Introduction
The Greek word Χριστός (Christos) is one of the most theologically significant terms in the New Testament, used both as a divine title and as a personal name for Jesus of Nazareth. Occurring over 500 times across the New Testament, Χριστός encapsulates the early Christian belief in Jesus as the long-awaited “Anointed One” or Messiah foretold in the Old Testament. As the Christological title par excellence, an in-depth word study of Χριστός throughout Scripture deepens our understanding of Jesus’ life and ministry as the fulfillment of ancient messianic prophecies.
The lexical meaning of Χριστός, according to Greek lexicons, is “anointed” [1]. It originated as a literal descriptor referring to persons or objects ritually anointed with oil, symbolizing divine appointment, authorization, and empowerment for service. In the ancient Near East, prophets, priests, and kings were all anointed with holy oil as a sign of God’s designation, setting them apart for special purposes within the community.
The term Χριστός is equivalent to the Hebrew word מָשִׁיחַ (Mashiach), meaning “anointed” [1]. The Greek term for anointed prophets, priests, and kings, Χριστός, was translated from the Hebrew word Mashiach, which was used in the Septuagint (Old Testament) translation of the Hebrew Scriptures. This proved that Χριστός was the Greek counterpart of Mashiach, with symbolic religious and ritual significance. Apart from the broad interpretation of “anointed one,” during the intertestamental era, Mashiach and Χριστός also denoted the ultimate anointed deliverer sent by God, anticipated by the Jews as the future eschatological Messiah.
Therefore, the application of these rich historical, symbolic, and theological nuances to Jesus was the basis for the title Χριστός. By referring to Jesus as “the Xριστός,” people compared him to the royal Messiah who would restore Israel’s kingdom. Therefore, the Greek word Χριστός, corresponding to the Hebrew term Mashiach, carries a significant etymological meaning. The worldwide Old Testament context that points to Jesus as the long-awaited king and priest par excellence who will fulfill Israel’s messianic hopes is woven throughout the text.
Use of Χριστός in the Greek Old Testament
For a few reasons, the word “Xριστός” is absent from the Old Testament. The Historical Setting: A collection of sacred writings thought to have been composed between the 12th and the 2nd century BCE is called the Old Testament, also known as the Hebrew Bible. This is several centuries older than the birth of Jesus. Judaism was the predominant religion in the area at this time, and its view of the messiah, or anointed one, differed from later Christian interpretations.
Although there was a notion of a savior figure, it was communicated through Hebrew terms such as “Mashiach,” which meant deliverance and freedom, rather than the particular title “Χριστός.”. The term “Χριστός” derives from the Greek word “chrio,” meaning “to anoint” [2]. While the concept of anointing held significance in both Jewish and Christian traditions, the specific Greek term was not used until the development of early Christianity.
Whilst the Hebrew Old Testament does not use the Greek term Xριστός exactly, the Septuagint translation of the Hebrew text, which uses Χριστός, takes its cue directly from Hebrew messianic ideas. Important Old Testament messianic prophecies point to a future anointed servant of the Lord who will deliver God’s people and restore Davidic kingship. These prophecies are typologically connected to Jesus as the eschatological high priest and king through the application of both Mashiach and Χριστός.
In Isaiah 61:1, for instance, the prophet describes a person anointed with the Holy Spirit who will bring good news, comfort the grieving, and proclaim freedom to prisoners. The Septuagint translates the Hebrew “mashach YHWH” (one anointed by the Lord) as “Χριστὸν”– connecting this prophetic figure typologically to the coming messianic Christ [3]. This passage is then explicitly attributed to Jesus in Luke 4:18-19, where it is said to have been fulfilled in him as the Anointed One.
Additionally, in Daniel 9:25-26, a seminal Old Testament prophecy predicts the arrival of an “anointed one” (Mashiach) who is cut off, using language that resonates with Jesus’ crucifixion [4]. The Septuagint renders this “mashiach nagid” as Χριστὸν ἡγούμενον, revealing how the early Greek-speaking church viewed Christ’s death as an atoning sacrifice through the lens of this prophecy. Therefore, by selecting Χριστός to describe the coming Messiah, the Septuagint links and foreshadows the ministry of Jesus to key Old Testament messianic prophecies and the rich heritage of anointed royal, priestly, and prophetic figures in Israelite history.
Abundant Use of Χριστός in the New Testament
Building on these Old Testament foundations, the New Testament authors abundantly apply the title Χριστός to Jesus of Nazareth, using it over 500 times. Χριστός functions uniquely as a divine name and focal title for Jesus, encapsulating his messianic identity. The distribution of Christological titles for Jesus shows that Χριστός significantly outweighs others, such as Son of Man and Son of God.
Every New Testament document utilizes Χριστός as a central component of Jesus’ persona. This reveals the vital place of this title in early church preaching and teaching about Christ’s preexistence, incarnation, crucifixion, and exaltation. Likewise, Acts and the Gospels describe Jesus primarily as “the Χριστός,” heralding his earthly ministry of teaching, preaching, healing, and miracle-working as messianic activity.
