#CHRISTOLOGY

Daily Devotionals

1 Peter 1:18 knowing that you, were not redeemed with perishable things, like silver or gold from your… The doctrine of the person and work of Jesus Christ; the study of His relationship to God, and His relationship to men. By origin, the word ought to mean the study of the doctrine of the Messiah, for Christ is clearly a translation of this old Jewish title; in New Testament times however, the concept is altered and deepened to include all that Jesus is to the eye of faith. This is not only the faith of His followers, but also the faith of Jesus Himself; a part of any Christology is to consider what Jesus believed and taught about Himself. In later controversial days, Christology became the discussion of the person of Christ, and Soteriology the study of His work; such distinctions are foreign to the New Testament, where the interest is not philosophical but practical, and where Christ’s person is usually defined in relation to His work. Most scholars would agree that Christ still has force as a title and many have felt that when Paul keeps the order Christ Jesus, or when he keeps the definite article He is still very conscious of its adjectival nature. Since the custom of anointing was Hebrew, the meaning of the word would not be immediately apparent to Gentile converts. Perhaps that was why the name was so easily confused with the common slave name and homophone. It is significant that the followers of Jesus were not called Jesuits but Christians; not after His name but His title. The verb is used in the Old Testament of the appointment of the priests, king, and prophets. The secular use reminds one that oil is a sign of gladness in the Old Testament; a suffering anointed one is thus a contradiction in terms. The Lord’s anointed refers to the king; after David’s day, this is always a son of David, so that messiahship involves kingship and Davidic sonship. In certain of the Psalms divine sonship and priesthood are involved.