Week Two | What Does Christ Mean, Anyway?

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Reading the Bible with Rabbi Jesus Online Biblical Study
Reading Assignment – Chapters 3 & 4
Listen to the Audio version | Reading Time: 4 minutes

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If you’re anything like me, then the meaning of the word “Christ,” outside of who the word identifies, hadn’t crossed your mind until reading chapters 3 and 4 of Reading the Bible with Rabbi Jesus.  Like author Lois Tverberg, “Christ” to me has always equated to Savior, a name I have spoken on countless occasions throughout my life.  However, when I stop and really think, I realize I have never taken the time to delve deeper into the meaning of this word in its original cultural setting.  

As Lois points out, when we look into the origins of the word “Christ,” it comes from the Greek word “Christos,” which means anointed.  The word Christos in Greek holds the same meaning that Mashiach holds in Hebrew, and both words essentially point to “the anointed of God.”  

Perfect!  Now we know what the word Christ means, don’t we? 

Except, what does it truly mean to be anointed?  

The Anointed One

If we look up the word “anointed,” its literal definition is “to smear or rub with oil.”  This act has been completed throughout history and was done as part of a ceremony to appoint an individual to a holy office.  Later, it became almost synonymous with the word “king.”  One Biblical example is throughout the Old Testament, where David often refers to King Saul as Mashiach, or “the Lord’s anointed.”   

One example of this reference from Scripture is when David encounters King Saul, who has been hunting him down to kill him, in a cave.  David’s men encouraged him to assassinate Saul, but in response, David exclaimed:

“The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed (Mashiach), or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed (Mashiach) of the LORD.”
1 Samuel 24:6, NIV

In our modern-day Western world, the idea of kingship and a monarchy government seems rather antiquated.  Therefore, the process of anointing someone with oil symbolized their appointment to a holy office, but it also signified that they were chosen by God.  

“The act of anointing with sacred oil emphasized that it was God himself who had ordained a person and given him authority to lead his people and act as his representative.”

LOIS TVERBERG, Pg. 44,

According to Lois, once we understand that Christ means the anointed one, and furthermore, what it means to be anointed, we can describe Christ as “God’s chosen King.”

Hints of a Coming King

When we begin to view Scripture through a Middle Eastern Lens, we start to understand that the verses we may have read numerous times before hold so much information that we have yet to uncover.  

Declarations of the coming King, Jesus, are sprinkled throughout all of Scripture.  Within the Old Testament, there are numerous “hints” as to the coming of a King, which are given to us as prophecies.   In Zechariah 9:9, NIV, it says: 

“Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!  Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!  See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
Zechariah 9:9, NIV

During Jesus’ life, this message was heard by crowds of people, and so when Jesus came into Jerusalem riding on a donkey, they knew that the prophecy had been fulfilled and the true King of Israel had arrived.  

The Old Testament is not where the good news ends. In fact, one would say that the New Testament is only the beginning of the good news.  As we take a look at the Gospels through the cultural lens of that time, we gain a new understanding of the word gospel.  

As we all know, the word gospel means “good news,” and like Lois stated, “Like most (I) assumed that the good news is that we have forgiveness of sins because of Jesus’ sacrifice for us on the cross.”

LOIS TVERBERG, pg. 51, Reading the Bible with Rabbi Jesus

What she goes on to say is that the Greek word for “gospel,” euanggelion, meaning “good news,” also takes on a slightly different meaning when used in the New Testament.  During that time, when a new King was crowned, and he took the throne, the euanggelion was the announcement that was made.   It was a celebration of the reigning of a new kingdom.  

Reading the gospels knowing this information, we can see that they are really a euanggelion, the announcement of good news, that Jesus, the anointed King, had arrived. 

When we read the Bible through a Middle Eastern Lens, focusing on the cultural implications of the time, as well as the location, we gain a deeper understanding of Scripture and, therefore, Jesus.  As we continue to make this groundbreaking transition in our methods of studying Scripture, remember these words from Lois.  

“My goal is not to make you feel you need to adopt the lifestyle of the biblical world but to help you be willing to view life through its lens for just a little while.  Don’t just analyze and take notes on cultural differences. Try your best to mentally place yourself in that reality long enough to look around and see its internal logic. Resonate with the people who were there and read that Bible through their eyes. Then bring it back to your own world, which may be very different.”

LOIS TVERBERG, pg. 57, Reading the Bible with Rabbi Jesus

TODAY WE LEARNED:
1. The name “Christ” comes from the Greek word, Christos, and the Hebrew word, Mashiach. Both words essentially mean, “the anointed of God”.

2. Anointing was done as part of a ceremony to appoint an individual to a holy office, and in later years became synonymous with kingship.

3. There were numerous hints throughout Scripture that pointed to the coming of the King.

4. The Greek word “gospel” is euanggelion, which means good news. It also became synonymous with the announcement of a new king taking power.

5. The Gospels are essentially an announcement of good news that Jesus, the anointed King, has arrived.

ANSWER THIS IN THE COMMENTS BELOW:
As you spend time in Scripture this week, anytime you see the word “Christ” in the New Testament, substitute the words “God’s chosen King.” How does this impact your interaction with God’s Word? What insight can be gained from this change in perspective?