What does ‘Messiah/Christ’ actually mean?
Question 3045
We use the word ‘Christ’ so frequently that it can almost seem like Jesus’ surname. But ‘Christ’ is not a name – it is a title, and one loaded with meaning. Understanding what ‘Messiah’ and ‘Christ’ actually signify helps us grasp who Jesus claimed to be and what He came to accomplish.
The Meaning of the Words
The Hebrew word מָשִׁיחַ (Mashiach) means ‘anointed one.’ The Greek equivalent is Χριστός (Christos), from which we get ‘Christ.’ Both words describe someone who has been anointed – that is, someone upon whom oil has been ceremonially poured to set them apart for a particular office or task.
In the Old Testament, anointing with oil was the means by which prophets, priests, and kings were consecrated to their service. When Samuel anointed Saul as king, he poured oil on his head and declared, “Has not the LORD anointed you to be prince over his people Israel?” (1 Samuel 10:1). David was similarly anointed by Samuel (1 Samuel 16:13), and Aaron was anointed as high priest (Exodus 29:7). The oil symbolised the Holy Spirit coming upon the individual to empower them for their calling. To be ‘anointed’ was to be divinely chosen and equipped.
The Development of Messianic Expectation
Over time, the term ‘Messiah’ came to refer specifically to a future figure whom God would send to deliver and restore Israel. This expectation grew from various strands of Old Testament prophecy. The promise to David of an eternal kingdom (2 Samuel 7:12–16) pointed to a coming King. Isaiah spoke of a child born who would be called “Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). Daniel saw “one like a son of man” coming with the clouds of heaven to receive an everlasting dominion (Daniel 7:13–14). Zechariah described a King who would come to Jerusalem “humble and mounted on a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9).
These prophecies, and many others, coalesced into the expectation of ‘the Messiah’ – a singular, unique figure who would fulfil all that God had promised. By the first century, Jewish hope centred on this coming deliverer. The Qumran community (who produced the Dead Sea Scrolls) had extensive messianic expectations. The common people longed for the Messiah who would overthrow Rome and restore the kingdom to Israel. When John the Baptist appeared, people asked him, “Are you the Christ?” (John 1:20). The question was on everyone’s lips.
Jesus as Prophet, Priest, and King
What makes Jesus the Messiah is that He fulfils all three anointed offices in Himself. He is Prophet, Priest, and King – not sequentially or partially, but completely and eternally.
As Prophet, Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God to humanity. Moses had promised that God would raise up a prophet like himself (Deuteronomy 18:15–18), and the people recognised Jesus as this figure (John 6:14; 7:40). But Jesus is more than a prophet who speaks God’s word – He is the Word made flesh (John 1:14). In Him, God has spoken His final and complete word to humanity: “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son” (Hebrews 1:1–2).
As Priest, Jesus mediates between God and humanity. The book of Hebrews develops this theme extensively, showing how Jesus is a high priest “after the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 5:6; Psalm 110:4) – a priesthood superior to the Levitical order. Unlike the Old Testament priests who offered animal sacrifices repeatedly, Jesus offered Himself once for all (Hebrews 7:27; 9:12). He is both the priest who offers and the sacrifice that is offered. And He continues in His priestly ministry, interceding for His people at the right hand of the Father (Hebrews 7:25; Romans 8:34).
As King, Jesus is the Son of David who will reign forever. At His first coming, He offered the kingdom to Israel (Matthew 4:17), though it was rejected. At His second coming, He will establish that kingdom in fulfilment of all the prophetic promises. The angel Gabriel announced to Mary that Jesus would receive “the throne of his father David” and reign “over the house of Jacob forever” (Luke 1:32–33). Revelation depicts Him as “King of kings and Lord of lords” (Revelation 19:16), returning to earth to rule the nations with a rod of iron.
The Anointing of Jesus
Jesus’ anointing as Messiah is unique. He was not anointed with oil by a human priest or prophet but with the Holy Spirit by God Himself. At His baptism, “the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased'” (Matthew 3:16–17). Peter later explained that “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power” (Acts 10:38).
Isaiah had prophesied this anointing: “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor” (Isaiah 61:1). When Jesus read this passage in the synagogue at Nazareth, He declared, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21). He is the Anointed One par excellence – the One to whom all other anointed figures pointed.
What This Means for Us
Calling Jesus ‘the Christ’ is not simply using a religious title. It is confessing that He is the fulfilment of centuries of prophecy and expectation. It is acknowledging Him as God’s final answer to humanity’s need for a Prophet to reveal truth, a Priest to reconcile us to God, and a King to rule with justice. When Peter declared, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16), Jesus pronounced him blessed, for this confession lies at the heart of saving faith.
We are not waiting for another Messiah. Jesus is the one and only Christ. And those who trust in Him share in His anointing – we are called ‘Christians’ (Χριστιανοί, Christianoi), those who belong to Christ. The Spirit who rested on Him now dwells in us. The Anointed One has anointed His people to continue His work until He returns.
“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.” Isaiah 61:1
Bibliography
- Fruchtenbaum, Arnold G. Messianic Christology. Ariel Ministries, 1998.
- Grudem, Wayne. Systematic Theology. Zondervan, 1994.
- Kaiser, Walter C. The Messiah in the Old Testament. Zondervan, 1995.
- MacArthur, John. The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Matthew 1–7. Moody Publishers, 1985.
- Ryrie, Charles C. Basic Theology. Moody Publishers, 1999.
- Walvoord, John F. Jesus Christ Our Lord. Moody Publishers, 1969.
