“Ask most people what Christ means, and they’ll probably tell you it’s Jesus’ last name. As if Jesus had been born to Mary and Joseph Christ in Bethlehem and eventually started the religion that bears his family name. But Christ isn’t a last name; it’s a Greek title that means ‘Anointed One,’ or ‘Messiah’ in Hebrew. Somewhere between the first century and today, we’ve forgotten what that title actually means.”- Kyle Idleman
In his Introduction (“Where is the Messiah?”) to The Missing Messiah: The Jesus We Can No Longer Ignore, coauthors Kyle Idleman and Mark E. Moore argue that to reduce Jesus to a brand borders on blasphemy. Because, when the first followers of Jesus called him Christ or Messiah, they were:
- making an explosive political, theological, and revolutionary statement.
- saying this carpenter from Nazareth was the promised King Israel had been waiting for.
- waiting for the one who would establish God’s Kingdom, challenge every earthly power, and who deserves our allegiance.
Most significantly, Kyle notes, in the first century, calling Jesus ‘the Christ’ put one in great danger. Therefore, people never made that statement in a casual manner. Hence, one proclaimed Jesus as the rightful King, meaning Caesar wasn’t. That Jesus’ kingdom was ultimate, meaning that Rome wasn’t. Thus, you pledged your allegiance to Jesus above all other authorities.
However, Kyle contends, somewhere between the first century and the twenty-first, we’ve lost that meaning. As a result, we have:
- turned a transformative title into a comfortable logo.
- turned the cross into jewelry or a trendy tattoo.
- domesticated a revolutionary claim into a religious logo.
- in the process, to some degree, lost the Messiah himself (emphasis Kyle’s).
Certainly, we still have Jesus. We talk about Him constantly, sing songs about Him, wear His name on T-shirts and coffee mugs. Built an entire religious- industrial complex around Jesus. Thus, He’s become a safer brand.
Today’s question: How do you witness the true meaning of Jesus’ last name? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “A more convenient Christ?”