CHIOS

(Chiʹos).

One of the larger islands in the Aegean Sea and separated from the western coast of Asia Minor by a strait five miles (8 kilometers) or more wide. The island measures some thirty-two miles (51.5 kilometers) in length (N to S) and varies between eight and eighteen miles (12.9 to 29 kilometers) in breadth (E to W).

Chios is mentioned in the account in Acts 20 concerning Paul’s return trip to Jerusalem at the close of his third missionary journey, in the spring of 56 C.E. The ship on which Paul was traveling left Mitylene (vs. 14) some sixty miles (96.5 kilometers) to the NE, probably in the morning, and “arrived opposite Chios” (vs. 15), likely by sunset. Then, the following day, the voyage continued to Samos, approximately sixty-five miles (104.6 kilometers) farther down the coast.

This may seem like a slow trip by modern travel standards; however, Luke’s eyewitness narrative accords well with the geography of the area and the nautical procedures of that time. The intricate passage through the island-studded waters of the Aegean would require as much light as possible for safe navigation. It has been suggested that sailing at night would have been hazardous for, even if the skies were not overcast, the moon would not have been in its brightest phase and would have set soon after midnight, since this was about three weeks after the full or near-full moon of Passover. (Vss. 6, 7, 13-15) Also, interestingly, it has been observed that the winds on the Aegean about this time of year blow generally from the N during the day and as a calm southerly breeze at night. So, understandably, a ship on a south-bound journey would likely weigh anchor at sunset and set sail with the first breath of N wind the following day.

At the time of Paul’s journey Chios was considered a free city-state of the Roman province of Asia, a status it maintained until the reign of Emperor Vespasian (69-79 C.E.). Both the island and its chief city are today called Khios by the Greeks and Scio by the Italians.

CHISLEV

(Chisʹlev).

The postexilic name of the ninth Jewish lunar month, which falls within November and December. (Neh. 1:1; Jer. 36:9; Zech. 7:1) It corresponded with the third month of the secular calendar. The meaning of the name is uncertain.

This was a winter month, a month of cold and rain. So we read of King Jehoiakim that he was “sitting in the winter house, in the ninth month, with a brazier burning before him.” (Jer. 36:22) In postexilic Jerusalem, the people who gathered for the assembly ordered by priest Ezra beginning on the twentieth day of this month “kept sitting in the open place of the house of the true God, shivering because of the matter and on account of the showers of rain.” (Ezra 10:9, 13) Quite obviously there were no shepherds sleeping in the fields at night at this time of the year, nor for some time afterward.

The festival of dedication, held in the wintertime at Jerusalem, is mentioned at John 10:22. As shown in the Apocryphal book of 1 Maccabees (4:52-59), this eight-day festival was instituted by Judas Maccabaeus on the twenty-fifth day of Chislev in the year 165 B.C.E. to commemorate the rededication of the temple in Jerusalem. This festival is today known as Hanukkah.—See FESTIVAL OF DEDICATION.

CHISLON

(Chisʹlon) [slow].

A Benjamite of Moses’ day whose son Elidad assisted with the division of the Promised Land into inheritance portions.—Num. 34:17, 21.

CHISLOTH-TABOR

(Chisʹloth-taʹbor) [loins or flanks of Tabor].

A city marking Zebulun’s boundary and apparently a variant form of Chesulloth. (Josh. 19:12, 18) It is usually identified with Iksal, less than three miles (4.8 kilometers) SE of Nazareth, at the foot of Mount Tabor, which location may account for its name.—See CHESULLOTH.

CHITLISH

(Chitʹlish) [a man’s wall].

A city in the Shephelah in the inheritance of Judah. (Josh. 15:33, 40) Since the Septuagint uses the term Ma·a·khosʹ instead of Chitlish, it is usually identified with modern-day Khirbet el-Meqhaz five miles (8 kilometers) SW of Lachish. Some authorities associate Chitlish with the name Kentisha mentioned in the Palestinian list of Pharaoh Thutmose III, and a similar name found on an ostracon from a later date at Lachish.

CHLOE

(Chloʹe) [first green shoot of plants].

A woman through whose household Paul received reports concerning the dissensions existing in the Corinthian congregation. (1 Cor. 1:11) Though Paul’s letter does not state that Chloe was a Christian residing at Corinth or at Ephesus where the letter was penned, in view of the apostle’s reference to this household by name, evidently at least some members thereof, either family members or slaves, were Christians known to the Corinthians.

CHORAZIN

(Cho·raʹzin).

