“X-mas” was close to a cuss word in the church circles in which I grew up. Borderline sacrilege. People who wished you a “Merry Xmas” weren’t truly Christian; that’s just the way it was.
We saw the ‘X’ as a scheme to rid Christ from the very holiday that celebrated His birth! While there’s still a part of me that thinks it’s true for some, I have recently come to an understanding that there’s something more honorable in play.
The early Church loved the ‘X’ (chi) in ιχθυς (ichthus) or Christ (Χριστός) as it was their shorthand for the Savior.
What in the world is ‘ichthus’?
You’re not going to find it in your Greek New Testament. Ichthus was a ‘code’ word invented by the first-century church to silently confess who they were to one another – at the risk of their lives.
The Greek letters in ichthus make an acrostic:
I (Iesous)
Chi, or X (Christos)
Theta (Theou)
Upsilon (Uios)
Sigma (Sotor)
The letters together spell ‘ichthus’ (ιχθύς) and the five Greek words they represent make this striking declaration:
“Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior”
Sometimes, when the situation demanded, they shortened it with an ‘X’ or a two-stroke fish outline.
I’m not a ‘fish symbol on the car’ kind of guy but I can certainly truck with the idea behind them. Those emblems, whether on a business sign or the bumper of an automobile, are designed to tell passersby We worship Jesus Christ, (who is) the Son of God, (our) Savior.
So what about the ‘X’?
The chi (or ‘X’) is just what you might expect. It has connotations of the cross and was surreptitiously drawn as a sign passed between believers.
Back in those days Christianity was seen as a rogue religion, outlawed by the Roman imperial government. If you were a follower of Christ, there was always the danger of being outed, so Christians (Xians), people of ιχθυς, would use a quick sign (a two-stroke outline of a fish or an ‘X’) to assure another they were safe in their company.
Embrace the ‘Χ’ this Xmas. You can be assured you’re tracing a long history of committed, devoted worshippers of the Christ!
Still uncomfortable?
I understand. I still wince a little when I see it spelled that way. Think of it in another way:
- X marks a treasure, and Jesus is certainly the inexhaustible supply of God, our Portion and Prize for eternity
- X marks where you are on a map – that’s what Emmanuel is all about. Imagine yourself ‘here’ and then place an ‘X’ over that spot. He is with you!
Hopefully this Christmas post helps you see what the enemy wants to scandalize, God sanctifies. When I see ‘Xmas’ from here on, I’ll breathe a little easier knowing it really is about Christ…whether the world knows it or not.
Merry Xmas, beloved!
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