It turns out that there are abbreviations in pre-Christian correspondences. Some of the very same words abbreviated in Christian texts ('lord,' 'man') are abbreviated in documents listing grocery purchases, tax receipts and other of the most mundane things in the world. Why exactly early Christian scholars like Hurtado had to complicate the 'origins of nomina sacra' with all this gnostic and kabbalistic mumbo jumbo is beyond me.
It is palpably obvious that Christians adapted a contemporary (lazy) practice of shortening words in written correspondences. Sure, Christians might have 'played up' numerology as they were wont to do. But the origin of 'nomina sacra' (itself a term invented in the nineteenth century) turns out to be quite mundane. Just go through tax receipts addressing an earthly 'lord' and chances are you find kurios abbreviated in some form.
As long as Hurtado exerted an influence on the study of 'nomina sacra' an overly mystical and overly complicated explanation would get heard. Thankfully the world arranges things so they die and disappear and ultimately become forgotten (what a pompous asshole). Don't know why Christians always try and find 'otherworldly' explanations for banal things. One of the reasons I couldn't bear a lengthy apprenticeship in academia.
I can barely listen to ordinary people overcomplicate things because of selfish 'I need to be heard' reasons let alone people who are supposed to be in the teaching profession.
