The word translated Christ in our New Testaments is christos and literally, means “anointed” It is also used in the Septuagint to translate the Hebrew word Mashı̂yach or “Messiah.” The term is applied to the priests who were anointed with the holy oil, particularly the high priest, e.g., (Leviticus 4:3), (5, 16). The prophets are called hoi christoi Theou, “the anointed of God,” (Psalm 105:15). A king of Israel was described as christos tou Kuriou, “the anointed of the Lord,” in (2Samuel 1:14). The term is also used of the Persian King Cyrus who would release the captives from Babylon, (Isaiah 44:28), (45:1-2). Cyrus was never physically anointed with oil but he was, none the less, designated to a specific duty.
To make the transition between the anointing in the O.T. to the N.T. refer to (Psalms 89:20) the anointing of David and (Isaiah 61:1-4) the anointing of Messiah. The same word is used for the anointing of both individuals. One was performed through Samuel (1 Samuel 16:13) and the other through the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:38). But the actions of each were itemized in scripture with David being a temporary king and The Christ is an eternal king who would fulfill all prophecies concerning the Messiah from Genesis 3:15 and Malachi 4.
When Jesus was born, the angels announced His birth to shepherds with the words “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11) On the 41st day, as Jesus is presented in the Temple, Simeon and Anna testified that the child is the promised one, (Juke 2:22-38). On three occasions Jesus accepted or claimed the designation Christ for Himself. (John 4:25-26); (Matthew 16:16-17); and (Mark 14:61-62).
Jesus expressly said the Scriptures told of Him, (John 5:39) “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.” The Old Testament Scripture is full of prophetic declarations regarding the person and work of the Christ. He is the seed of woman (Genesis 3:15), the seed of Abraham (Genesis 22:18), the Prophet that Moses said would come (Deuteronomy 18:15), the priest after the order of Melchizedek (Psalm 110:4), the “Immanuel,” born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14), root and rod from the stem of Jesse (Isaiah 1:10; 11:1), the priest on His throne (Zechariah 6:13), and the messenger of the covenant (Malachi 3:1).
When Herod wanted to know when and where the Christ, the anointed one of God, would be born, (Matthew 2:4), the answer came from (Micah 5:2). Of the most significant signs identifying the Christ is healing the eyes of the blind (Isaiah 18:8), (32:3-4), (35:4-6), (42:6-7). These scriptures include physical and spiritual blindness. (Matthew 9:27-31) describes the healing of two physically blind men. And when John the Baptist sent to ask if Jesus was the Christ, Jesus said to tell John that the blind see and the lame walk (Matthew 11:1-6) as proof that He, Jesus of Nazareth, is the Christ. This clearly identifies Jesus to be the divinely appointed, commissioned, and accredited Sacrifice (Hebrews 10), Savior (Titus 3:6), Lord (Acts 2:36), King (Matthew 27:11), High Priest (Hebrews 3:1, 4:14-15), and Advocate (1 John 2:1) for mankind.
In Acts 2:30-31 Peter spoke of David’s prophesy that The Christ would be raised from the dead before His body could begin to decompose. Jesus said of His burial, (Matthew 12:40) “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” By the counting of the Jews, Friday evening, Saturday and Dawn Sunday amounted to the three days and nights.
The resurrection from death is the ultimate sign that Jesus is the Christ. Note (Acts 13:29-34). “Now when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb. But God raised Him from the dead. He was seen for many days by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses to the people. And we declare to you glad tidings–that promise which was made to the fathers. God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm: ‘YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU.’ And that He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, He has spoken thus: ‘I WILL GIVE YOU THE SURE MERCIES OF DAVID.’”
John defines the reason for his writings as being evidence that Jesus is all that He declared and proved Himself to be. (John 20:30-31) Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Can you shout out as Peter did in (Matthew 16:16), You are the Christ, The Son of God?