Peter’s confession in Mark 8:27-30 of Jesus as Χριστός anchors a key transition point in the narrative towards his journey to Jerusalem and the cross. Appeals to Jesus as Χριστός continue through the book of Revelation, climaxing in his return as “King of Kings and Lord of Lords” (19:16), defeating evil and consummating his kingdom. Therefore, the frequent explicit identification of Jesus as Χριστός across the full breadth of the New Testament literature reveals the absolute centrality of this title for encoding essential elements of Christology.
Interpretation
The way that early Christians used Xριστóς to refer to Jesus of Nazareth undoubtedly influenced how the term was used in the New Testament. When used in a secular context, the verb “smear/ anoint” (χρíω) had the adjectival form “χριστóς,” which meant “smeared on,” and the verb “χριστóν” for the ointment: Neither was relevant to individuals.
There is also Χρέσµα, which means “what is rubbed on.” The use of χρíω in the New Testament always refers to setting apart for exceptional service, not to the literal pouring of oil. The more common λεíφω was, paradigmatically, used for anointing with oil; in Aquila’s Old Testament translation, λεέµµενος rendered מָשִׁיחַ. Judaism, especially the Septuagint, which consistently translates מָשִׁיחַ in this way and may have even created a new term, is the source of the usage of Χριστóς.
According to scholars, Paul frequently refers to Jesus by his proper name, Xριστóς, rather than by his title. To those who were not religious, it sounded like the modern name Χρηστóς and gave the impression that it was used with Jesus, just as Peter is with Simon [5]. Paul uses a different approach in Acts (17:3; 18:5, 28), frequently announcing that Jesus is the Χριστóς. This phrase never refers to a general term in the Epistles; instead, it always designates Jesus. It never has an additional genitive and is never employed as a predicate. If Paul had taken it as a title, some of these could be expected.
The primary difficulty in translating these terms stems from their evolving meanings over the centuries during which the Bible was written. From a literal act of pouring oil to a symbolic ritual, and finally to a metonymic extension of ‘select,’ the sense shifts. By the early church era, Jesus was known by the cognomen “Christ.”
Theological Implications
This concise examination of key data related to Χριστός – its meaning, background, translations, and usage across Scripture – reveals profoundly important theological implications for interpreting Jesus as the Christ. At its core, confessing Jesus as Χριστός affirms his messianic identity as the long-predicted “anointed one” sent by God to fulfill the divine mission of redemption, restoration, and consummation.
The consistent scriptural use of this term to refer to Jesus seamlessly unites him with the hopes, prophecies, and typologies of the Old Testament, rooted in ancient Near Eastern royal, priestly, and prophetic archetypes. In this sense, Χριστός functions as the ultimate unifying Christological title and linguistic device joining the testimony of the entire biblical canon concerning God’s appointed promised deliverer – the King and high priest of God’s kingdom people. All the complex threads of inspired anticipation, discovered through an in-depth exploration of Χριστός, converge in Jesus as the Christ.
The recognition of Jesus as the Χριστός in scripture is a profound embrace that encompasses the entire cosmic messianic storyline. Jesus was sent to earth as the anointed prophet, priest, and king, with the mission of redeeming humanity and restoring all things under God’s rule. This divine purpose demands not only a rightful confession of Jesus as the Χριστός but also a total allegiance to him as the supreme and rightfully anointed ruler before whom every knee shall bow and every tongue confesses. The recognition of Jesus as the Χριστός is not merely a matter of intellectual acknowledgment, but a transformation of one’s entire life, as it entails surrendering to his authority and living in obedience to his will.
Conclusion
In summary, the term “anointed” (Xριστός) has great theological significance because it is the primary title for Jesus in the New Testament. Xριστός, which appears more than 500 times, captures the early Christian conviction that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah. The Septuagint’s clever use of Χριστός demonstrates that Mashiach, its counterpart, foreshadowed Jesus in messianic prophecies despite its absence in the Old Testament.
The frequent use of Χριστός in the New Testament, especially by Paul, underscores its importance in explaining Jesus’ preexistence, incarnation, crucifixion, and exaltation. Xριστός denotes a cosmic messianic narrative that unites the Old and New Testaments, transcending linguistic nuances. Acknowledging Jesus as the Xριστός requires complete loyalty to the anointed ruler who is carrying out God’s redemptive plan; it goes beyond simple confession. Accepting Χριστός presents Jesus as the final realization of Old Testament prophecies, uniting believers with the pinnacle of divine promises and acknowledging Jesus as the Christ involves recognizing him as the sovereign, divinely anointed ruler, before whom everyone will eventually bow and proclaim the truth of his lordship.
Bibliography
- Blue Letter Bible. “Lexicon :: Strong’s G5547 – Christos.” Blue Letter Bible. (n.d.).
- Behind the Name. “Christos.” Behind the Name. (n.d.).
- Afulike, Caleb C. “Luke’s Portrayal of the Social Dimension in the Ministry of Jesus and the Apostles (Luke-Acts) According to Isaiah’s Message of Social Justice in Chapters 61: 1–2 and 58: 6.” Journal of Religious & Theological Information 17, no. 2 (2018): 41-54.
- Rose, Wolter. “Messianic Expectations in the Old Testament.” In Die Skriflig 35, no. 2 (2001): 1-14.
- King, Phil. “Translating ‘Messiah,’ ‘Christ,’ and ‘Lamb of God.’” Journal of Translation 1, no. 2 (2005): 1-27.