Verse 16
Jesus, who is called Christ - As the word Χριστος Christ, signifies the anointed or anointer, from χριω , to anoint, it answers exactly to the Hebrew משיח mashiach , which we pronounce Messiah or Messias; this word comes from the root משח mashac , signifying the same thing. As the same person is intended by both the Hebrew and Greek appellation, it should be regularly translated The Messiah, or The Christ; whichever is preferred, the demonstrative article should never be omitted.
Priests, prophets, and kings, among the Jews, were anointed in order to the legitimate exercise of their respective offices. Hence the word Χριστος Christ, or משיח Mashiach , became a name of dignity, and often signified the same as king. See Isaiah 45:1 ; Psalm 105:15 ; Leviticus 4:3 ; Leviticus 6:20 ; 1 Samuel 2:10 . The words משיח Mashiach and מלך melec , Χριστος and βασιλευς , Christ and king, are frequently interchanged. 1 Samuel 2:10 ; Psalm 2:2 , Psalm 2:6 ; Luke 23:2 ; and see the Scholia of Rosenmuller on this place. The reason of this may be seen in the following note, which I extract from the comment on Exodus 29:7 .
"It appears from Isaiah 61:1 , that anointing with oil, in consecrating a person to any important office, whether civil or religious, was considered as an emblem of the communication of the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit. This ceremony was used on three occasions, viz. the installation of prophets, priests, and kings, into their respective offices. But why should such an anointing be deemed necessary? Because the common sense of men taught them that all good, whether spiritual or secular, must come from God, its origin and cause. Hence it was taken for granted,
- That no man could foretell events, unless inspired by the Spirit of God. And therefore the prophet was anointed, to signify the communication of the Spirit of wisdom and knowledge.
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