What does Messiah mean?
The title "Messiah" belongs to one Person, yet the word itself is an ordinary Hebrew term with a plain meaning, and Scripture uses it of others before it settles on Him. Understanding it answers two questions at once: what was promised to Israel, and why the same Person is called "Christ" everywhere else in the New Testament.
The Word and Its Two Languages
"Messiah" is Hebrew; "Christ" is the Greek for the same thing. Both are official titles rather than personal names, and both were already in use for other men before they were used of Jesus.
Morrish Bible DictionaryAn official title of the Lord Jesus, which became used as a name. In John 1:41 and John 4:25 this title is linked with the Messiah of the Old Testament… The Hebrew word is mashiach and means 'anointed.'… The same word is used of the high priest and the king as God's anointed; but the Lord Jesus is emphatically 'the Anointed'… It refers to the Lord as Man, being anointed with the Holy Spirit.
The actual word appears far less often than people assume, and the places it does appear are worth knowing.
A. J. PollockThe actual word, Messiah, occurs only twice in the Old Testament (Dan. 9:25-26), and only twice in the New Testament (John 1:41; 4:25). In the Old Testament there were three classes of persons anointed when they entered office—priests, prophets, kings.
The Anointing Itself
In Israel a man was set apart for his work by having oil poured on him. That picture points to a moment in the life of Jesus when the Spirit came down on Him publicly.
A. J. PollockAnointed with oil pictures the day when our Lord was baptised and stepped into public service for God and man. "And behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on Him" (Matt. 3:16). The Hebrew word Messiah and its Greek equivalent Christ mean the Anointed One. "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power… He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him" (Acts 10:38).
Three Offices in One Person
Anointing marked out prophets, priests and kings. Writers point out that Jesus does not hold one of those places but all three.
A. J. PollockThe Lord was THE Anointed, to carry out the will of God… THE Prophet; THE Priest; THE King… All that the world will ever know of blessing flows from THE Anointed One.
Each office does something the other two cannot, so all three are needed before the promised blessing arrives.
Numerical Bible NotesProphet and priest and king make up One — the "Anointed"… None of these can do without the others. Prophet and priest have come, but not yet the full deliverance… The Prophet must reveal, and bring in God as Light where all has been darkness… The Priest must open the way to God, so that they may actually be able to draw near to Him. After all this, nothing remains but that power in the hand of the King should step in.
Messiah Cut Off
Daniel's prophecy foretold that this Anointed One would be killed. The exact wording matters, and commentators note that the older English rendering ("but not for himself") is not what the Hebrew says.
The Bible TreasuryIt should not be "but not for himself," but "and shall have nothing."… The only legitimate sense is "He shall be cut off and shall have nothing." With His cutting off went the loss of His Messianic rights, His glory as king set on the holy hill of Zion. All that was His in connection with the Jewish people and Jerusalem passed away entirely for the time.
What Rejection Uncovered
Strip the title away, and the Person behind it is still there. The refusal of His earthly claim opened up something larger.
William KellyThe throne of Israel may be refused Him; the Jews may reject Him, the leaders despise Him… but what is the result? Not merely what was promised to David or Solomon, but "All things are delivered unto Me of My Father."… They strip Him of His robes of Messianic glory, and what comes out? He is the Son of the Father, the Son of God from all eternity… Refuse Him in His earthly dignity, and He only shines in His heavenly one.
Still Expected — Two Ways
Both Jews and Samaritans were waiting for this Person, and one group is still waiting. The difference between the two hopes is a matter of knowledge, not of the Person hoped for.
C. E. StuartThe Jews expected that the Christ should come, and the Samaritans shared that hope with them (John 4:25). They still expect Messiah to come. Christians, however, could say, and can still say, that they expect the Christ to return. It is the same Person that both speak of. But how far back in understanding the Jew is! He looks for Messiah as though He had never been here. We look for the Christ to return — who lived here, walked here, worked here, and died here.
Summary
- Anointed. Messiah is Hebrew, Christ is Greek, and both simply mean "the Anointed" — a title of office that became used as a name.
- Anointed with what. Kings and priests were anointed with oil; He was anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power, publicly, at His baptism.
- Anointed for three works. Prophet, priest and king were each anointed; He alone holds all three, and every blessing the world will know flows from Him.
- Anointed and cut off. Daniel foretold that Messiah would be killed and "have nothing" — losing, for a time, the kingdom and glory that were His in Israel.
- Anointed and still coming. Rejected as Messiah, He shone out as the Son; and the One Israel still awaits is the One Christians expect to return.