Quote:though the two groups were largely indistinguishable until perhaps the 60s A.D.
Or the 130's AD.
No Greek, Roman or Jewish writer knows fuckall about any "Jesus" in the first century. In the early 2d century Suetonius and Pliny mention "christians*" but no "jesus." Tacitus, living at the same time, is probably a much later forgery but even that disputed passage only mentions "Christ" not "jesus." Why it is almost as if that part of the story wasn't written yet!
* Suetonius did, in one case mention Chrestus, and in another the word used is Christians. Pliny speaks of christians only. The simple fact is that in both cases they may well have written "Chrestians" because that seems to be the earliest form usage. If a later copyist changed Chrestian to Christian it could not even be considered forgery. They probably thought they were correcting the spelling of the earlier scribe.
Even the early xtian writer, Epiphanius, notes that the change took a while.
Quote:Epiphanius (315-403 c.e.), Panarion 29
1:2 For this group did not name themselves after Christ or with Jesus’ own name, but "Natzraya." 1:3 However, at that time all Christians [Chrestians] were called Natzraya in the same way. They also came to be called "Jessaeans'' for a short while, before the disciples began to be called "Christians" [Chrestians] at Antioch. 6:5 And no wonder the apostle admitted to being a Natzar! In those days everyone called Christians this because of the city of Natzrat there was no other usage of the name then. People thus gave the name of Natzraya to believers in Christ, of whom it is written, "He shall be called a Natzar." 7:1 But these sectarians whom I am now sketching disregarded the name of Jesus, and did not call themselves Jessaeans, keep the name of Jews, or term themselves Christians but [rather] Natzraya from the place-name, Natzrat, if you please! However they are simply completed Jews.
