A lot of people think Jesus was His first name and Christ was His second name. However, it seems to me that these verses support what I have said. Surely those who knew Jesus best would have known what His name was.
John the Baptist? His disciples?
[18] And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am?
[19] They answering said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again.
[20] He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God.
Notice that they call “John” . . . The Baptist. Baptism is what John was known for. It was not part of his name.
What is His name?
[21] And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
His name is Jesus. He is known for saving His people. Hence Christ is what He is known for. Savior or messiah.
Matthew 16
[20] Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.
In the above scripture Jesus the Christ (Jesus being His name and Christ being what He does) told His disciples not to tell anyone that He was Jesus “the Christ “.
Of course people knew that His name was Jesus. What they didn’t know (because it was not part of His name) is that He was the Christ. Jesus didn’t want this fact to be revealed to the masses just yet.
There are many scriptures that refer to the Christ in the New Testament.
Matt.16
[16] And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
[20] Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.
Matt.26
[63] But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.
Mark.8
[29] And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ.
Mark.14
[61] But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?
Luke.3
[15] And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not;
Luke.9
[20] He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God.
Luke.22
[67] Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe:
John.1
[20] And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.
[41] He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
John.3
[28] Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.
John.4
[29] Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?
[42] And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.
John.7
[41] Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee?
John.10
[24] Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.
John.11
[27] She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.
John.20
[31] But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
1John.2
[22] Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
1John.5
[1] Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
If we believe that Jesus is the Christ we are born of God.
Jesus is the Christ. The Christ’s name is Jesus. There are nearly a thousand scriptures in the New Testament that mention Jesus by name.
I think that we go overboard when we become anti- title to a fault. Jesus is identified many times in the Bible by titles. But His name is Jesus.
The Jews were looking for the Messiah (still are in some circles). They didn’t realize Jesus was the messiah (or Christ). Obviously it was not His name.
They speculated that maybe John the Baptist was the messiah or Christ. John had to tell them that he wasn’t. What is telling is that John the Baptist was the cousin of Jesus, yet he had to send from prison to ask the question whether Jesus was the Christ or whether they should look for another. He wasn’t asking His name, he knew His name. He was asking if He was the messiah.
John 1
19] And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?
[20] And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.
The priests and Levites thought maybe John was the Christ. John the Baptist told them that he was not the Christ.
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