December, 1937
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
470
“My Christ, He is the Heaven of Heavens; My Christ, what shall I call? My Christ is first, my Christ is last; My Christ is all in all.” It will be remembered that Peter received a divine revelation of Jesus as the Christ: “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16). This blessed name is associated also with the believer, for he is known as a “Christian,” that is, “Christ-ian,” an anointed one. May the Holy Spirit make us, as Christ’s, more Christlike. Lord “A Saviour, J lS THE titles given to the Saviour r i in the two birth-narratives express the wonder of the Child who was born that He might die for our salvation, let us gather these titles together. Let us reverently consider these names, that at this season our hearts may magnify the Christ who made Christmas possible. Of course, it will be conceded that, al though we may be able to explain the sig nificance of the names given to Mary’s Holy Child, the mind of man could never pos sibly unfold the overwhelming mystery of the incarnation. Our Lord’s names, how ever, are like the ointment of the Taber nacle, compounded of several spices. Here they are for our adoring hearts to meditate upon: Jesus "Thou shall call his name J esus ” (M att. 1:16, 21, 25). This name, being the first to be used in the New Testament, likewise ends the same (Matt. 1:1; Rev. 22:21). The benediction, closing the Book of Revelation, contains our Lord’s triad of outstanding designations. “Jesus,” a common Jewish name at the time of Christ’s birth, stands out as the title of His humanity and humiliation. It means “Jehovah, the Saviour,” and it is therefore His human name connecting Him with the work of salvation. This fact is made clear in the message of the angel of the Lord to Joseph: “Thou shalt call his name J esus : for he shall save his people from their sins.” It will be noted that He has power to save “his people” from “their sins.” Thus He is the Saviour of saints as well as of sinners. His people have a good many sins to be saved from, and it is encouraging to know that He is “the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe” (1 Tim. +:10). Yes, and no other name has en deared Him to our hearts, and is enshrined in so many Christ-honoring hymns, as this one by which Mary called her Child. Christ “Jesus, ‘who is called Christ” (Matt. 1:16; 27:22, R. V.). From "Christos,” meaning “Anointed,” we have in this designation our Lord’s offi cial name, and one connecting Him with the Old Testament dispensation, seeing that He came as the Fulfiller of prophecy. As an Old Testament term, the name before us was applied to those anointed with holy oil. At His baptism, Jesus was anointed for His threefold office and officially became the Christ. Later on, the apostles used “Christ” as the name of a changed position, seeing that He had been raised from the dead and ex alted in glory. Yes, “Christ is a Prophet, Priest, and King; A Prophet full of light, A Priest that stands ’twixt God and man, A King that rules with might.
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