The “Jesus Cup,” a ceramic bowl discovered off the coast of Egypt may contain the earliest known reference to Jesus Christ, sparking debate among scholars over its meaning and historical context. The artifact was uncovered in 2008 during French marine archaeologist Franck Goddio’s excavation of Alexandria’s ancient harbor.
Despite missing one handle, the bowl is well preserved and inscribed in Greek with the phrase “DIA CHRSTOU O GOISTAIS,” which some translate as “Through Christ the chanter.”
The Jesus Cup, an ancient artifact
New Testament scholar Jeremiah Johnston told Trinity Broadcasting Network that the artifact likely dates to the first century A.D., the era of Jesus’ crucifixion. “Jesus’ reputation was that he was a healer, miracle worker, and exorcist,” Johnston said. “This Jesus Cup gives evidence to that legacy.”
Goddio suggested the inscription may relate to divination. Similar bowls have been found alongside Egyptian statuettes used for fortune-telling, where oil was poured into water to summon visions. Invoking the name of Christ — already regarded as a miracle worker — may have added weight to such rituals.
Johnston noted that even in Jesus’ lifetime, others invoked his name for spiritual power. “Jesus, through his own short ministry of just three years, others are invoking his name because it had so much power,” he said.
Alexandria as a spiritual crossroads
The artifact was recovered near the submerged island of Antirhodos, thought to be the site of Cleopatra’s palace. In the first century, Alexandria was a hub where Jewish, pagan, and early Christian traditions intermingled. Magical texts from the era often drew from multiple religions, and stories of Christ’s miracles would have circulated in such a diverse environment.
“It is very probable that in Alexandria they were aware of the existence of Jesus,” Goddio said, pointing to miracle accounts such as turning water into wine, healing the sick, and the resurrection.
Experts remain divided on the bowl’s significance. Bert Smith of Oxford University argued the inscription may reference a man named “Chrestos” connected to a sect known as the Ogoistais. Klaus Hallof of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy suggested the group may have been tied to cults of Hermes, Athena, or Isis, noting that ancient sources also mention a deity called “Osogo” or “Ogoa.”
Other interpretations focus less on Christ. Scholar Steve Singleton suggested the term chrêstos simply means “good” or “kind,” making the inscription read “[Given] through kindness for the magicians.” György Németh of Eötvös Loránd University proposed that the bowl may have been used to prepare ointments, with Chrêstos or Diachristos referring to anointing salve rather than Christ himself.
If the inscription does refer to Jesus, the bowl could represent the earliest material evidence of him outside of Christian scripture. Such a finding would suggest that stories of his ministry spread to Egypt within decades of his lifetime and highlight Alexandria’s importance as a center of cultural and religious exchange in the early centuries.