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Christ is the English term for the Greek Χριστός (Khristós) meaning "the anointed".^[1] It is a translation of the Hebrew Template:Hebrew (Mašíaḥ). The term "Christ" was a title rather than a proper name. In the four gospels in the New Testament, the word "Christ" is nearly always preceded by the definite article ("the Christ").^[2] For centuries the Jews had referred to their expected Deliverer as "the Anointed."^[3] The term "Christ" carries much of its original Jewish meaning of "Messiah"—"one [who is] anointed" or appointed by God with a unique and special purpose (mission) on Earth.^[4] It was later in the first century that the title gradually became a proper name, and the expression "Jesus Christ" or "Christ Jesus" became only one designation.^[3]

The area of Christian theology focusing on the nature of Jesus as the Christ, particularly with how the divine and human are related in his person, is known as Christology. A central doctrine within the Trinitarian (Nicene) interpretation is that God took human form in the body of Jesus, "the Christ," and accordingly "Christ" is or was both fully human and fully God.^[5] Following from this association between God and Jesus, many Christians believe that belief in Jesus either qualifies them as inheritors of a special privilege or else provides for them a conceptual interface to God's being, such that translates to having a greater "personal relationship" with God. Further, these concepts of personal connection with God have claimed relevance to spiritual concepts including salvation, God's love, divine providence, and divine illumination.

Etymology

The spelling Christ in English was standardized in the 17th century, when, in the spirit of the Enlightenment, spellings of certain words were changed to fit their Greek or Latin origins. Prior to this, in Old and Middle English, the word was usually spelled Crist, the i being pronounced either as /iː/, preserved in the names of churches such as St Katherine Cree, or as a short /ɪ/, preserved in the modern pronunciation of Christmas). The spelling "Christ" is attested from the 14th century.^[6]

The term Christ (or similar) appears in English and most European languages, owing to the Greek usage of Khristós (transcribed in Latin as Christus) in the New Testament as a description for Jesus. In the Septuagint version of the Hebrew Bible, it was used to translate into Greek the Hebrew mashiach (messiah), meaning "anointed."^[4]

Khristós in classical Greek usage could mean covered in oil, and is thus a literal translation of messiah.

Christian views

The New Testament records that the Messiah, long awaited, had come and describes this savior as The Christ (Greek Genitive: τοῦ Χριστοῦ, toú Christoú,; Nominative: ὁ Χριστὸς, ho Christós). The apostle Peter, in what has become a famous proclamation of faith among Christians since the first century, said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."Matthew 16:16

Teachings about Jesus and testimonies about what he accomplished during his three-year public ministry are found throughout the New Testament. Core biblical teachings about the person of Jesus Christ may be summarized that Jesus Christ was and forever is fully God (divine) and fully human in one sinless person at the same time.^[7] Scripture asserts that Jesus was conceived, by a miraculous work of the Holy Spirit, in the womb of his virgin mother Mary without a human father.^[8]

The Jewish historian Flavius Josephus's Antiquities of the Jews says:

Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man; for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was Christ. And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day, as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.^[9]

However, the authenticity of this quote is in question.^[10]

Various texts titled "Apostles' Creed", dating from the third century A.D., and still in current use among Christians, describe Jesus as

The only son of God the Father
Having the Virgin Mary as mother
Crucified on the authority of Pontius Pilate
Having been dead and buried
"descending into hell" or "descending to the dead" (sometimes omitted)
Rising from the dead after 3 days
"ascending into heaven"
Sitting "at the right hand" of God
Destined to return to earth, and then to pass judgment on all humans who have ever lived.

Esoteric views

See also Second Coming and Esoteric Christianity

Christian Science

In the theology of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, the religion's founder, wrote in her book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, that:

The invisible Christ was imperceptible to the so-called personal senses, whereas Jesus appeared as a bodily existence. This dual personality of the unseen and the seen, the spiritual and material, the eternal Christ and the corporeal Jesus manifest in flesh, continued until the Master's ascension, when the human, material concept, or Jesus, disappeared, while the spiritual self, or Christ, continues to exist in the eternal order of divine Science, taking away the sins of the world, as the Christ has always done, even before the human Jesus was incarnate to mortal eyes."^[11]

Eddy wrote that while Jesus, as a material man, was not the exact ontological or quantitative equivalent to God, he thoroughly embodied the spiritual sonship of God's nature. In Christian Science, the Christ, or divine manifestation of God, continues forever to enlighten humanity and to destroy sickness, sin, and death.^{[citation needed]}

Western Wisdom Teachings

In the Rosicrucian writings of Max Heindel, also known as Western Wisdom Teachings, there is a distinction to be made between Jesus and the Christ.^[12] Jesus is considered a high Initiate of the human life wave (the cycle of rebirth) and of a singularly pure type of mind, vastly superior to the great majority of the present humanity.

