Correct use of Jesus and Christ

[Ag_not]

Hi

Looking around this seems like the best place to ask this question. Apologies if it’s not.

What is the correct way to use the names Jesus and Christ. Are they interchangable, or should they be used in specific contexts?

As an aside - why does my head automatically bow when I say the name Jesus It’s like I have no control over it or something. It’s not learned behaviour - it just happens. Odd. It doesn’t happen when I read or say the name Christ.

thanks

Bruxilda.

 

[NotWorthy]

Jesus was His Name.
The Christ was His Title. Christ is the Greek rendering of “Messiah”.
So the correct rendering would be “Jesus, the Christ”.

But you are right. You should bow your head at the name of Jesus. St. Paul is where we got that custom. Incidentally, I think it’s also appropriate to bow your head when “the Blessed Virgin Mary” is used.

 

[Ag_not]

Jesus was His Name.
The Christ was His Title. Christ is the Greek rendering of “Messiah”.
So the correct rendering would be “Jesus, the Christ”.

But you are right. You should bow your head at the name of Jesus. St. Paul is where we got that custom. Incidentally, I think it’s also appropriate to bow your head when “the Blessed Virgin Mary” is used.

Thank you so much for the quick reply. Im having a Durhhh moment. In everything Ive read Ive not picked that up. Doh !!! Lots of the literature I read said ‘‘Christ … this/that …’’ or Jesus … this/that …’’

I should have picked it up - thanks again. So, in conversation, the correct reverential referal is Jesus, the Christ. Yes?

 

[COPLAND_3]

I should have picked it up - thanks again. So, in conversation, the correct reverential referal is Jesus, the Christ. Yes?

Either way is just fine. An interesting note, in my studies of the ancient Bible manuscripts I find that there are many variant readings that will use one or the other. It is a minor variant, and basically they are interchangable in a sense, because Jesus is the Christ-Messiah, and there is only One Christ, that is Jesus.

 

[NotWorthy]

Thank you so much for the quick reply. Im having a Durhhh moment. In everything Ive read Ive not picked that up. Doh !!! Lots of the literature I read said ‘‘Christ … this/that …’’ or Jesus … this/that …’’

I should have picked it up - thanks again. So, in conversation, the correct reverential referal is Jesus, the Christ. Yes?

Although the title “Jesus, the Christ” is more accurate, I think “Jesus Christ” is the normative title.

 

[COPLAND_3]

Although the title “Jesus, the Christ” is more accurate, I think “Jesus Christ” is the normative title.

Yea, sometimes those who are looking into the Christian faith will think that Christ is His last name, and also assume that Mary and Joseph’s last name was Christ. Jesus the Christ would be a lot more precise.

 

[Ag_not]

Thanks again for clearing this up so quickly. I just wasn’t sure if I should be using Jesus, in some contexts, and Christ in other contexts. I couldnt discern from the different stuff Ive read if that was the case, as there didn’t seem so be any specific times when Jesus was used instead of Christ, and vise versa. I’m clear now. Thanks.

 

[Todd_Easton]

Not meaning to complicate things unnecessarily, the name “Christ Jesus” appears nearly as often in the Bible as the name “Jesus Christ.”

If I have counted correctly, here are the number of times the names, Jesus, Christ, Jesus Christ, and Christ Jesus appear in the New Testament:
Jesus, by itself (672)
Christ, by itself (237)
Jesus Christ (136)
Christ Jesus (83)

Note: The number for Christ, by itself, does not include those instances were the phrase “the Christ” appears.