The word Christian derives from the Koine Greek term Christianos, a translation of the Biblical Hebrew mashiach. This Greek title means anointed one and carries an adjectival ending borrowed from Latin to denote adhering to or belonging to someone. Bickerman notes in 1949 that Christians got their appellation from Christus, meaning the Anointed Messiah. The earliest recorded use of this term appears in Acts 11 after Barnabas brought Saul to Antioch. There they taught disciples for about a year before the city gave them this new name. Kenneth Samuel Wuest argues that all three New Testament usages reflect a derisive element intended as reproach. He explains that Christianos was coined to distinguish worshippers of Christ from Kaisarianos, worshippers of Caesar. Antioch had a reputation for coining nicknames like this one. The second mention follows in Acts 26 where Herod Agrippa II replies to Paul almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. The third reference appears in 1 Peter 4 which exhorts believers yet if any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed. Early Church Fathers from Ignatius and Polycarp onwards adopted this standard term over Nazarenes.
Historical Development
The first states to adopt Christianity officially were Armenia in 301 AD and Georgia in 337 AD. Later Bulgaria followed in 864 and Kyivan Rus in 988 AD. Pliny the Younger wrote correspondence with Trajan mentioning Christians during the early Roman Empire period. Tacitus wrote at the beginning of the 2nd century in his Annals stating by vulgar appellation they were commonly called Christians. He identifies Christians as Nero's scapegoats for the Great Fire of Rome. Josephus referred to the tribe of Christians so named from him in his historical records. Around 331 AD Eusebius recorded that Christ was called a Nazoraean from the name Nazareth. In ancient times Scythia contained geographical areas where Scythians and Christians already lived together. The Byzantine Empire became one of the peaks in Christian history and civilization between the 11th and 13th centuries. Latin Christendom rose to central role of Western world during those same centuries. Communities centered around cities such as Rome Carthage Constantinople Antioch Kerala and Alexandria developed distinct rites and practices. The notion of Europe and Western World has been intimately connected with Christianity and Christendom throughout most of its history.