Neo-Theosophy

In Neo-Theosophy, C.W. Leadbeater promulgated a Nestorian/Gnostic Christology that was taught by Alice A. Bailey, is taught by Benjamin Creme, and is accepted today by most Theosophists. This theology asserts that a powerful being from the higher spiritual planes known as the Maitreya overshadowed the being Theosophists know as the Master Jesus during the ministry of Jesus, such that there were two beings (two souls) in one body—Maitreya was the Christ and the Master Jesus was Jesus; the combination of the two beings functioned as Jesus Christ. ^[13]^[14] Those adherent to the Ascended Master Teachings, a group of religions derived from Theosophy, believe in the existence of the Maitreya; however, they believe that although he encouraged the mission of Jesus, he did not actually overshadow Jesus. ^[15]

Gnostic

The gnostics generally believed not in a Jesus who was a divine person with a human form, but in a spiritual christ who dwelt in Jesus. Through the spiritual path of gnosticism, followers of these schools believed that they could experience the same knowledge, or gnosis. Many of the Gnostic texts say that in order to be called worthy of the title 'Christian' one must also be anointed with Holy oil and that the water baptism alone is incomplete.^{[citation needed]} The Gospel of Philip states several such instances, one being:

The 'Chrism' is superior to baptism, for it is from the word 'Chrism' that we have been called 'Christians,' certainly not because of the word 'baptism.' And it is because of the 'Chrism' that the 'Christ' has his name. For the Father anointed the Son, the Son anointed the apostles, and the apostles anointed us. He who has been anointed possesses everything. He possesses the Resurrection, the Light, the Cross, the Holy Spirit. The Father gave him this in the bridal chamber, he merely accepted the gift. The Father was in the Son and the Son in the Father. This is the Kingdom of Heaven.^[16]

Other Gnostic texts with Jesus Christ include the Gospel of Thomas and the Gospel of Mary.

Islamic view

Muslims believe Jesus (Arabic: عيسى ; `Īsā) to be the Messiah (Arabic: مسيح ; Masīḥ) and a prophet. Although they believe in the Virgin Birth, they do not consider Jesus to be "the son of God". Muslims believe Jesus was neither crucified nor dead, but was raised to Heaven by God while still living.

Islamic traditions narrate that he will return to earth near the day of judgment to restore justice and defeat al-Masīḥ ad-Dajjāl (lit. "the false messiah", also known as the Antichrist) and the enemies of Islam.^[17]

Χ

The use of "Χ," derived from Chi, the Greek alphabet initial, as an abbreviation for Christ (most commonly in the abbreviation "Χmas") is often misinterpreted as a modern secularization of the term. Thus understood, the centuries-old English word Χmas, is actually a shortened form of CHmas, which is, itself, a shortened form for Christmas.^[18]

Slang usage

The interjection "christ!" is sometimes used as a sign of surprise or anger, without a direct religious reference—that is, as an exclamation. Some Christians understand this usage to be in violation of the commandment against taking the Lord's name in vain, although the severity of the transgression varies among different groups of believers.

The prohibition against use as an interject was generally taken more seriously in the past, to the point where it was not only considered socially improper, but a sin against God. Many maintain this view.

