- CHRISTIAN the name given by the Greeks or Romans, probably in
reproach, to the followers of Jesus. It was first used at Antioch. The
names by which the disciples were known among themselves were
“brethren,” “the faithful,” “elect,” “saints,” “believers.” But as
distinguishing them from the multitude without, the name “Christian”
came into use, and was universally accepted. This name occurs but three
times in the New Testament (Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16). - CHRISTS, FALSE Our Lord warned his disciples that they would arise
(Matthew 24:24). It is said that no fewer than twenty-four persons have
at different times appeared (the last in 1682) pretending to be the Messiah
of the prophets. - CHRONICLES the words of the days, (1 Kings 14:19; 1 Chronicles
27:24), the daily or yearly records of the transactions of the kingdom;
events recorded in the order of time. - CHRONICLES, BOOKS OF The two books were originally one. They
bore the title in the Massoretic Hebrew Dibre hayyamim, i.e., “Acts of the
Days.” This title was rendered by Jerome in his Latin version
“Chronicon,” and hence “Chronicles.” In the Septuagint version the book
is divided into two, and bears the title Paraleipomena, i.e., “things
omitted,” or “supplements”, because containing many things omitted in
the Books of Kings.
The contents of these books are comprehended under four heads. (1.) The
first nine chapters of Book I. contain little more than a list of genealogies in
the line of Israel down to the time of David. (2.) The remainder of the first
book contains a history of the reign of David. (3.) The first nine chapters
of Book II. contain the history of the reign of Solomon. (4.) The remaining
chapters of the second book contain the history of the separate kingdom of
Judah to the time of the return from Babylonian Exile.
The time of the composition of the Chronicles was, there is every ground
to conclude, subsequent to the Babylonian Exile, probably between 450
and 435 B.C. The contents of this twofold book, both as to matter and
form, correspond closely with this idea. The close of the book records the
proclamation of Cyrus permitting the Jews to return to their own land, and
this forms the opening passage of the Book of Ezra, which must be viewed
as a continuation of the Chronicles. The peculiar form of the language,
being Aramaean in its general character, harmonizes also with that of the