2,000-Year-Old ‘Jesus Cup’ May Hold Earliest Known Reference to Christ

A 2,000-year-old ceramic vessel discovered successful Alexandria’s past harbor, whitethorn clasp the earliest known notation to Christ. . Credit: Mathias Ribeiro / CC BY-SA 4.0

A ceramic vessel recovered disconnected the seashore of Egypt whitethorn clasp the earliest known notation to Christ, raising caller statement among scholars astir its meaning and humanities significance. The artifact, often referred to arsenic the “Jesus Cup,” was discovered successful 2008 during an excavation of Alexandria’s past harbor led by French marine archaeologist Franck Goddio.

The vessel is remarkably good preserved contempt missing a handle. It carries a Greek inscription: “DIA CHRSTOU O GOISTAIS,” translated by immoderate arsenic “Through Christ the chanter.”

First-century transportation suggested

New Testament student Dr. Jeremiah Johnston told Trinity Broadcasting Network that the cupful apt dates to the archetypal period AD, the play of Jesus’ crucifixion. “Jesus’ estimation was that helium was a healer, occurrence worker, and exorcist,” Johnston said. “This Jesus Cup gives grounds to that legacy.”

Possible ritual use

Goddio suggested the inscription whitethorn person been linked to fortune-telling practices. Similar bowls look connected Egyptian statuettes utilized successful divination, wherever lipid was poured into h2o to summon visions of mystical beings. Invoking Christ, already known arsenic a wonder-worker, whitethorn person lent authorization to the ritual.

Johnston noted that adjacent during Jesus’ lifetime, radical invoked his sanction for spiritual power. “Jesus, done his ain abbreviated ministry of conscionable 3 years, others are invoking his sanction due to the fact that it had truthful overmuch power,” helium said.

World's 1st notation to Christ discovered connected 2,000-yr-old 'Jesus Cup'
The ceramic #artifact is believed to beryllium the 1st notation to Christ. pic.twitter.com/KpbAHbxYDY

— Hans Solo (@thandojo) September 11, 2025

Alexandria is simply a crossroads of belief

The cupful was discovered adjacent the submerged land of Antirhodos, believed to beryllium the tract of Cleopatra’s palace. In the archetypal period AD, Alexandria was a taste hub wherever pagan, Jewish, and Christian traditions mixed and mingled. Magical practices often blended figures from antithetic religions, and Christ’s sanction appeared successful some Christian and non-Christian texts.

“It is precise probable that successful Alexandria they were alert of the beingness of Jesus,” Goddio said, citing occurrence stories specified arsenic turning h2o into wine, healing the sick, and the resurrection.

Scholars stay divided

Not each experts hold that the inscription connected the Jesus Cup refers to Christ. Bert Smith of Oxford University suggested it could alternatively beryllium a dedication from a antheral named “Chrestos,” connected to a radical called the Ogoistais.

Klaus Hallof of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy said the radical whitethorn person been tied to cults worshipping Hermes, Athena, oregon Isis. Ancient writers besides notation a deity called “Osogo” oregon “Ogoa,” which could explicate the inscription.

Other readings diverge further. Scholar Steve Singleton argued the word chrêstos conscionable means “good” oregon “kind,” making the operation “[Given] done kindness for the magicians.” György Németh of Eötvös Loránd University projected the vessel whitethorn person been utilized to hole ointments, with Chrêstos oregon Diachristos meaning anointing salve alternatively than Christ.

Implications for history

If the inscription genuinely refers to Jesus, the artifact could beryllium the oldest worldly grounds of him extracurricular Christian scripture. That would suggest cognition of his beingness and miracles reached Egypt wrong decades of his ministry.

Such a uncovering would besides item Alexandria’s role arsenic a large halfway of spiritual exchange, wherever pagan, Jewish, and Christian traditions shaped 1 different successful the aboriginal centuries.