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Christ
April 5
Christ
Christos
The Greek christos (G5547) has an interesting derivation, which
originally carried a totally secular meaning in Classical
Greek. It comes from chierin, to rub lightly, or spread over
something. Some uses were rubbing arrows with poison in
preparation for battle (Homer) and applying paint or whitewash.
Another common use was rubbing the body with oil after a
bath.
In OT usage, this word corresponds to the Hebrew equivalent
mēsiah (Messiah), which refers to someone who is ceremoniously
anointed with holy oil for an office. The most common office
for anointing was a king (e.g., David, 2Sa_2:7); another was of
priests, such as Aaron, which is beautifully described in Psalm
133.
It is in the NT, however, that the word appears with the most
power and significance. It’s extremely significant that the
word Christos is attached to the Lord Jesus Christ in every
major event of His life and ministry. One of the most
significant was in the questions He posed to His disciples.
After asking, “Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?” and
getting such answers as John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or
other prophets, He then asked them, “But whom say ye that I
am?” It was Peter’s answer that tells the tale: “Thou art the
Christ, the Son of the living God.” In a dramatic proof of
Jesus’ claim to His deity, Jesus said, “Blessed art thou, Simon
Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee,
but my Father which is in heaven” (Mat_16:13-17).
Most significant in that passage, and many others, is the
definite article (“the”) before Christ (ho Christos). This
demonstrates that the Lord Jesus is the one and the only
Anointed One, the one and only Son of God, the one and only
Savior.
As John declares, “We have found the Messias, which is, being
interpreted, the Christ” (Joh_1:41), and, “Now we believe, not
because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and
know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world”
(Joh_4:42). The Lord Jesus even professed Himself to be the
Messiah predicted by David and the prophets (Mar_12:35;
Psa_110:1).
What a blessing it is to know that we worship the one and only
Anointed One!
Scriptures for Study: As mentioned above, Christos is attached
to Jesus in every major event of His life and ministry. Read
the following scriptures and identify each event: Mat_1:16-18;
Luk_2:11; Mar_12:35; Luk_22:67; Luk_23:2, Luk_23:35;
Luk_24:25-26.
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