Messiah—Anointed One

“Jesus Christ” slips off the tongue of saint and sinner alike. For one it’s simply an exclamation, for the other a name, albeit a very important name. But how often do we stop to think about the implications of such a name? What does it mean to proclaim Jesus to be the Christ, the Anointed One, the Messiah. To the Jews of the first century it meant a lot.

For the Jews of the first century the long awaited Messiah would come and set things straight: sort out Rome and Herod, reinstate the nation, re-establish the kingdom and renew the religious practices of the people. So, when Peter declares Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of the Living God, it’s quite a statement. But what does it mean to be the Christ?

To be the Anointed One means to be the king.

Wise men saw a star in the east, so we are told. “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?” they asked. To be king was the birthright of Jesus. While the Jews were waiting for a conquering king, Jesus turns this expectation upside down. He teaches his disciples about his betrayal and death. Nothing he says indicated a conquering hero putting right the wrongs of history. His purpose went deeper than that. He hadn’t come to provide temporary relief from the political ills of Roman rule. He came to put things right on an eternal scale. Changing governments can be accomplished through the ballot box, dealing with sin takes and event of cosmic significance.

This king came to die before he came to rule.