What does Christ mean?

Christ is the title not the surname of Jesus. Christ comes from the Greek word “Christos” which means Messiah, chosen one or anointed one.

Jesus is the human name given to the Messiah by the angel Gabriel to Mary. Luke 1:31 says, “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.” This is also recorded in Matthew 1:21, “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” We read here that the Son of God was to be called Jesus because he was to save His people from their sins. The Old Testament name for Jesus is Joshua which means, “Jehovah is generous” or “Jehovah saves”. Christ is the divine title of Jesus to recognise his deity. Jesus, God manifest in the flesh was sent to redeem His people from the penalty of their sins. God humbled Himself to take on human flesh and died in the place of sinners on the Cross.

The way the Messiah came to earth is just as important as the name he was given. In ancient Israel people believed that God would send them a Messiah in the form of a great military leader to deliver them from the captivity of the Romans who were occupying Israel. The Jewish people wanted to be liberated from Roman rule. God saw a much bigger problem than this. God saw the problem of sin, which is why He sent Jesus. The New Testament shows us with absolute clarity that God sent the Messiah to vindicate sinners before the throne of Heaven. Luke 4:18-19 says, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are oppressed, To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.”

Other parts of Scripture show that Jesus is the Messiah, the chosen one and anointed one.

Jesus is anointed with oil which is a symbol of his Kingship. Matthew 26:7 says, “a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume, and she poured it on His head as He reclined at the table.” Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit. Matthew 3:16-17 says, “After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”