Sunday, November 4, 2012

The Curious Reference on Deir Ali Inscription

There is an inscription from a Marcionite synagogue near Lebanon which dedicates the building to "the Lord and Savior Jesus Chrestos' - τοῦ κ(ύριο)υ τοῦ σ(ωτή)ρως Ἰη(σοῦ) χρηστοῦ.  Most people give their attention to the Chrestos epithet (instead of Christos or 'Christ).  I am starting to wonder:

  1. if this god was simply the figure of ὁ χρηστὸς θεός referenced in Philo and Clement why is the 'Jesus' name always part of the formula?
  2. is the side by side identification of 'the Lord' and 'Jesus Chrestos' a reference to the reconciliation which took place between the two divine powers of first century Judaism?


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