a follower of the religion of Christ. It is probable that the
name Christian, like that of Nazarenes and Galileans, was given to the
disciples of our Lord in reproach or contempt. What confirms this
opinion is, that the people of Antioch in Syria, Acts xi, 26, where they
were first called Christians, are observed by Zosimus, Procopius, and
Zonaras, to have been remarkable for their scurrilous jesting. Some have
indeed thought that this name was given by the disciples to themselves;
others, that it was imposed on them by divine authority; in either of
which cases surely we should have met with it in the subsequent history
of the Acts, and in the Apostolic Epistles, all of which were written
some years after; whereas it is found but in two more places in the New
Testament, Acts xxvi, 28, where a Jew is the speaker, and in 1 Pet. iv,
16, where reference appears to be made to the name as imposed upon them
by their enemies. The word used, Acts xi, 26, signifies simply to be
called or named, and when Doddridge and a few others take it to _imply_
a divine appointment, they disregard the _usus loquendi_ [established
acceptation of the term] which gives no support to that opinion. The
words of Tacitus, when speaking of the Christians persecuted by Nero,
are remarkable, “_vulgus Christianos appellabat_,” “the vulgar called
them Christians.” Epiphanius says, that they were called Jesseans,
either from Jesse, the father of David, or, which is much more probable,
from the name of Jesus, whose disciples they were. They were denominated
Christians, A. D. 42 or 43; and though the name was first given
reproachfully, they gloried in it, as expressing their adherence to
Christ, and they soon generally assumed it.
name Christian, like that of Nazarenes and Galileans, was given to the
disciples of our Lord in reproach or contempt. What confirms this
opinion is, that the people of Antioch in Syria, Acts xi, 26, where they
were first called Christians, are observed by Zosimus, Procopius, and
Zonaras, to have been remarkable for their scurrilous jesting. Some have
indeed thought that this name was given by the disciples to themselves;
others, that it was imposed on them by divine authority; in either of
which cases surely we should have met with it in the subsequent history
of the Acts, and in the Apostolic Epistles, all of which were written
some years after; whereas it is found but in two more places in the New
Testament, Acts xxvi, 28, where a Jew is the speaker, and in 1 Pet. iv,
16, where reference appears to be made to the name as imposed upon them
by their enemies. The word used, Acts xi, 26, signifies simply to be
called or named, and when Doddridge and a few others take it to _imply_
a divine appointment, they disregard the _usus loquendi_ [established
acceptation of the term] which gives no support to that opinion. The
words of Tacitus, when speaking of the Christians persecuted by Nero,
are remarkable, “_vulgus Christianos appellabat_,” “the vulgar called
them Christians.” Epiphanius says, that they were called Jesseans,
either from Jesse, the father of David, or, which is much more probable,
from the name of Jesus, whose disciples they were. They were denominated
Christians, A. D. 42 or 43; and though the name was first given
reproachfully, they gloried in it, as expressing their adherence to
Christ, and they soon generally assumed it.