Christos – is a noun which in virtually all English versions is transliterated as Christ but it should instead be rendered in its literal meaning of (promised) Anointed King. This is of great importance to realize in that this is a large part of what the gospels were considered to be in the early church. When Jesus spoke, he quite frequently spoke in Kingdom language and how the Kingdom of God was coming. This is what is meant when the scriptures say he was teaching the Gospel/ Good News Royal announcement of God’s Kingdom (for more on this see the word study on Euangelion/ Gospel on this blog). Some have found it odd then that when the Apostles wrote they rarely seem to speak of God’s kingdom in their letters. However, this may be because of not understanding that by transliterating Christou they have taken out a large part of the Kingdom language from the letters. When the early church saw Christou they automatically thought of the promised Jewish Messiah who would be God’s Anointed One. This is inherently Kingdom language as Christou/ Messiah/ God’s Anointed One was a term used throughout Israel’s history for kings but not just any king. It was used as a reference to God’s Anointed King of his people. It was a term used to describe Kings of Israel who had been anointed by God. By proclaiming Jesus as Christou the New Testament writers are saying that the Kingdom Jesus spoke of has come and Jesus is God’s promised Anointed King of that Kingdom.

In light of this one of the greatest travesties in the church today is the misunderstanding and mistranslation of the word Christou in the New Testament. Christou is not the last name of Jesus (as many churches seem to use the tern) but rather it is a title he is given. It meant anointed one and to the disciples when they called him Christ they meant the promised anointed king for when God would restore his kingdom. However, the Jews and disciples (at least before Jesus rose from the dead) thought that the word Christou as a title was meant for God’s promised anointed king who would come and set up a physical kingdom on earth. When Jesus rose from the dead and then sent the Spirit to enlighten the early church it became clear to them. Jesus is the Christ (the promised anointed king) of God’s coming Kingdom which had now come in a spiritual defeat of sin, death, and Satan. In this we can now understand why in the Gospels of the New Testament focus on the Kingdom of God but the letters of the New Testament now focus not just on Jesus but on Jesus the Christ (the promised anointed King) of Gods Kingdom which has now come.

In light of this it can be seen then that the New Testament letters are still filled with Kingdom speech just as the Gospels are but they are focused on the fact that if Jesus is the promised anointed King of God’s spiritual Kingdom that has now come, how then should we live. The simplified answer that is given throughout the letters appear to be we ought to live as members of God’s Kingdom, loyal and committed to Jesus the Anointed King, and empowered by being in him and in dwelt by His Spirit, by producing good spiritual fruit for his kingdom that will one day also come physically upon us! However, this point can be so easily lost just by forgetting that Christou is so much more than a last name for Jesus but is rather his title as the Anointed King of the Kingdom of God.