Many of you have perhaps heard a claim that the word "Christian" means a stupid, unintelligent, idiotic, moronic person. From there they barrage you with definitions from heritage dictionaries, encyclopedias etc. as proof. Now others may not be fooled by this because Christianity has its base languages in Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, coptic and [classical]latin. Not English, French or Vulgar Latin. So how did this rumor spread about is no more than a few decades ago. So does the word christian truly mean a stupid person? lets find out
CRETIN
cre·tin (krētn) Share: n.
Often Offensive
1. A person with cretinism.
2. A person considered to be foolish or unintelligent.
[French crétin, from Franco-Provençal, person with cretinism (formerly common in Alpine valleys because of insufficient iodine in the local diet), from Vulgar Latin *christiānus, Christian, human being, poor fellow, from Latin Chrīstiānus, Christian; see CHRISTIAN.]
cretin·oid′ (-oid′) adj.
cretin·ous (-əs) adj.
- The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2019 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
cretin (n.)
1779, from French crétin (18c.), from Alpine dialect crestin, "a dwarfed and deformed idiot" of a type formerly found in families in the Alpine lands, a condition caused by a congenital deficiency of thyroid hormones. The word is of uncertain origin. By many it has been identified with Vulgar Latin *christianus "a Christian," a generic term for "anyone," but often with a sense of "poor fellow." Related: Cretinism (1796).
- https://www.etymonline.com/word/cretin
Christian - classical Latin definition
Christĭānus , a, um, adj. Christus,
I.Christian: “fides,” Cod. Just. 16, 8, 18: “lex,”ib. 16, 8, 13: “religio,” ib. 9, 40, 16.—Hence, subst., a Christian, Tac. A. 15, 44; Suet. Ner. 16; Plin. Ep. 10, 97; very frequent in the Church fathers.—Absol., a Christian clergyman, Cod. Th. 5, 5, 2; 12, 1, 50.—Sup.: “Christianissimus,” the most Christian, Hier. Ep. 57, 12: “princeps,” Ambros. Ep. 1, 1.— Adv.: Christĭānē , in a Christian manner or spirit: “regere,” Aug. Ep. 89.
A Latin Dictionary. Founded on Andrews' edition of Freund's Latin dictionary. revised, enlarged, and in great part rewritten by. Charlton T. Lewis, Ph.D. and. Charles Short, LL.D. Oxford. Clarendon Press. 1879. The National Endowment for the Humanities provided support for entering this text.
That was the classical standard latin definition for "Christian". Which pre-dates the later Vulgar latin. Notice no mention of idiocy or lack of intelligence was referenced.
So what exactly is vulgar latin?
Vulgar Latin
Vulgar Latin or Sermo Vulgaris ("common speech"), also Colloquial Latin,[1] or Common Romance (particularly in the late stage), was a range of non-standard sociolects of Latin spoken in the Mediterranean region during and after the classical period of the Roman Empire. It is distinct from Classical Latin, the standard and literary version of the language. Compared to Classical Latin, written documentation of Vulgar Latin appears less standardized. Works written in Latin during classical times and the earlier Middle Ages used prescribed Classical Latin rather than Vulgar Latin, with very few exceptions (most notably sections of Gaius Petronius' Satyricon), thus Vulgar Latin had no official orthography of its own... If a date is wanted "we could say Latin 'died' in the first part of the eighth century",[6] and after a long period 650–800 A.D. of rapidly accelerating changes... Even after the end of Classical Latin, people had no other names for the languages they spoke than Latin... for 200–300 years. Modern people call these languages proto-Romance. The Romance languages, such as Catalan, French, Italian, Occitan, Portuguese, Romanian, and Spanish all evolved from Vulgar Latin and not from Classical Latin.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulgar_Latin
- Posner, Rebecca (1996). The Romance Languages. Cambridge, New York: Cambridge University Press. p. 98
- Herman, József (2000). Vulgar Latin. Translated by Wright, Roger p.115, 119
So The classical latin carries the true latin term for "Christian" and not the vulgar latin. Since this is evident, it then means that the classical latin, and koine Greek languages are entirely divorced from the word "Cretin", and even more from its semi relational vulgar latin word "Christian". This include their meanings.
Why "Cretin" means "Unintelligent"?
The medical condition known as “cretinism” is caused by a severe deficiency of thyroid hormones (a condition known as “hypothyroidism”). In infants, this condition results in greatly stunted growth, physical deformities and cognitive impairment that ranges from slight to severe. The primary cause of cretinism is lack of iodine in the diet, a deficiency that can also cause “goiter,” a grossly enlarged thyroid gland visible as a large swelling in the neck. Hypothyroidism today is usually successfully treated with iodine supplements.
In other words, a hormonal issues within human beings due to lack of salt that caused abnormalities in the body.
continued-
-Lack of iodine[SALT] in the diet (due mostly to poor soil conditions) was, at one time, common in southern Europe, especially in the rural villages of the valleys at the foot of the Alps. The word “cretin” itself is derived from the Swiss French Alpine dialect word “crestin,” from the Latin word “Christianum,” which means “Christian.”
Just why the word “Christian” was applied to such sufferers is a matter of dispute among etymologists, but the most likely explanation is that “Christian” was used in the sense of “human creature, worthy of respect” in order to make clear that those afflicted with “cretinism,” while they might look and act a bit odd, were simply people like the rest of us. “Christian” was also used in English in this non-religious sense from the 16th through the 19th century, essentially as a synonym of “fellow” or “regular guy.”
