Repost: Keeping Christ in Christmas

I originally posted this on December 12, 2008.  This was before we had been to Europe.  On our 25th anniversary trip we visited Ephesus.  There we saw an Ichthus carved in the Marble Road.  Our guide, Hakan, explained it to us:

Most Christians know of the Fish symbol. In Greek IXOYE (Ichthus) is the word for “fish.” For ancient Christians, though, it held deeper symbolism:  Iota is the first letter of the name Jesus in the Greek alphabet.  X, or Chi, is the first letter for “Christ.”  O, the letter Theta, is the first letter for the Greek term for God.  Y, or Upsilon, represents “Son,” and E, or Sigma, is for Savior - "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior."  Hakan showed us how it was drawn by overlaying the letters:

 How many times have you seen "Merry Xmas" and thought, "here we go again, taking Christ out of Christmas?" I've done it myself on a regular basis since I was a child. But I learned a little something this week - Christians invented Xmas!

 

This abbreviation for Christmas is of Greek origin. The word for Christ in Greek is Xristos. During the 16th century, Europeans began using the first initial of Christ's name, "X" in place of the word Christ in Christmas as a shorthand form of the word. Although the early Christians understood that X stood for Christ's name, later Christians who did not understand the Greek language mistook "Xmas" as a sign of disrespect.

So the next time your agnostic neighbor or atheist co-worker says "Merry Xmas," just smile and say thank you! Or take Paul's approach in Acts 17:23 "For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you" and introduce them to the Christ of Xmas.