What Does “Messiah” Mean in the Bible?
Title
A Hebrew word that means “anointed”: the one consecrated by God for a mission. In the time of Jesus, the Jewish people were waiting for the promised Messiah, a king from the family of David. The Church professes that he is Jesus.
A detail
- In Greek: the word is “Christ.” The two words mean the same thing.
Where it appears in the Bible
John 1:41; Matthew 16:16
What the Bible says
John 1:41
He findeth first his brother Simon, and saith to him: We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
Matthew 16:16
Simon Peter answered and said: Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God.
Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner revision), public domain.
Source: John 1:41 and its NABRE note; Catechism 436; RAE, “mesías”