- http://www.word-detective.com/2008/12/cretin/
Another insight is that Etymology.com stated that "The word is of uncertain origin. By many it has been identified with Vulgar Latin *christianus"
Notice that its said "VULGAR LATIN"... Meaning that there was a term for "Christian" that came from a different latin. If there is more than one kind of latin, then that means that the latin word for "Christian" must have an earlier meaning. A meaning unrelated to "idiot" or "Unintelligent person".
So what does the word Christian actually mean? More to come in another blogpost.
Monday, August 26, 2019
Friday, August 16, 2019
What Does A Jew Get In Christ That A Gentile Does Not? PART TWO
I am often told that there are gifts and privileges that
comes with being an Israelite that does not come with being in Christ. However,
the scriptures tell a different story. When you are in Christ, whether jew or
gentile, you are given the fulfilled and fullness of the new covenant. And the
new covenant fulfills the old. It truly is based on “Better promises” as
Hebrews 8:6.
SEE PART ONE HERE
Old Covenant Israel
|
New Covenant Church
|
His
Chosen/Elect
(Deut
7:6-8; 6:10; 4:37; 14:2 Ex 33:1)
|
His
Chosen/Elect
(Matt
24:31 Mark 13:27 Rom 11:5-7 Eph 1:4; John 17:6 2Ti 2:10 Tit 1:1Col 3:12 1Pe
1:2
2Pe
1:10 Rev 17:14)
|
Saints
(Numbers
16:3, Deut 33:3)
|
Saints
(Rom
1:7 1Co 1:2 2Co 1:1 Eph 1:1, 15 2Th 1:10 Act 9:13 Heb 6:10, Rev 5:8)
|
Inheritance
(Deut 4:1, 20, 37; Acts
13:19,
Numbers 16:3, Deut 33:3)
|
Inheritance
(Act 20:32, Gal 3:18, Col
3:24, Eph 1:14,
185:5, Heb 9:15, 1Pe 1:4)
|
Priests/Priesthood
(Exodus 19:5-6)
|
Priests/Priesthood
(Rev 1:6; Rev 5:10; Rev 20:6 ,1Pe 2:5,
1Pe 2:9)
|
A
Holy Nation
(Ex.
19:5; Lev 20:22-26;
Deut
26:19; 14:21; Gen 17:7-14)
|
A
Holy Nation, especially inwardly
(Hos
1:9-11 cf Rom 9:24-26
&
Heb 8:6-13; 1 Pet 2:10)
|
Seed of Abraham
(Deut
4:1, 20, 37; Acts 13:19)
|
Seed of Abraham
(Gal_3: 7, 28-29;
Joh_8:39;
Rom_4:11-16, Rom_4:24,
Rom_9:7-8)
|
Beloved (Deut 7:6-7,
4:37)
|
Beloved (Rom_1:7;
Eph_2:4-5; Tit_3:4-6;
1Jn_4:19 col 3:12; 1
thess 1:4)
|
Holy
(Deut 7:6)
|
Holy (1 Peter 1:15-16, Mat_5:48;
Luk_1:74-75; 2Co_7:1; Php_2:15-16; 1Th_4:3-7;
Tit_2:11-14; Heb_12:14;)
|
Called (Isaiah 41:9,
43:1)
|
Called (Rom 1:6,7; 8:30;
1 Cor 1:2;
1Th_4:7; 2Ti_1:9;
1Pe_1:15-16)
|
Flock (Ezek. 34:17-20; Ps
77:20 cf Ps 78:52-53, 56-59; Ps 95:10-11; Ex 20:38; Heb 8:9)
|
Flock (luke 12:32, 1
Peter 5:2, John 10:1-18;
21:15-17; Acts 20:28;
Matt 25:32-34)
|
Peculiar(or PURCHASED)
Treasure
(Ex 19:5,6; Deut 7:6; 28)
|
Peculiar(or PURCHASED)
Treasure
(1 Pet 2:9; Titus 2:14,
Act_20:28; Eph_1:14;))
|
God’s Tabernacle (Lev
26:11)
|
God’s Tabernacle (John
1:14; 1 Cor 6:16-20)
|
God walks among Them (Lev
26:12)
|
God walks among Them (2
Cor 6:16-18)
|
Married to Israel,
later divorced her
Isaiah 54:5, Jeremiah
3:14, 6;2, 31:32,
Hosea 2:19, Ex 24; who divorced them for unfaithfulness (Heb
8:7,9,13; Hos 1:9)
|
Christ married to The
Church,
NEVER divorced her
(Eph 5:22; 2 Cor 11:2; Heb 8:9-10), who is
their faithful one (1 Cor 1:30; 2 Cor 5:21; Phil 3:8-9)
|
set apart by circumcision
& ceremonies
(Ex. 19:5; Lev 20:22-26;
Deut 26:19; 14:21;
Gen 17:7-14)
|
Set Apart by Spiritual
Rebirth
(John 1:12-13; 3:3;
18:36; Luke 17:21;
Col 1:13; Rev 1:5)
|
The Type
(Gen 17:7-14 Rom 9:5; Gal
4:21-31)
|
The Anti-Type
(Gal 6:16; Rom 2:29; 9:6,
22-26, 11:26;
Gal 3:16, 29; 4:21-31)
|
Consecrated
by the blood
of
calves and goats
(Heb 9:12 WOW; Lev 11:44-45)
|
Consecrated
by Christ’s blood
(Heb 9:12 WOW; Titus 2:14)
|
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