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Questions about: Apologetics and Theology
Kenneth: (04/01/08) Hi Jack: I've noticed in my e-mailing from Urbana.org within stories his Name is JC, not as declared by Grabel the angelic messenger to Mary declared "you will call him "Jesus" he will be known as the Christ. I'm aware that some of the apostle's used JC together. Why are we not more careful useing his name correctly? Kenneth

Jack: Interesting question, Kenneth. In Matthew 1:20, the writer notes that "an angel of the Lord" (whom Luke identifies as Gabriel) tells Mary that she is to have a son and to name him "Jesus." However, in Matthew 1:16, when the author gives the genealogy of Jesus, he says of Mary, "of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ." Then, in v. 18, the author goes on to say, "This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about."

Technically speaking, the actual name of the Son of God is "Jesus," meaning "Savior" (the same name, incidentally as "Joshua," in the Old Testament). "Christ," is a title, meaning "the anointed one," or - in Jewish culture - "Messiah." Thus, in Matthew 1:16, the author is saying, "of whom was born Jesus, who is called the Messiah." Here we have two emphases: Jesus - meaning Savior - speaks of His being the suffering servant, coming to die to save us. Christ - meaning Messiah / anointed one - speaks of him as the reigning king.

Kenneth, I don't think it is a matter of being "more careful." When you see how the name and title of Jesus is used throughout the New Testament you will find that the writers call him, Jesus, Christ Jesus, Jesus Christ, and the Lord Jesus Christ. In the Epistles, it seems that the writers actually came to prefer to refer to Jesus as "Christ." For some people today, the name "Jesus," seems to make Him more human, more real to us, feeling that "Christ," somehow seems to make him more distant.

But the New Testament writers used all these terms to refer to the same Person, the Son of God.

I hope this helps!

Jack

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