A city among those reproached by Jesus and located at the NW end of the Sea of Galilee. (Matt. 11:21) It is usually identified by geographers with Khirbet Kerazeh, only about two miles (3.2 kilometers) N of the suggested site of ancient Capernaum (vs. 23), the city that Jesus apparently used as a base of operations during his great Galilean ministry of over two years’ duration. Jesus pronounced coming “woe” for the Jewish inhabitants of Chorazin who, during that period, were witnesses of “powerful works” that would have moved the pagans of Tyre and Sidon to repentance, yet who failed to act on Jesus’ message. After this, in the fall of 32 C.E., when dispatching the seventy disciples during the later Judean ministry, Jesus inserted a reference to Chorazin’s impenitent attitude into his discussion apparently to illustrate verbally how his disciples were to ‘wipe the dust’ of those cities that ‘disregarded’ them off their feet.—Luke 10:10-16.

CHRIST

[Gr., Khri·stosʹ, anointed; the Anointed One].

This title is equivalent to the Hebrew Ma·shiʹahh, “Messiah,” and in the Authorized Version of the Christian Greek Scriptures it appears 571 times. The title is most often used alone, but is also compounded as “Jesus Christ(’s)” 113 times, “Lord Jesus Christ(’s)” 85 times, “Christ Jesus” 58 times, “the [very] Christ” 20 times. “Christ” is not a mere appellative added to distinguish the Lord Jesus from others of the same name; it is an official title.—See JESUS CHRIST; MESSIAH.

The coming of Christ or Messiah, the one whom Jehovah would anoint with his spirit to be the universal king, had been foretold centuries before Jesus’ birth. (Dan. 9:25, 26) However, at his birth Jesus was not yet the Anointed One or Christ. In foretelling his birth the angel instructed Joseph: “You must call his name Jesus.” (Matt. 1:21) But when the shepherds near Bethlehem were given the angelic announcement, in anticipation of Jesus’ future role they were told: “There was born to you today a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” that is, “who is to be Christ the Lord.”—Luke 2:11, NW, 1950 ed., ftn. a.

The personal name of Jesus followed by the title “Christ” may call attention to the person himself’ and that he is the one who became the Anointed One of Jehovah. This occurred when he reached thirty years of age, was baptized in water, and was anointed with Jehovah’s spirit visibly observed in the form of a dove descending upon him. (Matt. 3:13-17) This is the point Peter made at Pentecost: “God made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus,” evidently recalling the expression he had heard from the lips of Jesus, who first used the term “Jesus Christ.” (Acts 2:36-38; John 17:3) This expression “Jesus Christ” is also used in the opening and closing words of the Christian Greek Scriptures.—Matt. 1:1; Rev. 22:21.

On the other hand, putting the title ahead of the name and saying “Christ Jesus” instead of “Jesus Christ” places greater emphasis on the office or position held by Jesus. It focuses attention primarily on the office, secondarily on the office holder, as in saying King David or Governor Zerubbabel. It would remind one of the singular official position Jesus holds as the Anointed One of Jehovah, an honored position not shared by others of his followers who are also anointed. Never do we hear of Christ Peter, Christ John or Christ Paul. Only Jehovah’s beloved Son is entitled “Christ Jesus.” Paul used this expression in his first inspired letter. (1 Thess. 2:14) Older manuscripts show that Luke also used it, once, at Acts 24:24 (NW; RS), when speaking about Paul. It appears at 1 Peter 5:10, 14 in the Authorized Version, but is not found there in the Westcott and Hort Greek text, hence is not in the New World Translation.

The use of the article “the” with the title in some twenty instances where “the Christ” (ho Khri·stosʹ) occurs in the Authorized Version is another way attention is sometimes drawn to the office as held by Jesus. (Matt. 16:16; Mark 14:61) The grammatical structure of the sentence, however, may be a factor determining whether the article is used or not, for says W. E. Vine: “Speaking generally, when the title [Christ] is the subject of a sentence it has the article; when it forms part of the predicate the article is absent.”—An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, 1966, Vol. I, p. 190.

In the scriptures titles are never multiplied before or after Jesus’ name; but if one title precedes the personal name, then any other title is added only after the name. We never find a combination like the Lord Christ Jesus or the King Christ Jesus, but we do find the Lord Jesus Christ. The expression “our Savior, Christ Jesus,” at 2 Timothy 1:10, in the Greek text has the expression “of us” between Savior and Christ to identify who the Savior is, in keeping with the expression “Christ Jesus our Savior [literally, “Christ Jesus the Savior of us”].” (Titus 1:4) In the text at 1 Timothy 2:5 mention is made of “a man Christ Jesus” as the mediator, but “a man” is not a title. The expression only explains that Christ Jesus was at one time a man on earth.

