A Refutation Of A Claim That Christ And Messiah Are Not The Same Title

 


A short article written by someone under a username called rebdobr called Christ VS Messiah claims that Christ and Messiah are not the same titles but that they are different and even claims that the prophet Isaiah called king Cyrus, who had not even been born in the days of his foretold coming, a Messiah, [1] and granted that in the English translations of scripture Cyrus is not called a Messiah, but simply an “anointed” one, according to Strong’s Concordance, the Hebrew word for “anointed” and “Messiah” which is “Mashiyach” is the same and used for both terminologies [2] but the English translators do not use the word Messiah until the book of Daniel (Dan. 9:25-26) and why the translators decided to only translate the word “Mashiyach” differently here rather than just keeping it the same is unclear.  Perhaps it is because they recognized that the anointed one of whom Daniel foretold was someone very distinct from king Cyrus who was already ruling at that time and who was still yet to come and therefore “Messiah” was then used in reference to someone very specific and also so as to not bring confusion to the reader as “Messiah” was to refer specifically to Jesus Christ.
 
But rebdobr argues that the title of Messiah could not apply to Jesus as He did not come as a warlord or a king, but according to the Gospel of John, Messiah is interpreted as Christ. (Jn. 1:42)
 
Even Jesus Himself claimed the title of Messiah (Jn. 4:25) thus making it clear and in no uncertain terms that Christ and Messiah are not different titles but that Christ does in fact mean Messiah and specifically to Jesus and not to any other before or after Him and unlike the Hebrew in which the word “Mashiyach” is used for both “Messiah” and “anointed”, the Greek words for Messiah and “anointed” are different from one another. [3]
 
Granted that the Jews were expecting Jesus to deliver them from the Roman Empire who was occupying and ruling over them at the time but that was not what Jesus had come to do.  He came to deliver the Jewish people, and the world for that matter from much more than just an imperial occupation.  He came to deliver both Jew and Gentile from something to which they had been made subject almost since the beginning of creation and to which men had been subject even before the Jews had been made a distinct and separate people from the Gentiles and what He came to deliver both from and continues to offer deliverance to both to this day is deliverance from an inward corruption with which we are all born that the Bible calls sin and what sin is, is anything that is contrary to and goes against anything that God created us to be, but it is not merely defined by outward actions or even ill-spoken words, but it is a condition of our inward person which influences not just what we say or do, but produces within the thoughts and motives which in turn produce the actions performed and the things said in the first place and it is the very thing that separates us and estranges us from the God who made us and any who die in their sin are cut off for eternity from their Maker which means that they are cut off from His love, His mercy, His kindness, and compassion.
 
Regardless of whether you are a Christian or non-Christian, and no matter what kind of a background you may have, if you have within yourself the ability to love, to demonstrate mercy, and to show kindness and compassion to your fellowman, even if by only a small measure, that is because God created you to love other as He has created us all to love one another, but it is sin within us that causes us to hate one another and to have no regard for one another and even destroy one another, and it is due to our sin that our ability to love, even those whom we hold most dear, falls short in one way or another and we do not love everyone even half as much as we should be able to, and it is sin within us and the influence of a sinful world-system that darkens our understanding of what love is to be, even to the point that we don’t even know what love is even when we do perform acts of love and demonstrate attributes of love, but those who are separated from God for all eternity do not have in them the ability to love because they have been completely severed from the source of love which God and when they are severed from the source of love, they are cut off from its presence and at that moment cannot feel or experience anything more than pure hate; being tormented by hate and tormenting others with hate in a place called Hell which offers nothing more than an eternity of unimaginable unrelenting torment for those who die without being cleansed from their sins but that is not a place where God ever intended for anyone to go, but He intended for all of mankind to dwell in His presence when He created this universe for when He created this universe, it was filled with nothing but love, life, peace, and happiness, and a perfect harmony between God, man, and nature, and in which existed a perfect and unhindered fellowship between God and man and when man was given dominion over the earth there was nothing withheld from him except one thing: a fruit from a certain tree called the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, having been warned that in the day that they ate thereof, they would surely die. (Gen. 2:16-17, 3:3)
 
But then another power entered into the newly formed world and one that was bent on ruining and destroying that which God had created and this power was once an angel, more specifically a covering cherub, who had served at the throne of God until he had become lifted up in his pride and thought to make himself equal with God and take for himself that which belonged to God alone, and as a consequence, he and all who followed him, were cast from their positions in Heaven. (Is. 14:11-21, Ezek. 28:12-19)
 
