| Prior to this, in Old and Middle English, the word was spelt Crist, the i being pronounced either as a long e, preserved in the names of churches such as St Katherine Cree, or as a short i, preserved in the modern pronunciation of Christmas. The term appears in English and most European languages owing to the Greek usage of it in the New Testament as a description for Jesus. In the Septuagint version of the Old Testament, it was used to translate into Greek the Hebrew Mashiach (Messiah), meaning "anointed". While many Christian writers claim that this term implied a match to the criteria of being anointed that Jewish tradition had given to their predicted future saviour, in fact, there is no "saviour" concept, as suggested in Christianity, in the Jewish tradition. The "anointed" one more closely means 'leader', or even 'ruler'. The Greek term is cognate with Chrism, meaning perfumed oil; in fact Christ in classical Greek usage could mean covered in oil, and is thus a literal and accurate translation of Messiah (anointed). Anointing in the Old Testament In the Hebrew faith tradition of the Old Testament, anointing (with oil) was a key element of religious ceremony by which specific people were explicitly marked or set aside for a specific role: priests, kings, and prophets. In some cases other materials were anointed with oil as well, to prepare them for religious ceremony. The importance of anointing is sometimes stressed by mentioning the need for it alongside reference to the person in question: e.g., "The priest that is anointed shall carry of the blood into the tabernacle of the testimony" (Lev 4:16). Many writers feel that some Jews came to expect a leader who would embody the elements of priest, king, and prophet, and whom they therefore termed "the Messias", which served as a title. The association with being anointed and being a leader makes these words in some senses equivalent. They expressed their hopes for this leader particularly in their prayers known as the Psalms, which often make reference to God and "his anointed", many of which references some Christians interpret as prophetic. Anointing in the New Testament and subsequent rites Anointing is used in the New Testament to heal the sick, to bless for ministry, to give thanks to Jesus, and to prepare for burial. According to Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic traditions, as Christ was the anointed one, so is apostolic succession, manifest in those priests who carry on the ministry of Christ, premised upon an anointing. Oil is used in a number of the sacraments of these traditions. Practices vary slightly from East to West. Every Christian in the Roman Catholic (see Catholicism)and Eastern Orthodox churches is anointed with oil at least once, if he or she receives the sacraments according to each organization's plan. Protestant (see Protestantism) organizations' rites, however, do not always include anointing with oil. History in the New Testament In the New Testament it is says that a savior, long awaited, had come and shall return, and that this savior is Christ. Distinctions between "Jesus", "Christ", and "God" The term "Christ" is often used synonymously with "Jesus". A difference in usage is sometimes for variety of speech, and sometimes a subtlety intended to emphasize the totality of His person and function in Salvation. For example, Ott refers to "Jesus" when emphasizing an event in the New Testament, while he refers to "Christ" in discussing the nature of God. The Christian mainstream view There is a temporal distinction between Jesus and God. God, in the Christian belief system, exists outside of the time continuum and is not restricted by the confines of time (e.g., limitations, aging, development, evolution, etc.). Jesus, on the other hand, is the temporal incarnation of the Logos — the divine Word of God — as described in the first chapter of the Gospel of John (1:1-18). Jesus was born, lived, suffered, died and resurrected. Most Christians believe that there is no ontological distinction between God and Jesus (holding that Jesus is the second person of the Holy Trinity), and that Jesus did not lose divinity in the incarnation, but rather took on humanity. They likewise believe that Jesus is the Christ. The term "Christ" pertains to the role to be performed by the "chosen one of God" (another possible translation of "Christ"). The problem with this word for the person of Jesus is that the term means different things to different people. Most especially, the term "Messiah" refers often in Jewish beliefs of the Roman era to the hoped-for leader who would not only be a spiritual leader but a political one as well. Hence, we have grounds for why this term might cause consternation and skepticism -- if not downright hostility -- not only for Romans (see Rome), but also for the Jewish leadership of the Temple at the time of Jesus. Those who are not Christian and who do not believe Jesus of Nazareth is the "Christ," are still awaiting the arrival of the Christ, the Annointed One. The Gnostic Christ The gnostics (see gnosticism)generally believed not in a Jesus who was both a Divine Person and a human person, but in a spiritual Christ who indwelt Jesus. Through the spiritual path of gnosticism, followers of these schools believed that they could experience the same knowledge, or gnosis. Their theology was or is dualistic and premised upon demigods, salvation for the elect, and the actions of God who sends periodic saviors. This was considered heresy by the Early Church as per the first Ecumenical Council (see ecumenical councils), which occurred at Nicaea in 325 ad, although condemnation of the belief existed well before. The esoteric Christian tradition In the western esoteric tradition, Essenian and later Rosicrucian, there is a distinction to be made between Jesus and the Christ. Jesus is considered a high Initiate of the human life wave (which evolves under the cycle of rebirth) and of a singularly pure type of mind, vastly superior to the great majority of the present humanity. He was educated during his youth among the Essenes and thus prepared himself for the greatest honor ever bestowed upon a human being: to deliver his pure, passionless, highly evolved physical body and vital body (already attuned to the high vibrations of the 'life spirit'), in the moment of the Baptism, to the Christ being for His ministry in the physical world. Christ is described as the highest Spiritual Being of the life wave called Archangels and has completed His union ("the Son") with the second aspect of God. Expansions and appropriations of "Christ" "Christ" has taken on such power and significance as a theological, religious and/or devotional term that it has been appropriated and/or expanded by various theologians and religious writers so as to take it beyond its merely Christian context. The development of Judeo/Christian religious concepts in a world religious context may be startling to the orthodox, but is part of the full picture and contemporary meaning of the term "Christ". Paramahansa Yogananda - writes about a "Christ Consciousness" interchangeably with "Krishna Consciousness". Matthew Fox - speaks of "the Cosmic Christ" etc. One belief is the idea or concept that 'Jesus became Christ;' i.e. his 'flesh was transformed to spirit.' By taking a spiritual and good path through life, Jesus was reunited with his true holy nature (redemption) and preserved forever in God. However in this view, this psychic force is often called 'the Christ,' or sometimes 'Christ consciousness,' etc; drawing a separation between God (whose nature some maintain we cannot fathom or comprehend) and the Holy Spirit, which has experience (through Jesus) and therefore compatibility with our mortal and frail humanity. This separation of spiritual concepts is embodied in the Christian Trinity. In many branches of Christianity, some limitations on extra-cultural interactivity result in dogmatic interpretations of the meaning of "the Christ" to refer only to "Christendom" (i.e. confirmed "Christians") as opposed to all of spiritual humanity, that may have equal devotion to 'the Christ.' In Eastern religious traditions, for example, "God" is described by both personifications (deities) which are manifestations of particular aspects of God's power and incarnation of God in mortal form as in case of Krishna. In mortal form, the Christian Jesus is akin to these personifications, with the caveat that he alone is the deity; all of God's powers that are relevant or understandable to man, are manifest through Jesus. Thus, where Christ is a synonym for the Holy Spirit, the Trinity of Father (God) Son (Jesus) and Holy Spirit (Christ) are unified, though each remain distinct. See also:
Jesus
Christ the Lord
Lord
Jesus as God
Jesus as man
Genealogy of Jesus
New Testament view on Jesus' Life |