Iesus Christos and Serapis Christos: The Label Christian

In the Greek world when the Greek Ptolemaic Pharaoh's ruled Egypt, a new god was created. This god was named Serapis or Serapis Christos. The purpose of this god was to unit the Greek and Egyptian pantheons.

Christos is the Greek word for christ. Christos is the translation of the Hebrew word messiah.

Now, a messiah or a christ is anyone that acts to lead its people to salvation. When the Jews were looking for their Messiah, they were expecting a warrior who would conquer the lands for them. Several Jews were seen as a messiah and some are recorded in the Maccabees. This is one reason they rejected Jesus (Yeshua) because He did not come to obliterate the Roman Empire.

So there were messiahs and christs before Jesus. Jesus is the Messiah or the Christ. There are messiah and christs as well as false messiahs, false christs and antichrists after Jesus.

Now that I have established that the word messiah and christ does not belong to just Jesus, I will go back to Serapis. The followers of Serapis have been called the Bishops of Christ and as Christians, meaning followers of christ. In this case, followers of Serapis Christos. The religion of Serapis has been around since at least 323 bc.

Before followers of Jesus were called Christians, they were just Followers of the Way. The way of Jesus. Acts 11:26 records that the followers of Jesus were first called Christians at Antioch. But why. Jesus was called Christos in Greek and those speaking Greek but ignorant of Jesus would have thought that the christ they followed was Serapis Christos. And so they were given the same name.

Some who followed Serapis Christos were confused and thought that Iesus (Jesus) Christos was the same as Serapis Christos. Some who entered into the Way of Jesus continued to follow Serapis as well thinking the two were the same.

Now it is not clear when the followers of Serapis were first called Christians. It is possible that they ...

Kevin Dewayne Hughes