In First Apology 4, we read:
By
the mere statement of a name, nothing is decided, either good or evil, apart
from the actions associated with the name; indeed, as far as the name with
which we are accused goes, we are most gentle people. (St. Justin
Martyr: The First and Second Apologies [trans. Leslie William Barnard; New
York: Paulist Press, 1997], 24)
“Gentle” translates χρηστότατοι,
which is a wordplay in the original Greek. In a footnote commenting on Justin’s
wordplay, Leslie William Barnard noted that
Justin knew the real meaning of Christ’s name
yet he also saw the apologetic value of the likeness of Christos and Chrēstos—“gentle,”
“loving” or “kind”; cf. Lk 6:35. In the ancient world similar plays on names
are frequently found. Here popular mispronunciation of the word may have
contributed to the confusion: Cf. Suet. Claud.
25.4, impulsore Chresto, and Lact. Div. Inst. 4.7.5, exponenda
huius nominis ratio est propter ignorantium errorem qui eum immutata littera
Chrestum solent dicere; cf. also Tert. Ad
Nat. 3, A uobis Chrestiani pronuntiamur, nam ne nominis quidem ipsius liquido
certi estis. Further references in Wartelle, 241.
Basil L. Gildersleeve, in his
commentary on the Greek text, noted the following:
4. χρηστότατοι: The confusion between ῑ and η began early. See c. 29, 7; B3, 3. Christus
was often written Chrestus, Christianus,
Chrestianus. See Tertull. Apol. 3 (p. 33, D. S.). The Christian writers are
far from averse to paronomasia, and
the play on Χριστός and χρηστός was especially welcome. Comp. Theophil. ad Autol.
1, 12: ἐγὼ μὲν ὁμολογῶ εἶναι Χριστιανὸς καὶ φορῶ τὸ θεοφιλὲς ὄνομα τοῦτο ἐλπίζων εἶναι εὔχρηστος τῷ θεῷ. Of the various words for ‘good,’ χρηστός emphasizes ‘kindness,’ bonté (bonitas). The true etymology of Χριστός is given, B6, 9.—ὑπάρχομεν: Quite colorless. See c. 1, 10.—τοῦτο: Anticipates the infinitive, as often. (Basil L. Gildersleeve, The
Apologies of Justin Martyr, to Which is Appended the Epistle to Diognetus [New
York: Harper and Brothers Publishers, 1877], 111)