Iesou Chresto -

[Confused Ape]

The Latin word Christus comes from Χριστος in Greek. The root of the word, χριω, means "to be oily". Although the Greeks rubbed themselves with oil to bathe, the concept of anointment to pass on an office (or divine favor) was alien to them. It's a Jewish custom.

Chrestus, on the other hand, came from Χρηστος, meaning "good", or "worthy".

So when the Romans encountered a cult started by a man known as "the greasy one", or possibly "the guy who just finished his bath", they were sure they were hearing it wrong. These people had to mean "the worthy one", right?

The Romans obviously didn't have any good theologians. "The guy who just finished his bath" has to refer to Jesus after he'd been baptized in the river Jordan. Everything would have been so much simpler if they'd come to that logical conclusion.