References

^ Etymology Online: Christ
^ The exceptions are Matthew 1:1, 1:18, Mark 1:1, John 1:17, 17:3, 9:22, Mark 9:40, Luke 2:11, 22:2.
^ ^a ^b Maas, Anthony. "Origin of the Name of Jesus Christ." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 8. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 3 Sept. 2009 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08374x.htm>
^ ^a ^b Etymology Online: messiah
^ "Incarnation." Online: http://www.pbs.org/faithandreason/theogloss/incarn-body.html Accessed 12-28-2008
^ Oxford English Dictionary, s.v. "Christ"
^ Grudem, Wayne A. Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. Zondervan, 1994. ISBN 0310286700
^ Matthew 1:18–25, Luke 1:35, Luke 3:23
^ Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Book 18, Chapter 3, Section 3
^ This 'quote' from Josephus is recognized to have been wholly or in part inserted by later persons to bolster the story of Jesus. Jesus Interrupted, Ehrman, p.150, copyright 2009; Josephus, Bentwich, p. 241, copyright 1914.
^ Science and Health 334
^ Max Heindel, The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception (Part III, Chapter XV: Christ and his Mission), November 1909, ISBN 0–911274–34–0
^ Leadbeater, C.W. The Masters and the Path Adyar, Madras, India: 1925--Theosophical Publishing House Page 278
^ Creme, Benjamin Maitreya's Mission—Volume III Amsterdam:1997 Share International Foundtion Page 64
^ Prophet, Mark Studies of the Human Aura Colorado Springs, Colorado: 1975 - Summit University Press (Claimed to have been dictated from the ascended master Kuthumi") Page 17
^ Lee, A. D. (2000). Pagans and Christians in late antiquity. Routledge. p. 45. ISBN 9780415138925.
^ Encyclopedia of Islam—"Isa"
^ "X". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)

External links

The Christ concept in Esoteric Christianity Hermes-Press.com
Jesus and Jerusalem feeljerusalem.com
Messianic prophecies fulfilled by Jesus About-Jesus.org
Christ in Islam Islamic view of Messiah
The Jewish Messiah: The Criteria. Jews for Judaism
Linkages Between Two God-Men Saviors: Christ and Krishna religioustolerance.org
Orthodox Outlet for Dogmatic Enquiries OODE

[1] Etymology Online: Christ

[2] The exceptions are Matthew 1:1, 1:18, Mark 1:1, John 1:17, 17:3, 9:22, Mark 9:40, Luke 2:11, 22:2.

[Maas-3] Maas, Anthony. "Origin of the Name of Jesus Christ." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 8. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 3 Sept. 2009 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08374x.htm>

[nfcnqq-4] Etymology Online: messiah

[5] "Incarnation." Online: http://www.pbs.org/faithandreason/theogloss/incarn-body.html Accessed 12-28-2008

[6] Oxford English Dictionary, s.v. "Christ"

[Grudem-7] Grudem, Wayne A. Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. Zondervan, 1994. ISBN 0310286700

[8] Matthew 1:18–25, Luke 1:35, Luke 3:23

[9] Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Book 18, Chapter 3, Section 3

[10] This 'quote' from Josephus is recognized to have been wholly or in part inserted by later persons to bolster the story of Jesus. Jesus Interrupted, Ehrman, p.150, copyright 2009; Josephus, Bentwich, p. 241, copyright 1914.

[11] Science and Health 334

[12] Max Heindel, The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception (Part III, Chapter XV: Christ and his Mission), November 1909, ISBN 0–911274–34–0

[13] Leadbeater, C.W. The Masters and the Path Adyar, Madras, India: 1925--Theosophical Publishing House Page 278

[14] Creme, Benjamin Maitreya's Mission—Volume III Amsterdam:1997 Share International Foundtion Page 64

[15] Prophet, Mark Studies of the Human Aura Colorado Springs, Colorado: 1975 - Summit University Press (Claimed to have been dictated from the ascended master Kuthumi") Page 17

[16] Lee, A. D. (2000). Pagans and Christians in late antiquity. Routledge. p. 45. ISBN 9780415138925.

[17] Encyclopedia of Islam—"Isa"

[18] "X". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)

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 * Ott, Ludwig, ''Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma,'' 1957.
 * Michalopoulos, Dimitris (2006): "Islam and Christendom: The distorted relationship". Entelequia. Revista Interdisciplinar, 2, Otoño 2006. Págs. 201-206.
-* [[Paramahansa Yogananda]]: [http://www.yogananda-srf.org/scoc/scoc_frameset-des.html THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST The Resurrection of the Christ Within You A revelatory commentary on the original teachings of Jesus]
 == External links ==