Jesus H. Christ

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This article discusses the phrase "Jesus H. Christ". For information about the historic and religious figure, visit Jesus.

Jesus H. Christ is an example of slang serving as a mild, often humorous profanity. The expression is most commonly used in a wry, sarcastic, cynical, or joking tone, although it may nonetheless be perceived as blasphemy, being a variation of "Jesus Christ". The expression jokingly implies that the "Christ" is a surname rather than a title ("Christ", meaning anointed, is Greek for "Messiah").

1 Etymology
2 Other variations
3 In the media
4 External links

[edit] Etymology

The expression dates to at least the late nineteenth century (although according to Mark Twain it was already old in 1850), and likely originates with the ancient Christian three-letter symbolism IHS (the Christogram).

Using the name of "Jesus Christ" as an oath has been common for many centuries, but the precise origins of the letter H in the expression Jesus H. Christ are obscure. While many explanations have been proposed, some serious and many humorous, the most widely accepted derivation is from the divine monogram of Christian symbolism. The symbol, derived from the first three letters of the Greek name of Jesus, is transliterated "IHS," "IHC," "JHS," or "JHC." Since the transliteration "IHS" gave rise to the backronym Iesus Hominum Salvator (Latin for "Jesus savior of men"), it is plausible that "JHC" similarly led to "Jesus H. Christ".

One factor in the transmutation of the monogram into the expression Jesus H. Christ may be that when the first syllable of the phrase "Jesus Christ" is strongly emphasised (as some speakers of some English accents may do when cursing), the rhythm suggests a missing middle syllable between "Jesus" and "Christ". The H may have been adopted from the monogram to fill this gap.

[edit] Other variations

The phrase "Jesus H. Christ" has been extended in many cases, both as a colloquialism, and in its use in television and film. For example, in the film The Blues Brothers, the character Jake exclaims, "Yes! Yes! Jesus H. tap-dancing Christ, I have seen the light!" in a moment of fervor. In Steven Spielberg's classic horror film Jaws, war veteran turned fisherman Quint frequently utters the phrase during the movie, usually in moments of frustration.

[edit] In the media

In the movie "The Matrix Revolutions" In chapter one of the DVD, when told that the machines will be in Zion in 20 hours the pilot of the ship "AK" says "Jesus H. Christ!!!".

The epithet has been used for comedic effect in a several television shows:

A parody of the phrase, "Science H. Logic", appeared in the South Park episode "Go God Go XII"
In The Simpsons in a letter sent by Homer to Flanders to make him believe Jesus was waiting for him somewhere, and it was signed "Jesus H. Christ".
In an episode of Scrubs Dr. Cox refers to himself as "Jesus H. Cox M.D.".
In Christopher Moore's novel Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal "Hallowed" is said to be Jesus' middle name due to the passage in the Our Father prayer "hallowed be thy name."