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The meaning of Christ

Commentary

We are about half way through the season that follows the Christmas season known as Epiphany. Epiphany means a revealing. We use this season to remember how God has revealed His promised Savior to all people. He is Jesus of Nazareth in Galilee, born in Bethlehem, also called the Christ.

Hearing that term “Christ” it is often thought of as a name, but it is actually a title. Jesus is the Christ. In Hebrew the word is “Messiah.” “Christ” comes from the Greek. The meaning is “the anointed one.” In the Old Testament God set certain men apart as prophets, priests, or kings by their being anointed with oil. In the New Testament Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit at His baptism to be our Prophet, Priest, and King. He perfectly fulfills the work of each of those offices.

As Prophet Jesus proclaims God’s Word to us. As we read from Luke 4:18-19, Jesus says; “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” All that Jesus said and did is the message God gives to us, even as He continues to share it with us through the Bible.

As Priest, Jesus offered the sacrifice that pays for the sins of all people. The writer to the Hebrews declares: “For it is indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for His own sins and then for the those of the people, since He did this once for all when He offered up Himself.” (Hebrews 7:26-27) As Jesus sacrificed Himself on the cross, shedding His own perfect blood for all people’s sins, He now continues to also work as a Priest, interceding between us and God, pleading on our behalf for our forgiveness.

As King, Jesus rules over all creation, especially for the good of His Church. We read in Ephesians 1:20,22-23: “[God] raised Him [Christ Jesus] from the dead and seated Him at His right hand …. And He put all things under His feet and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fulness of Him who fills all in all.”

To learn more about Jesus, The Christ (Prophet, Priest, and King), our Savior, please visit or contact St. Paul Lutheran Church, Fredonia (672-6731), Immanuel Lutheran Church, Gowanda (532-4342), or Trinity Lutheran Church, Silver Creek (934-2002).

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