The first historic trace of Christianity in Rome we have in a notice of the heathen historian
Suetonius, confirmed by Luke, that Claudius, about a.d. 52, banished the Jews from Rome because
of their insurrectionary disposition and commotion under the instigation of "Chrestus" (misspelt
for "Christus").^497
This commotion in all probability refers to Messianic controversies between Jews and
Christians who were not yet clearly distinguished at that time. The preaching, of Christ, the true
King of Israel, would naturally produce a great commotion among the Jews, as it did at Antioch,
in Pisidia, in Lystra, Thessalonica, and Beraea; and the ignorant heathen magistrates would as
naturally infer that Christ was a political pretender and aspirant to an earthly throne. The Jews who
rejected the true Messiah looked all the more eagerly for an imaginary Messiah that would break
the yoke of Rome and restore the theocracy of David in Jerusalem. Their carnal millennarianism
affected even some Christians, and Paul found it necessary to warn them against rebellion and
revolution. Among those expelled by the edict of Claudius were Aquila and Priscilla, the hospitable
friends of Paul, who were probably converted before they met him in Corinth.^498
The Jews, however, soon returned, and the Jewish Christians also, but both under a cloud
of suspicion. To this fact Tacitus may refer when he says that the Christian superstition which had
been suppressed for a time (by the edict of Claudius) broke out again (under Nero, who ascended
the throne in 54).
Paul’s Epistle.
In the early part of Nero’s reign (54–68) the Roman congregation was already well known
throughout Christendom, had several meeting places and a considerable number of teachers.^499 It(^497) Sueton., Claud., c. 25: "Judaeos impulsore Chresto assidue tumultuantes Roma expulit." The Romans often confounded
Christus (the Anointed) andChrestus (from χρηστός, useful, good), and called the Christians χρηστιανοί, Chrestiani. Compare
the French form chrétien. Justin Martyr uses this etymological error as an argument against the persecution of the Christians for
the sake of their name. Apol. I.,c. 4 (I. p. 10, ed. Otto): Χριστιανοὶ εἶναι κατηγορούμεθα, τὸ δὲ χρηστὸν μισεῖσθαι οὐ δίκαιον.
He knew, however, the true origin of the name of Christ, I.c. 12: Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, ἀφ’ οὖ καὶ τὸ Χριστιανοὶ ἐπονομάζεσθαι
ἐσχήκαμεν. Tertullian says that the name Christus was almost invariably mispronounced Chrestus bythe heathen. Apol., c. 3;
Ad Nat., I.3. This mistake continued to be made down to the fourth century, Lactantius, Instit. Div., IV. 7, and is found also in
Latin inscriptions. Renan derives the name Christianus from the Latin (like Herodian,Matt. 22:16, Pompejani, Caesareani), as
the derivation from the Greek would require Χρίστειος (Les âpotres, p. 234). Lightfoot denies this, and refers to Σαρδιανὸς,
Τραλλιανός(Philippians, p.16, note 1); but Renan would regard these nouns as Latinisms like Ἀσιανός (Acts 20:4, Strabo, etc.).
Antioch, where the name originated (Acts 11:26), had long before been Romanized and was famous for its love of nicknames.
Renan thinks that the term originated with the Roman authority as an appellation de police. The other two passages of the N.T.
in which it occurs, Acts 26:28; 1 Pet. 4:16, seem to imply contempt and dislike, and so it is used by Tacitus and Suetonius. But
what was originally meant by the heathen to be a name of derision has become the name of the highest honor. For what can be
nobler and better than to be a true Christian, that is, a follower of Christ. It is a remarkable fact that the name " Jesuit,"which
was not in use till the sixteenth century, has become, by the misconduct of the order which claimed it, a term of reproach even
in Roman Catholic countries; while the term " Christian"embraces proverbially all that is noble, and good, and Christ-like.
(^498) Acts 18:2; Rom. 16:3. An unconverted Jew would not have taken the apostle under his roof and into partnership. The
appellation .Ἰουδαῖος often signifies merely the nationality (comp. Gal. 2:13-15). The name Aquila, i.e., Eagle, Adler, is still
common among Jews, like other high sounding animal names (Leo, Leopardus, Löwe, Löwenherz, Löwenstein, etc.). The Greek
Ἀκύλας was a transliteration of the Latin, and is probably slightly altered in Onkelos, the traditional author of one of the Targums,
whom the learned Emmanuel Deutsch identifies with Aquila (Ἀκύλας, סליקﬠ in the Talmud), the Greek translator of the Old
Testament, a convert to Judaism in the reign of Hadrian, and supposed nephew of the emperor. Liter. Remains (N. York, 1874),
pp. 337-340. The name of his wife, Priscilla (the diminutive form of Prisca), " probably indicates a connection with the gens of
the Prisci, who appear in the earliest stages of Roman history, and supplied a long series of praetors and consuls." Plumptre on
Acts, 18:2.
(^499) Rom. 1:8; 16:5, 14, 15, 19.
A.D. 1-100.