The ABC's of the Bible- Christ

The Greek word translated in English as "Christ" is the equivalent of the Hebrew term Messiah and means "anointed one." Although not intrinsic to its meaning, the New Testament use of the term Christ tends to point to the deity of Jesus. (Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms, 25)

Christ is not Jesus' last name. To say that Jesus is the Christ means that Jesus is the Jewish Messiah. Though the word "Messiah" is not used in the Old Testament, it is a word that sums up the promise of a coming Jewish leader/ruler/redeemer.

The New Testament writer most focused on convincing his readers that Jesus is the Christ was Matthew. Matthew wrote to a Jewish audience and began his Gospel with a genealogy which connected Christ to King David. That is why his opening title was probably quite eye grabbing back in the 1st century, "The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ."

Grace and Peace,
Stephen