That angel and covering cherub who thought to make himself equal to God was angel named Lucifer who is now better known as Satan or the Devil and after having been cast out of Heaven, then entered into that newly formed creation in the form of a serpent and led the first man Adam, and his wife Eve who was the first woman, to eat of that forbidden fruit by falsely assuring them that in the day that they ate the fruit, they would become divine and be given divine wisdom (Gen. 3:4-5) and after they had eaten of that forbidden fruit, instead of becoming more wise and gaining more knowledge, the only thing they had received was the shame of their nakedness (v. 7) and instead of becoming divine, they were reduced to a status inferior to the one in which they were created, and the sentence of death was pronounced upon them as they had been warned (Gen. 3:19) but the consequences of their transgression did not stop with them because the sin that entered into Adam and Eve was then passed down to all of mankind because it is from Adam and Eve from whom all of mankind descend (Rom. 5:12) but the sin that entered into man and into which he is born is not merely bad actions or ill-spoken words, but it is a corruption that resides within all of us; (Mt. 15:11, 17-20) a corruption of human nature itself that produces within us and causes us to do by nature that which is contrary to how God intended for us to be with death being the result for all of us because it is sin that brings forth death (Rom. 6:23) and since all people sin in some form or fashion, all die and because of that fateful transgression committed by Adam and Eve, we are all subject to both a sinful corrupt nature which in turns brings death to us but not only we ourselves but because of sin, all of creation itself is subject to pain and turmoil to this present day (Rom. 8:19-22) which is why the world as we know it is subject to the suffering, pain, turmoil, evil, violence, and destruction that we witness and experience today; all because Adam and Eve were led to believe that they were going to receive even greater things if they ate of that forbidden fruit but instead of receiving better than what they had, they were subjugated to a slavery that they had never anticipated; a slavery to sin and death and not only they themselves but all of mankind as well because we are all born into sin and we are all subject to death and furthermore, the disobedience of Adam and Eve caused the dominion once given to man (Gen. 1:26) to be diminished and gave Satan justification to claim lordship over the kingdoms and nations of the world (Mt. 4:8-9, Lk. 4:6-7) which is why he is called the prince of this world (Jn. 12:31, 16:11) and he attained lordship over the kingdoms and nations of the world by a lie and the lie he told Adam and Eve was that they would not die but that if they ate of the fruit forbidden to them, that they would become as gods knowing good from evil and it is this very lie that earned Satan the title of being the father of lies (Jn. 8:44) for it is that very lie that is the first recorded lie ever known to man and it is by this lie that Satan caused man to commit the very transgression that caused sin to enter into him and inwardly corrupt him which then brought upon him the sentence of death, thereby making Satan a murderer (v. 44) and which also brought a curse upon all of creation that has subjugated it to every kind of evil and suffering that there ever has been and ever could be, which is why he is called a destroyer (Jn. 10:10) and by which he stole the dominion from mankind thus making him a thief (Jn. 10:10) and a thief that comes to steal kill and destroy (v. 10) to this very day, but Satan is not just a murderer of our bodies and a destroyer of creation itself, but he is also a destroyer of souls because worst of all, the transgression that Satan caused Adam and Eve to commit has caused everyone to be born estranged from their Creator because of the sin that entered into them and then was inherited by all of us.
 
And so, because of the transgression committed by Adam, we are in need of deliverance from the sin that we have inherited from him, from the eternal torment that awaits those who die in their sins, and from death which is powered by sin, and creation itself is in need of deliverance from the curse that has come upon it because of sin, and from the lordship of Satan who diminished the dominion of man over the earth through Adam’s disobedience and that is why we are in need of a Messiah who is not just any deliverer, but one who has the power to restore us spiritually, physically, and who is able to make all things new and as they were once meant to be and it is because the Lord God who made us is not willing that any of us should perish that He sent such a Messiah Jesus our Lord and Savior in whom there is no sin (2 Cor. 5:21, Heb. 4:15) who came into this world to take away the sins of the world and being without sin, He was able to be that perfect sacrifice (Heb. 7:26-27) needed to take away the sins of the world which He did by the shedding of His blood upon the cross on which He was crucified and after having purchased our redemption by His death, was raised from the dead so that we, by our faith in Him would be justified in Him (Rom. 4:25) so that anyone calling upon His name for the forgiveness of sins may be saved from what would otherwise be an everlasting unrelenting torment in the fires and darkness of Hell (Rom. 10:13) and with the removal of our sins comes reconciliation to our Creator (2 Cor. 5:18) who then comes to make His dwelling inside of us by way of His Holy Spirit which then instills in us a new nature (2 Cor. 5:17) that makes us to no longer desire to follow after selfish and worldly pursuits but after those things that pertain to the Kingdom of Heaven,
to no longer take pleasure in those things that are evil and displeasing in the sight of the Lord, but in that which is good, right, and pleasing in His sight,
to no longer desire to walk in the lies of this present world, but only in the truth that comes from Christ Almighty, (Jn. 14:6) no longer placing our hopes in the things of this present world, but looking forward to that new and better world to come, (Rev. 21-22)
to no longer rely on worldly resources, men, or even our own power, abilities, skills, and wisdom for our needs and provision but upon God who is able to meet all of our needs, (Mt. 6:33) recognizing that the resources of this world and even the people He brings into our lives are but instruments and vessels through which God meets our needs and that the skills, power, knowledge, and wisdom by which we might acquire our provision are provided and instilled in us by God,
to no longer fear what men can do to us, but rather fearing the God before whom we will have to one day give an account for how we lived our lives, (Mt. 10:28)
to no longer look to corruptible institutions within our society for direction and order in our lives but to God who, by His written Word has given us laws and precepts to be applied to our lives and which serve to produce and maintain an ordered life, and who, by His Holy Spirit which comes to dwell within us upon repentance, establishes in our lives a course and direction in our lives to pursue for His glory,
to no longer seek our own glory but the glory of God,
to no longer rally behind corruptible men, but instead behind the incorruptible God in Heaven bearing in mind that those men and women God raises up for our edification are but instruments and servants of His for that respective purpose to which He has called them,
to no longer seek to align ourselves with the things of darkness but only with the things of the light,
to no longer trust in the wisdom of the world but only on the wisdom and knowledge that comes from above, (Jas. 1:5) nor depend on corruptible earthly authorities to swiftly administer justice, but only in the power of God to deliver us from evil.
 
