Anointing, royal hope and a suffering Messiah
Messiah comes from the Hebrew mashiach, meaning “anointed one” or “chosen one.” Its Greek equivalent is Christos, rendered Christ in English. “Jesus Christ” therefore means “Jesus the Messiah.” Anointing with oil marked someone as set apart for a particular role in God's service. Prophets, priests and kings could receive such anointing: Aaron was anointed as high priest, and Samuel anointed Saul and David as kings (1 Kings 19:16; Leviticus 8:12; 1 Samuel 10:1; 16:13). [1]
The promised Messiah carried expectations of kingship and deliverance. GotQuestions describes many Jews in Jesus' time as expecting an earthly kingdom centered in Jerusalem, while noting that some recognized predictions of suffering. Its Christian interpretation of Daniel brings these themes together: Daniel 7:13–14 describes an everlasting kingdom, while Daniel 9:25–26 speaks of an Anointed One who would be put to death. Expectations of royal rule did not mean everyone understood the Messiah's mission in the same way. [2]
Christians believe Jesus fulfills this messianic hope. Matthew's genealogy traces his ancestry to David (Matthew 1:1–17), giving a concrete expression to the royal connection. In that Christian understanding, identifying Jesus as Messiah connects him with the promised king and with the scriptural expectation that God's chosen one would suffer. [2]
Peter made that identification personally. Luke records Jesus asking his disciples who they believed he was, and Peter identifying him as God's Messiah (Luke 9:18–20). Matthew records Peter's confession of Jesus as the Messiah and Son of the living God, followed by Jesus' affirmation (Matthew 16:16–17). The question moved from other people's opinions to the disciples' own understanding of Jesus.
Jesus also identified himself directly in conversation with the Samaritan woman. She spoke of the coming Messiah who would explain everything; Jesus answered that he was the one speaking to her (John 4:25–26). Here the expectation concerns the Messiah's teaching, giving another dimension to the title alongside its royal associations.
For Christians, the Messiah's mission includes Jesus' giving his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). GotQuestions interprets his suffering and death as the sacrifice for sin preceding the establishment of his kingdom, a dimension many who expected an earthly king did not understand. This belief makes suffering part of his messianic work. [2]
Christians believe God vindicated Jesus through his bodily resurrection. In our interpretation, his resurrection and ascension to the Father inaugurated a spiritual reign. Calling him Messiah therefore expresses faith in the crucified and risen Jesus as the one exercising that reign.
