Why Jesus Is Called “the Christ”

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ...

Mark 1:1

Jesus was a common name among the Jews until the beginning of the second century, but Christ is a title, telling us what this person named Jesus came into the world to do.

Today, we might speak about Dave “the plumber,” or Diane “the teacher.” Plumbing is what Dave does. Teaching is what Diane does. Similarly, Jesus is “the Christ.” This means He is “the Messiah,” or “the Deliverer.” Confronting what is wrong and putting it right is what Jesus does.

The Old Testament tells the story of the great human disaster—that our human sinfulness has fouled up God’s world, and it keeps happening. The idea that we have the ability to restore this world, and become what God calls us to be, has been disproved by thousands of years of human experience. But back in the garden of Eden, God promised that someone would come into the world, destroy the work of our enemy, and put things right (Gen. 3:15). And now, Mark is telling us that He has come, and His name is Jesus. He is “the Christ.”

If you hear someone say "Jesus Christ!" in a fit of anger, you might like to say to them: “Do you know what you just said? You just confessed that Jesus is God’s promised deliverer. Is that what you believe? What is it that you need Him to deliver you from?”

The centre point of Mark’s gospel comes when Jesus asks the disciples: “Who do you say that I am?” and Peter says, “You are the Christ” (Mark 8:29). “You are the promised One who has come to confront what is wrong and to put it right.”

Jesus is “the Christ.” Even His name is full of hope.

What would you say if Jesus were to ask you, “Who do you say that I am?”