And just as we have been liberated spiritually from sin, so will also be liberated from bodily death when our bodies are changed from forms corruptible and in which corruption dwells into bodies free from corruption and when our bodies are changed into bodies in which there is no sin, we at that moment will also be free from bodily death (1 Cor. 15:51-55, 1 Thess. 4:13-18) and lastly, creation itself will be made free of the curse that came upon it due to sin and Satan’s claimed lordship over the nations and kingdoms of the world will be brought to an end when he is defeated once and for all forever when he and all those who have sided with him receive their final sentenced and are cast into the lake of fire where they will be subject to an everlasting and unrelenting punishment (Rev. 20:10-15) and then creation itself will be made anew and in that new world, there  will be no death, no decay, nor any pain, nor any hardship, no oppression, no misery, no cruelty, no despair, or any grief for all of these things will have passed away with the old corrupted creation, but instead in this new and undefiled creation, there will only be life, light, goodness, happiness, joy, peace, and contentment before the Lord God Almighty. (Rev. 21-22)
 
If you have not done so already and would like to be a part of a better world to come and be assured entry into the Kingdom of God, then I urge you reader to call upon the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins so that you can be sure that you will be granted entry into the Kingdom of Heaven and need not worry about facing eternal damnation.  It is but a sincere prayer of repentance away:
 
 
 
"Lord Jesus I need you.
 
 
I realize that I am a sinner
who has fallen short of the glory of God
and that my goodness falls short
of your standard of Moral perfection.
 
Please forgive me of all of my sins.
Come into my heart and into my life
to be the Savior and Lord of my life.
Make me into the servant and follower
that you want me to be.
In your name Lord Jesus, I pray.
 
 
Amen."
 
 
Know that God is not concerned with the words that you use to call upon Him forgiveness, but with the attitude of your heart and if you have, with all sincerity, have asked Christ to forgive you of your sins, placing your trust in Him only for your salvation and in nothing else, then your sins are forgiven and your place in Heaven is certain.
 
 
 
End notes:
 
 
 
1.  rebdobr, “CHRISTvsMessiah,” Advent Learning Center, December 22, 2024
https://albany1845.wixsite.com/adventlearningcenter/post/christvsmessiah
 
2.  Strong’s Concordance originally written by James Strong; updated and improved upon by Thomas Nelson Publishers, “The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance,” H 4899, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville Tennessee, 1990
 
3. Ibid. G 3323
 
 
 
 
Scripture references:
 
 
 
1.  Daniel 9:25-26
 
2.  John 1:42
 
3.  John 4:25
 
4.  Genesis 2:16-17, 3:3
 
5.  Isaiah 14:11-21, Ezekiel 28:12-19
 
6.  Genesis 3:4-5
 
7.  Genesis 3:7
 
8.  Genesis 3:19
 
9.  Romans 5:12
 
10.  Matthew 15:11, 17-20
 
11.  Romans 6:23
 
12.  Romans 8:19-22
 
13.  Genesis 1:26
 
14.  Matthew 4:8-9, Luke 4:6-7
 
15.  John 12:31, 16:11
 
16.  John 10:10
 
17.  John 8:32
 
18.  Romans 3:23
 
19.  2 Peter 3:9
 
20.  2 Corinthians 5:21
 
21.  Hebrews 4:15
 
22.  Hebrews 7:26-27
 
23.  Romans 4:25
 
24.  Roman 10:13
 
25.  2 Corinthians 5:18
 
26.  2 Corinthians 5:17
 
27.  John 14:6
 
28.  Revelation 21-22
 
29.  Matthew 6:33
 
30.  Matthew 10:28
 
31.  James 1:5
 
32.  2 Corinthians 5:18
 
33.  John 8:32
 
34.  1 Corinthians 15:51-55
 
35.  1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
 
36.  Revelation 20:10-15