewish persecution around the time to which this passage refers, the Jewish Encyclopedia states: "... in 49-50, in consequence of dissensions among them regarding the arrival of the MessiYAH, they were forbidden to hold religious services. The leaders in the controversy, and many others of the Jewish citizens, left the city".

Another suggestion as to why Chrestus may not be Christ is based on the fact Suetonius refers to Jews not Christians in this passage, even though in his Life of Nero he shows some knowledge of the sect's existence. Even discounting all these points, this passage offers little information about Jesus himself.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrestus#Suetonius 

The Origin of The Word Christian

Paul put his Gnostic Christ Jesus in the forefront of his preaching, and they [the early Gentile churches] can hardly have done otherwise. It is no accident, indeed, that over time the true understanding of this Divine Mediator as a Divine Concept as the indwelling Logos as held and taught by the earliest Jewish and Gentile believers to whom we look as the earliest Christians were really "Chrestus-ians" instead. They held completely opposite views concerning this Divine Mediator between God and man than what the later "orthodox" Roman Christians would hold as seen when they changed the name of "Chrestus" to "Christ" and in so doing changed the Gnostic "Christ" into a human being whom is known today as "the Christ" and not "Chrestus". We lose completely by changing this name the original concepts of the Logos, Sophia, Hochmah, Holy Spirit, etc. Again over time and the manipulation of the words "Chrestus" and "Christ" the adherents of the new faith were now called and recognized as Christians" (Arthur Cushman McGiffert, The God of the Early Christians, p. 44).

http://firstnewtestament.netfirms.com/origin_name_christian.htm 

Suetonius on Chrestus

"Judaeos, impulsore Chresto, assidue tumultuantes (Claudius) Roma expulit".

"Since the Jews constantly made disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus expelled them from Rome" (Clau., xxv).

Suetonius, a Roman historian, lived A.D. 75-160. It has been noted that Suetonius considered The Way as (Chrestus) to be Roman rebels active in the days of Claudius, who reigned A.D. 41-54:

http://www.mc.maricopa.edu/~tomshoemaker/handouts/suetonius.html

Printable pdf