Jesus

Why Is Jesus Called the Messiah?

'Messiah' (Hebrew Mashiach, Greek Christos) means 'the Anointed One', the promised King and deliverer foretold by the Hebrew prophets. Christians believe Jesus is that Messiah, who came first to suffer and save, and will return to reign. Remarkably, both Judaism and Islam also use the title Messiah of Jesus, though they mean different things by it.

What 'Messiah' means

In the Hebrew Scriptures, God promised an anointed King from David’s line who would bring God’s salvation. ‘Christ’ is simply the Greek form of ‘Messiah.’ So ‘Jesus Christ’ means ‘Jesus the Messiah.’

How Jesus fulfills it

Christians see Jesus fulfilling the messianic hope in an unexpected way: descended from David, born in Bethlehem, but coming first as the suffering servant of Isaiah 53 rather than a conquering king, dying and rising to save, and promising to return to complete the age of peace.

Across the faiths

Strikingly, the Qur’an repeatedly calls Jesus ‘al-Masih’ (the Messiah), and Judaism awaits the Messiah too. The title is shared; what each tradition means by it differs, which makes it one of the most fruitful places to compare them honestly.

Frequently asked questions

What does Messiah mean?

Messiah (Hebrew Mashiach, Greek Christos) means 'the Anointed One', the promised King and deliverer foretold in the Hebrew Scriptures. 'Christ' is the Greek form of the same title.

Why do Christians believe Jesus is the Messiah?

Because they see him fulfilling the messianic prophecies, descended from David, born in Bethlehem, the suffering servant of Isaiah 53, raised from the dead, and destined to return and reign.

Do other religions call Jesus the Messiah?

Yes. The Qur'an calls Jesus 'al-Masih' (the Messiah) about eleven times, and Judaism awaits the Messiah, though each tradition understands the title differently from Christianity.