An exceptional use of the title “Christ” is Paul’s reference to Moses rather than Jesus, when he writes: “He [Moses] esteemed the reproach of the Christ [Khri·stouʹ, anointed] as riches greater than the treasures of Egypt; for he looked intently toward the payment of the reward.” (Heb. 11:26) Moses was never anointed with any literal oil as were the high priests and kings of Israel. (Ex. 30:22-30; Lev. 8:12; 1 Sam. 10:1; 16:13) But neither was Jesus nor his followers, and yet the Scriptures speak of them as having been anointed. (Acts 10:38; 2 Cor. 1:21) In these latter cases their anointing with God’s holy spirit served as an appointment by God or a commission even though literal anointing oil was not used. So in a similar sense Moses received a special appointment. Paul, therefore, could say of Moses that he was Jehovah’s anointed one or Christ, the recipient of a commission given to him at the burning bush, which appointment he considered to be greater riches than all the treasures of Egypt.—Ex. 3:2–4:17.

The term “Christ” is also used when speaking of the Christian congregation and its relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ. “Now you are Christ’s body, and members individually,” in a spiritual sense. (1 Cor. 12:27) Those “baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death,” with hope of being “joint heirs with Christ” of the heavenly kingdom. (Rom. 6:3-5; 8:17) They share in the “sufferings of the Christ,” being “reproached for the name of Christ.” (1 Pet. 4:13, 14; 5:1) A number of times this relationship is described as being “in union with Christ” or “in Christ,” and also the reverse expression “Christ in union with you,” with its different implications, is used. (Rom. 8:1, 2; 16:10; 1 Cor. 15:18; 1 Thess. 4:16; Col. 1:27) Weak ones in such association, who should be strong, are called “babes in Christ.” (1 Cor. 3:1) In the course of time all things in heaven and earth are gathered again “in the Christ.”—Eph. 1:10.

FALSE CHRISTS

In his prophecies on the conclusion of the system of things, Christ warned his followers: “Look out that nobody misleads you; for many will come on the basis of my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many. For false Christs [Gr., pseu·doʹkhri·stoi] and false prophets will arise and will give great signs and wonders so as to mislead, if possible, even the chosen ones.” (Matt. 24:4, 5, 24; Mark 13:21, 22) Such wicked persons who falsely lay claim to the title and office of the Lord Jesus Christ are included in the an·tiʹkhri·stos (Greek for “antichrist”) mentioned five times by the apostle John.—1 John 2:18, 22; 4:3; 2 John 7; see ANTICHRIST.

All false Christs are antichrists, but not all antichrists claim to be the Messiah, though a number have claimed to be such. Joseph C. Dylks in 1828, at Salesville, Ohio, was one who pretended to be the Christ who died on Calvary, the perfect Messiah and Savior. In 1863 the Persian Husayn Ali ascended the Messianic throne of Bahaism and took the title of Bahaullah. Adherents of this Bahai cause say that Bahaullah is “Christ returned” and that the prophecies concerning Jesus Christ apply to him. Francis Schlatter, a “healer” operating mainly in Colorado in the 1890’s, was hailed as the “second Messiah.” When asked, “Are you the Christ?” he invariably answered, “I am.” In a document dated 1901 of the Russian Doukhobor sect that settled in Canada, the claim was made that their leader Peter Vasilyevitch Verigin, was the “Lord,” Christ the Savior. John Hugh Smyth-Pigott of England announced in 1902: “I am that Lord Jesus Christ who died and rose again and ascended into heaven. . . . Yes, I am He that liveth, and behold I am alive for evermore.” (English Messiahs, R. Matthews, p. 187) Incidentally, he died in 1927. “Father Divine” (George Baker) began to be hailed by his followers in New York during the 1930’s with slogans reading “Father Divine Is the Messiah,” “Father Divine Is King of Kings and Lord of Lords,” “Father Divine Is the Only Redemption for Man.” More recently, Kwame Nkrumah, one-time dictator of Ghana, set himself up as a self-styled Messiah with his slogan “Seek ye first the political kingdom and all else shall be added unto you.” The Evening News, pro-government paper under his control, headlined a front-page article: “Nkrumah is our Messiah.” Beneath, it stated: “When our history is recorded the man Kwame Nkrumah will be written of as the liberator, the Messiah, the Christ of our day, whose great love for mankind wrought changes in Ghana, in Africa, and in the world at large.”—London Daily Express, October 16, 1961.

OTHER USES OF THE TERM “CHRIST”

It is interesting to note that the Septuagint Version of the Hebrew Scriptures uses the same Greek word khri·stosʹ more than forty times, frequently as a title of anointed priests, kings and prophets. Aaron the high priest was “the anointed one,” commissioned and “appointed in behalf of men over the things pertaining to God.” (Lev. 4:3, 5, 16; 8:12; Heb. 5:1) Expressing his judgment on the house of Eli, Jehovah promised to raise up a faithful priest who would walk before God’s anointed one (khri·stosʹ) for all time.—1 Sam. 2:35.

The kings shared this same honored title because of their relationship to Jehovah in their kingly office. So Samuel spoke of Saul as khri·stosʹ at