Greek
Χριστός
Christos
Anointed One, Christ, Messiah
The Greek word for 'Anointed One' — Christos translates the Hebrew Mashiach (Messiah). 'Jesus Christ' means 'Jesus the Anointed One.' Christos refers to Christ's office as the prophesied Anointed King, Priest, and Prophet of God's people.
Christos (Χριστός) is the Greek word for 'anointed one,' translating the Hebrew 'Mashiach' (משיח), from which we get 'Messiah.' Both words mean the same thing: the anointed one. In the Old Testament, kings, priests, and occasionally prophets were anointed with oil to mark their consecration to God's service. The 'Anointed One' became the title for the prophesied great deliverer — the Christ. The NT writers used 'Christos' both as title (Jesus is THE Christ) and increasingly as part of his name (Jesus Christ). Romans 1:1 uses both senses. The English 'Christ' is a transliteration of Christos through Latin.
Christos appears over 500 times in the NT. (1) As title — Christ's office. Matthew 16:16 — Peter's confession: 'Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.' John 4:25-26 — Jesus to the Samaritan woman: 'I that speak unto thee am he [the Christ].' Matthew 26:63-64 — at his trial, Jesus affirmed he was the Christ. (2) As name — 'Jesus Christ' becomes one identifier. Romans 1:7 — 'from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.' Christians began to be called 'Christians' (Acts 11:26) — 'belonging to Christ.' (3) Christ as Anointed King. Matthew 2:2 — 'Where is he that is born King of the Jews?' Christ rules forever (Luke 1:32-33). (4) Christ as Anointed Priest. Hebrews 5:5 — 'Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest.' Hebrews 7-10 develops his priestly office. (5) Christ as Anointed Prophet. Deuteronomy 18:15 prophesied a prophet like Moses; Christ fulfills this (Acts 3:22-23). (6) The Christ is opposed by Antichrist. 1 John 2:18 — 'even now are there many antichrists.' Christ and antichrist are mutually exclusive. The threefold office of Christ — Prophet, Priest, King — is one of the great categories of historic Christian theology. As Prophet, he reveals God. As Priest, he atones and intercedes. As King, he rules.
“And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
“He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.”
“But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.”
“Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.”
“Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead.”
“And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Confess Jesus as the Christ — the Anointed One, Prophet, Priest, and King. This is the heart of Christian faith (1 John 5:1). Trust him in his threefold office: receive his revelation, rest in his atonement, obey his rule. The Christ is not just a name; it is an office of cosmic significance.
Christos (Χριστός) is Greek for 'Anointed One' — translating the Hebrew Mashiach (Messiah). 'Jesus Christ' means 'Jesus the Anointed One.' The title refers to Christ's office as the prophesied Anointed King, Priest, and Prophet. It is used over 500 times in the NT, both as title (Jesus is THE Christ) and as part of his name (Jesus Christ).
No — Christ is a title, not a surname. In the 1st century, people often had no surname; identity came from a father (Simon son of Jonah), a place (Jesus of Nazareth), or an occupation. 'Christ' (Christos) was Jesus' messianic title — the Anointed One. Over time the title became almost like a name in Christian usage ('Jesus Christ'), but its meaning remains theological — the Messiah.
Same word, different languages. Messiah is the English form of Hebrew Mashiach (משיח); Christ is the English form of Greek Christos (Χριστός). Both mean 'Anointed One.' John 1:41 explicitly translates: 'We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.' Jesus is both the Jewish Messiah and the Greek Christos — the same person, the same office.
In the OT, kings, priests, and prophets were anointed with oil to mark their consecration to God. The 'Anointed One' (par excellence) was the prophesied Messiah who would combine all three offices. Jesus is the Anointed Prophet (revealing God), Anointed Priest (atoning and interceding), and Anointed King (ruling forever). All three are biblical and have shaped Christian theology of Christ's work.