Jesus Christ? or, Jesus, The Christ (The Anointed One)
What do the words "Christ" and "Christian" mean? The question is obviously more complicated than the answer. "Christ" is not another name for Jesus or even a part of Jesus's name anymore than "Christian" is another name or part of the names of the followers of Jesus. "Christ" is a transliteration of the Greek word "christos" which means "the anointed". Jesus is the anointed one, the chosen one, the Messiah. The word Christ is not His name, the word Christ is what Jesus is.
Part of the problem with the word "Christ" is in the transliteration process rather than a true translation of the Greek word, and part of the problem has to do with what people were expecting when Jesus came to live in a human body on this earth. Why the translators used a transliteration rather than translate the word to other languages is unknown. Baptism is another transliterated word. It might have had to do with the worldly concept rather than a spiritual concept of the coming Messiah. The two disciples in Luke (like many of the other followers of Jesus) were expecting Jesus to redeem or save Israel in a physical sense from the Roman occupation of that time.
"But we trusted that it had been He which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, today is the third day since these things were done." Luke 24:21
The two disciples who were Jews had no concept of a spiritual kingdom or of a spiritual saving or redeeming. They were thinking in the physical sense of governments and powerful armies led by a messiah and freedom from foreign taxation and power. This was a common belief which went all the way back to Moses, who, by the way, was chosen to be a leader of the Israelites. Moses was of the tribe of Levi, and Aaron along with his descendents were anointed (which is what the word "Christ" means) to serve as priests in the temple. The disciples of Jesus were thinking more of an earthly Messiah or King. They were not thinking of a spiritual kingdom or a spiritual messiah which is obvious from their argument about "Who is the greatest"? One of the mothers got in on that one and personally asked for high earthly positions for her sons. At that time, neither the mother or any of the disciples had any idea about what "anointed" really meant which explains much of the confusion that exists today.
And, it should be noted that Jesus was not the first Messiah. Isaiah refers to one chosen of God as a messiah centuries before Jesus was born in Bethlehem.
"That says of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure even saying to Jerusalem, You shall be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid." (Isaiah 44:28).
"Thus says the Lord to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings to open before him the two leaved gates, and the gates shall not be shut." ( Isaiah 45:1)
So Cyrus is spoken of as God's anointed. Notice that most translations avoid referring to Cyrus as a messiah.
One must ask what is the significance of being called God's anointed? To be anointed is to receive a special appointment for a specific task. Aaron was anointed to be a priest. David was anointed to be a king. Others were anointed to be prophets. In this meaning lies the significance as the word "Christ" is applied to Jesus, and as the word "Christian" is applied to members of His body, the church. Jesus was anointed to be king, priest, and prophet. As God's anointed, Jesus was anointed to be a prophet or teacher, and to teach His followers about the way of life and salvation. As God's anointed, Jesus was anointed to be a king over His kingdom and to rule over His kingdom, And, as God's anointed, Jesus was anointed to be a priest, the high priest, who offered Himself once and for all, a sacrifice for the sins of humanity. This is what "Christ" means--anointed or chosen for something special.
This brings us to the word "Christian". The followers of Jesus were called Christians which means "anointed ones". One time, when Paul preached, one of his listeners told him that he (Paul) almost persuaded him to be a Christian. Peter, in one of his letters referred to suffering as a Christian. There is even a reference to the anointing of the Holy Spirit which many misunderstand as they venture into the mystical arena trying to explain what the anointing really is. The word transliterated "Christian" simply means those followers of Jesus who are anointed to be prophets or teachers, priests and members of the royal family. This carries a great deal of responsibility--this being a Christian or an anointed one. One is anointed to be a teacher. The writer of the Hebrew letter scolded some who were not manifesting that anointing but had to have someone teach them again the first principles of God's Word. A Christian, an anointed one, is anointed to teach. Jesus told His disciples to go into all the world and teach, baptize and teach some more. If one claims to have received the anointing of the Holy Spirit, then one should go about the task (teaching and converting others) for which one is anointed. A Christian is one who has been anointed to reign with Jesus, the Anointed One. Paul told the Christians in Colossae that they had been translated into the Kingdom of God's dear son. Peter wrote about the royal priesthood and the holy priesthood of all believers--the anointed ones. Christians are anointed to serve as priests offering spiritual sacrifices, holhy and acceptable to God. The anointed one (the Christian) recognizes how special this anointing is. To be anointed means to be chosen by God for something very special
Question, comments, corrections are appreciated.