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In this article, we shall consider the two words which compose theSacred Name.
The wordJesus is the Latin form of the GreekIesous, which in turn is the transliteration of theHebrewJeshua, orJoshua, or againJehoshua, meaning "Jehovah issalvation." Though the name in one form or another occurs frequently in theOld Testament, it was not borne by aperson of prominence between thetime ofJosue, the son ofNun and Josue, thehigh priest in the days of Zorobabel. It was also the name of the author ofEcclesiaticus, of one ofChrist's ancestors mentioned in thegenealogy, found in the Third Gospel (Luke 3:29), and one of theSt. Paul's companions (Colossians 4:11). During the Hellenizing period,Jason, a purely Greek analogon ofJesus, appears to have been adopted by many (1 Maccabees 8:17;12:16;14:22;2 Maccabees 1:7;2:24;4:7-26;5:5-10;Acts 17:5-9;Romans 16:21). The Greek name is connected with verbiasthai, to heal; it is therefore, not surprising that some of theGreekFathers allied the wordJesus with same root (Eusebius, "Dem. Ev.", IV; cf.Acts 9:34;10:38). Though about thetime ofChrist the nameJesus appears to have been fairly common (Josephus, "Ant.", XV, ix, 2; XVII, xiii, 1; XX, ix, 1; "Bel. Jud.", III, ix, 7; IV, iii, 9; VI, v, 5; "Vit.", 22) it was imposed onour Lord byGod's express order (Luke 1:31;Matthew 1:21), to foreshow that theChild was destined to "save his people from theirsins."Philo ("De Mutt. Nom.", 21) is therefore, right when he explainsIesous as meaningsoteria kyrion;Eusebius (Dem., Ev., IV, ad fin.; P.G., XXII, 333) gives the meaningTheou soterion; whileSt. Cyril of Jerusalem interprets the word as equivalent tosoter (Catechetical Lectures X.13). This last writer, however, appears to agree withClement of Alexandria in considering the wordIesous as of Greek origin (The Pedagogue III.12);St. Chrysostom emphasizes again the Hebrew derivation of the word and its meaningsoter (Homily 2 on Matthew, No. 2), thus agreeing with theexegesis of theangel speaking toSt. Joseph (Matthew 1:21).
The wordChrist,Christos, the Greek equivalent of theHebrewMessias, means "anointed." According to theOld Law,priests (Exodus 29:29;Leviticus 4:3), kings (1 Samuel 10:1;24:7), andprophets (Isaiah 61:1) were supposed to be anointed for their respective offices; now, the Christ, or theMessias, combined this threefold dignity in HisPerson. It is not surprising, therefore, that for centuries theJews had referred to their expectedDeliverer as "the Anointed"; perhaps this designation alludes toIsaias 61:1, andDaniel 9:24-26, or even toPsalms 2:2;19:7;44:8. Thus the termChrist orMessias was a title rather than a proper name: "Non proprium nomen est, sed nuncupatio potestatis et regni", saysLactantius (Divine Institutes IV.7). TheEvangelists recognize the sametruth; exceptingMatthew 1:1,1:18;Mark 1:1;John 1:17;17:3;9:22;Mark 9:40;Luke 2:11;22:2, the wordChrist is always preceded by the article.
Only after theResurrection did the title gradually pass into a proper name, and the expressionJesus Christ orChrist Jesus became only one designation. But at this stage the Greeks and Romans understood little or nothing about the import of the wordanointed; to them it did not convey any sacred conception. Hence they substitutedChrestus, or "excellent", forChristus or "anointed", andChrestians instead of "Christians." There may be an allusion to this practice in1 Peter 2:3;hoti chrestos ho kyrios, which is rendered "that the Lord is sweet."Justin Martyr (First Apology 4),Clement of Alexandria (Stromata II.4.18),Tertullian (To the Nations II), andLactantius (Divine Institutes IV.7), as well asSt. Jerome (In Gal., V, 22), are acquainted with thepagan substitution of Chrestes for Christus, and are careful to explain the new term in a favourable sense. Thepagans made little or no effort to learn anything accurate aboutChrist and theChristians; Suetonius, for instance, ascribes the expulsion of theJews fromRome under Claudius to the constant instigation of sedition by Chrestus, whom he conceives as acting inRome the part of a leader of insurgents.
The use of the wordChrist with the definite article and its gradual development into a proper name show theChristians identified the bearer with the promisedMessias of theJews. He combined in Hisperson the offices ofprophet (John 6:14;Matthew 13:57;Luke 13:33;24:19) of king (Luke 23:2;Acts 17:7;1 Corinthians 15:24;Apocalypse 15:3), and ofpriest (Hebrews 2:17; etc.); he fulfilled all theMessianic predictions in a fuller and a higher sense than had been given them by theteachers of the Synagogue.
APA citation.Maas, A.(1910).Origin of the Name of Jesus Christ. InThe Catholic Encyclopedia.New York: Robert Appleton Company.http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08374x.htm
MLA citation.Maas, Anthony."Origin of the Name of Jesus Christ."The Catholic Encyclopedia.Vol. 8.New York: Robert Appleton Company,1910.<http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08374x.htm>.
Transcription.This article was transcribed for New Advent by Joseph P. Thomas.In Memory of Archbishop Mathew Kavukatt.
Ecclesiastical approbation.Nihil Obstat. October 1, 1910. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor.Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York.
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