We read these three words together—Lord Jesus Christ—82 times in the New Testament and may read over them as quickly as we read over a person’s full name in a newspaper article. When reading the paper, do you sometimes skip over a person’s name, credentials and profession to get to their quote or the story of what they did? Too many may do the same with “Lord Jesus Christ” in the New Testament, thinking that is just His name. But it is not.
His Name—Jesus. At His birth, when “the Word became flesh,” the Son of God was given the name Jesus (Matt. 1:21), which has a Hebrew origin in the name Joshua, and means “Savior.” This was a common name among the Jews in that day, but one, nonetheless, that was fitting for the Son of God, for the angel announced, “He will save His people from their sins.” When we read the name Jesus in our New Testaments, it should remind us of the awfulness of our sin and our desperate need for a Savior!
Who He Is—Christ. “Christ” is not His name, although He is frequently referenced in this way. Jesus asked His disciples, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:15-16). The Christ (Greek word meaning “the anointed one”) is who Jesus of Nazareth proved Himself to be by fulfilling the 332 Old Testament prophecies regarding the Messiah (Hebrew word meaning “the anointed one”). When we read the title Christ in our New Testaments, it should remind us of the foundational truth of the gospel—He is the Christ, the Son of God!
What He Is—Lord. Again, this is not His name, although He is often referred to in this way. “Lord” is an obvious affirmation of His authority. He is the King of His kingdom (Matt. 25:34), the Head of His church (Eph. 1:22-23; 5:23), the Judge of this world (Acts 17:31; John 12:48) and the Lord of all (Acts 10:36). The term “Lord” stresses our relationship to Him as one of obedience, submitting to the One who has all authority (Matt. 28:18; Luke 6:46; Col. 3:17). When we read the designation Lord in our New Testaments, it should remind us of our responsibility to “serve the Lord” (Col. 3:24) and do whatever He says.
Sometimes we read the Bible so quickly that we do not take time to consider each word and the significance of God choosing each word. Each word has meaning.