Christ, the Messiah

Illustration of Christ, the Messiah

'Christ' is not Jesus' surname but his title. It comes from the Greek Christos, which translates the Hebrew Mashiach, Messiah, meaning 'anointed one.' In Israel prophets, priests and kings were anointed with oil to set them apart for God's work, and the prophets promised a coming Anointed One who would bring salvation. When Andrew met Jesus he ran to his brother: 'We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.' At a well in Samaria, when a woman spoke of the Messiah who was coming, Jesus told her, 'I that speak unto thee am he.'

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Strongest connections in Scripture
John 1 John 4

Key Passages

We Have Found the Messias

John 1:40-42

Andrew's first act after meeting Jesus is to bring his brother Simon to the Messiah.

O40ne of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.

41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. 42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.

I That Speak Unto Thee Am He

John 4:25-26

Jesus openly reveals himself as the Messiah to a Samaritan woman at Jacob's well.

T25he woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.

26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

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Characters 4

Jesus Jesus is portrayed in the Bible as the Son of God and the long-awaited Messiah whose coming fulfilled Old… Andrew Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter and a fisherman from Bethsaida, was among the first disciples called by… Peter Peter, originally a fisherman named Simon, was called by Jesus along the Sea of Galilee to become one of… The Samaritan Woman The Samaritan woman encountered Jesus at Jacob's well in Sychar, where he initiated a conversation despite…

Places 2

Sychar Sychar was a town in Samaria located near the well traditionally associated with the patriarch Jacob. In… Samaria Samaria was the central region of ancient Israel situated between Judea to the south and Galilee to the…

Themes 2

Salvation From Noah's ark to the blood of the Lamb, salvation is the central drama of Scripture - God reaching into… Faith Without faith it is impossible to please God. From Abraham leaving everything for an unknown land to a…

Symbols 1

Oil / Anointing Priests were anointed with oil. Kings were anointed with oil. The word Messiah means Anointed One. Oil…

Did You Know?

1

'Messiah' and 'Christ' both mean 'anointed one' - one in Hebrew, one in Greek.

2

The word 'Messias' appears only twice in the KJV, both times in John's Gospel.

3

Jesus first plainly told a Samaritan woman that he was the Messiah.

4

In the synagogue at Nazareth Jesus read, 'The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me.'