WHO IS JESUS?
“Who do people say that I am?”… “And
YOU, who do you say that I AM?” (Mark: 8:27, 29)
It
is a critical, controversial, and influential question. Many people and institutions throughout the
history tried to answer this question. There were and are (still) many different
answers.
What
was the answer of the Apostles when Jesus asked this question on them?... “Some
said you are John the Baptist, others, Elijah, still others, one of the prophets.”
And Peter said to Him in reply, “You are the Messiah!”
If
Jesus will ask this question to you, what will be your answer?
The Meaning of JESUS,
CHRIST, LORD. (Read
Catechism of the Catholic Church nos. 430-
JESUS in Hebrew means “GOD SAVES”. At the annunciation, the
angel Gabriel gave him the name Jesus as his proper name, which expresses
both His identity and His mission.
The mission of Jesus is to save us (men and
women) from our sins and to give us eternal life. The name "Jesus" signifies that the very name of
God is present in the person of his Son, made man for the universal and
definitive redemption from sins. It is the divine name that alone
brings salvation, and henceforth all can invoke his name. “There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must
be saved (Acts 4:12;
cf. 9:14; Jas 2:7}.”
Jesus’ Resurrection glorifies the name of the Savior
God, for from that time on it is the name of Jesus that fully manifests
the supreme power of the “name
which is above every name
(Phil 2:9-10; cf. Jn 12:28).” The evil spirits fear his name; in his
name his disciples perform miracles, for the Father grants all they ask in this
name.
CHRIST (in Greek) or MESSIAH (in Hebrew) means “ANOINTED”.
The concept of “messiah” originated with the
Jewish kings, a figure who would save Israel and restore its former reputation.
Peter was right and wrong when he responded that Jesus is the Christ/Messiah. Right,
because indeed Jesus is the Messiah, the “Anointed One.” He was wrong
because for him, Jesus is a political liberator, the One who will save
them from political slavery (from Romans). But Jesus is a Spiritual Messiah who freed us from slavery of sin and death, and to give us resurrection and
eternal life.
To say that JESUS CHRIST IS THE LORD means to profess that HE IS GOD.
