What Does “Christ” and “Messiah” Mean?

Ask any Christian and they will tell you who Jesus Christ is.  Ask them what “Christ” means and you’re likely to get a wrong answer. Some assume Christ is Jesus’ last name.  However, Scripture tells us his surname, if you will, is “son of Joseph.”[1]  Others believe “Christ” is a designation for deity, but as we shall soon see, that is incorrect as well.  What then does “Christ” mean?

The word “christ” is a transliteration of the Greek christos,[2] and it means anointed one.  It comes from a root word that means to smear or rub with oil, and carries with it the connotation of a sacred or religious act.[3]  Its counterpart in Hebrew is mashiach,[4] or the more familiar anglicized messiah. We see the two terms used interchangeably by John when he clarifies Andrews’ statement for his readers:

John 1:41 (NASB) He [Andrew] found first his own brother Simon and *said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which translated means Christ).[5]

The term, whether in Greek or Hebrew, was used of those who were set apart for various roles in God’s service, primarily priests, kings and prophets[6]–offices that Jesus himself filled.[7]   In Scripture, the act of anointing someone with oil occasionally coincided with an “anointing” of the Holy Spirit which empowered the recipient to do the work of the Lord. 

1 Samuel 16:13 (NASB) Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward. And Samuel arose and went to Ramah. (emphasis added)

The term “anointed” can also refer to someone who has been filled with the Spirit of God, but not literally anointed with oil.  For example, we see this in the life of Jesus.  There is no record of him undergoing a “consecration service” where he was literally anointed with oil for the purposes of ministry.  However, at his water baptism the Holy Spirit came upon him.[8]  Furthermore, Peter tells us that Jesus was anointed by God with the Holy Spirit and power.[9]

Acts 10:38 (NASB) “You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. (emphasis added)

Christians may be surprised to find that the word “messiah” is not used exclusively of Jesus.  In the Old Testament, the term mashiach is almost always translated as “anointed” or “anointed one.”  Nevertheless, mashiach can be translated as “anointed” or “anointed one” or “messiah.”

The first king to be called mashiach or messiah was Saul.  When David was being pursued by Saul he had an opportunity to kill the rebellious king, yet he wisely chose not to.  David said:

1 Samuel 26:11 (NASB) “The LORD forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the LORD’S anointed [mashiach, messiah]…” (emphasis added)

When King David brought the ark of the covenant to dwell in the tent of the meeting in Jerusalem he offered a psalm of thanksgiving in which he praised God for protecting His “messiahs”:

1 Chronicles 16:21-22 (NASB)  He permitted no man to oppress them, And He reproved kings for their sakes, saying, ²²  “Do not touch My anointed ones [mashiachs or messiahs], and do My prophets no harm.” [10] (emphasis added)

King Solomon was also called mashiach:

 Psalm 132:10 (NASB) For the sake of David Your servant, do not turn away the face of Your anointed [mashiach or messiah]. (emphasis added)

God even called Cyrus,[11] the pagan king of the Medes and the Persians, His “messiah” because He would use him to restore the Israelites to the Promised Land after seventy years in captivity.

In time, mashiach or messiah found its ultimate fulfillment as the designation for the king whose reign would have no end. The Oxford Companion to the Bible states:

In its primary biblical usage, then, ‘anointed’ is, virtually a synonym for ‘king,’ in particular David and his descendants…eventually royal language and imagery came to be applied primarily to a hoped-for future king, whose reign would be characterized by everlasting justice, security and peace.[12] 

One of the more famous passages regarding the future Messiah speaks of the fierce opposition he will face as God’s chosen king.  Ultimately, however, God and His Mashiach will be triumphant.  Notice how the psalmist uses “anointed” and “king” synonymously:

Psalm 2:2, 4-6, 9 and 12 (NASB) The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the LORD and against His anointed [mashiach or messiah]…⁴  He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them. ⁵  Then He will speak to them in His anger and terrify them in His fury, saying, ⁶  “But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain.“…⁹  ‘You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware.'”…¹²  Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!

With regard to the New Testament, the word “christos” or “Christ” appears more than 516 times.[13]  On occasion it is used in an unspecified way to refer to the coming Messiah.  For example, when the Pharisees heard that John the Baptist was baptizing in the wilderness, they sent messengers to ask him who he was. He responded by saying, “I am not the Christ.”[14]  Over 500 times [15] “Christ” is used in association with Jesus, thus identifying him as the long awaited Messiah. The New Testament authors use the word “messias,” which is the Greek form of messiah, only twice and both times it is in reference to Jesus as the anticipated king: [16]

John 4:25-26 (NASB) The woman *said to Him, “I know that Messiah [messias] is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us.”  ²⁶  Jesus *said to her, “I who speak to you am He.” (emphasis added)

Indeed, Jesus is the Christ, but many Christians are not aware that the role of Christ or anointed king was not inherently his.  On the Day of Pentecost, Peter stood before the crowd and boldly declared that God had made Jesus the Christ:

Acts 2:36 (NASB) “Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.” (emphasis added)

Paul provides us with the reason God made Jesus both Lord and Christ in his letter to the church in Philippi:

Philippians 2:9-11 (NASB) For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, ¹⁰  so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹  and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  (emphasis added)

What was the reason for which God exalted Jesus?  The preceding verse tells us it was because Jesus was obedient to God, even unto death on a cross.  For this reason God exalted Jesus to His right hand and gave him the name (or authority) over every name.  God made Jesus the Messiah-King.  When he comes into his kingdom every tongue will confess that he is Lord, to the glory of God who is the Father. 

In conclusion, the term Christ or Messiah means “anointed one.”  It is not a designation of deity, but refers to those appointed and empowered to do God’s will.  Although the term is not used exclusively of Jesus, it finds its ultimate meaning and fulfillment in the man from Nazareth whom God exalted as king. 

John 18:37 (NASB)  Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” (emphasis added)

[1] Jesus of Nazareth, son of Joseph – John 1:45

[2] Christos, #5547, New American Standard Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible.

[3] chriô not to be confused with aleiphô (which also means to anoint or rub with oil, but is used in a mundane or non-sacred context).  See “chriô, #5548″, The Complete Word Study Dictionary, Spiros Zodhiates,  (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 1993)  p. 1486

[4] mashiach, #4899 New American Standard Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible.

[5] See also John 4:25-26

[6] For example: priests Leviticus 4:3; prophets 1 Kings 19:16

[7] Hebrews 3:1; John 19:21; Luke 24:19

[8] Matthew 3:16-17

[9] See also: Isaiah 61:1-2 fulfilled in Luke 4:18-21; Acts 4:27

[10] The same statement occurs in Psalm 105:15

[11] Isaiah 45:1 – the word “anointed” is mashiach in Hebrew, or transliterated as messiah in English

[12] “Messiah,” The Oxford Companion to the Bible, Bruce M. Metzger, ed. (New York: Oxford University Press, 1993), p. 514.

[13] New American Standard Bible, 1995

[14] John 1:19-28, verse 20 in particular; See also Luke 3:15

[15] Christ (Jesus Christ, Christ the Lord, etc) is used of Jesus 503 times in the New Testament. Messiah is used two times (messias in Greek).  Herbert Lockyer, All the Divine Names and Titles in the Bible, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House), 1975, p. 101-102; 104-105, and 206.

[16] John 1:41 and 4:25