There are many speculations about the origin of the letter “H” in “Jesus H. Christ,” one of multiple expletives or phrases that refer to God by name. The most probable explanation is that it originates from a monogram composed of the initial three letters of Jesus’ Greek name.
But why do people use the phrase “Jesus H. Christ?” What does the “H” in “Jesus H. Christ” stand for? Where did the letter “H” derive from? And is it acceptable for people to use this term?
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Why Do People Say “Jesus H Christ?”
The name Ἰησoῦς, which is how Jesus’ name is spelled in the Greek spelling of the New Covenant [1], begins with these three letters. The letters of the IHC monogram were, however, at some point mistaken for the Latin alphabets J, H, and C by uninformed Americans who were familiar with the Latin alphabet but unaware of the Greek alphabet, most likely in the early 19th century.
They came to the conclusion that the J and C must represent “Jesus” and “Christ,” respectively, but none could determine what the H meant. It seems that some individuals simply thought that H might be Jesus’ middle initial.
The term “Jesus H. Christ” eventually developed into a joke and started being used as a harmless expletive. The American novelist Mark Twain (also known as Samuel Langhorne Clemens, who lived from 1835 to 1910) noted in the book he wrote that the expression was already in circulation when he was a small boy.
According to a funny incident told by Mark Twain, evangelical preacher Alexander Campbell, founder of the known “Restoration Movement,” instructed the printer (a young apprentice named Samuel Clemens) to produce some booklets for one of his lectures around the year 1847.
What Does The H Stand For In Jesus H Christ?
First off, since Jesus Christ does not have a first name and last name, the “H” is certainly not his middle initial. Jesus has only one name. And it’s Jesus. The English word Christ is not his last name; rather, it is a name added as an evocative title.
The “H,” however, comes from the Chi Rho monogram sign, which is frequently used to symbolize the name of Jesus Christ. The initial two letters, the Greek letters chi (Χ) and rho (Ρ), found in the ancient Greek word χριστός, which means “Christ,” make up this monogram.
The IHC monogram is a second, less popular monogram that is used to signify Jesus. The initial three letters of the ancient Greek name ἰησοῦς, which is how the name “Jesus” is spelled, compose the symbol.
Americans viewed this second monogram during the early 19th century and misread it. Since they only knew Latin letters, they mistook the Greek alphabet letters of the IHC for the Latin alphabet JHC. They came to the conclusion that since “J” represents “Jesus” and “C” for “Christ,” then the letter “H” indicates his middle name.
Where Did The “H” Actually Come From?
Our understanding is that “Jesus H. Christ” made its literary appearance in the final years of the nineteenth century. The first instance we have is from Wilford’s Microcosm, which was a New York publication on both religion and science in its February 1885 edition.
The Article And The Written Play That First Mentioned Jesus H. Christ
The article mentions a seemingly amusing usage of the phrase in an unidentified Texas newspaper, saying, “At Laredo the other day, Jesus H. Christ was registered at one of the hotels.”
“The Creation,” which is a satirical play published on the 13th of June 1885, edition of the agnostic periodical Secular Review in London, is the next instance we’ve seen. The following is a statement made by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden scene:
“Wife, O Lord! How the apples are pecked!
And fruit that is pecked by the birds
Is always so nice, I am told.
Man. If Jesus H. Christ hears your words,
He’ll tell, and his Father will scold.”
Mark Twain’s Story
There is no question that the phrase has been used in conversation before. When he was an apprentice printer in Missouri during the mid-1800s, the American author Mark Twain remembered hearing it.
Tragically, the printer missed a few words unintentionally, and in order to save having to reprint three pages of written content, the apprentice found room to squeeze in the words that were missing by shortening the title “Jesus Christ” to just “J. C.” in the writings.
However, the pious Reverend Campbell urged that they shouldn’t “diminish” the title of the Lord and demanded that they incorporate the name in its entirety, even if it required resetting three entire pages of already printed material. As opposed to simply rewriting the text on the pamphlet to read “Jesus Christ,” the printer decided to change it to read “Jesus H. Christ” because the reverend had annoyed him.
The Etymology Of The Phrase Is Based On The Oxford English Dictionary, Dictionary Of American Regional English, And The Random House Historical Dictionary
The phrase “Jesus H. Christ” is used as “an oath or as a strong exclamation of surprise, dismay, disbelief, or the like,” according to the Oxford English Dictionary. The dictionary’s earliest possible reference is taken from a document in 1924, Dialect Notes: “Jesus Christ, Jesus H. Christ, holy jumping Jesus Christ.”
The OED makes no mention of the phrase’s etymology, although according to the Dictionary of American Regional English and the Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang, it was likely inspired by the monograms IHS or IHC.
The very first mention of DARE comes from that passage from 1906 in Mark Twain’s Autobiography, which was released in 1924, fourteen years following the author’s passing, with an introductory section written by Albert Bigelow Paine.
The first known Random House reference is from the traditional song “Men at Work,” composed back in 1892, which Alan Lomax gathered in his 1960 book Folk Songs of North America.
Conclusion
Jesus H. Christ has recently been used as an expletive or joke; however, one internet theory asserts that the history of the “H” as well as how it’s utilized have been entirely misconstrued. It is crucial to note that while Mark Twain’s narrative is a pioneering instance of the term or phrase being used, it is not the phrase’s original source.
Let’s educate ourselves about this term. If we use this as a curse word, then it’s a sin and total disrespect to the Son of God. Remember that we must only use his holy name in prayer, worship, praise, or reverence.