We live life in troubled times with troubled hearts. Who or what do we believe? The Greek word πιστεύω (pisteuo) is translated believe. It is not just an intellectual exercise. It is an entrusting of one’s self to a person or a cause. The gospel of John uses pisteuo 98 times! “These are written so that you may believe Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and by believing you may have life in His name." This fall may "your heart not be troubled. Believe!” πιστεύω #John #2025
What is a name you trust and why?
Lord we live life in troubled times with troubled hearts. Who or what do we believe? You tell us clearly what to believe. You tell us, “These are written so that you may believe Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and by believing you may have life in His name." As we study the book of John, open our hearts and minds to believe. May we encourage one another to truly believe entrusting our lives to you and your will being done. May we strive to lead people to believe in you “the way, the truth, and the life.” Amen
The greek for The LORD Jesus Christ would be kyrios iēsous christos. Those who would have heard these words used in the early church culture would have understood that people were saying that The LORD, Jesus, Christ was Yahweh, who is Yahweh who saves, who is the Messiah. As Jesus was alive, they would have known what Jesus’ name meant by Hebrew defintion, Yahweh saves. However, he would not have been seen by the broader public and culture as The LORD or Christ until after his death, resurrection, and ascension.
DEEPER DIVE
The term "Lord" in the New Testament derives from the Greek word kyrios, which was used in the Septuagint (a Greek translation of the Old Testament) to translate the Hebrew Tetragrammaton (YHWH) and the Hebrew word Adonai ("my Lord"). This practice was inherited by early Jewish Christians and became common in Gentile Christian circles, leading to the use of kyrios in the New Testament, a term that carries connotations of master, sovereign, and supreme authority. English translations later rendered kyrios as "LORD”.
The Hebrew name Yeshua (יֵשׁוּעַ) was modernized to "Jesus". Yeshua (יֵשׁוּעַ) was the common and shortened form of the name Yehoshua (יְהוֹשֻׁעַ), which translates to "Joshua". Both names are derived from the Hebrew verb yasha (יָשַׁע), meaning "to save, rescue, or deliver," with Yeshua meaning "the LORD saves" or "The LORD is salvation". The name traveled from Hebrew to Aramaic, then to Greek (Iēsous), and finally to Latin (Iesus) and English (Jesus).
The name "Christ" comes from the Greek word Christos (Χριστός), which means "anointed one" and is a translation of the Hebrew word Messiah (Mashiach). The title refers to someone chosen and empowered by God for a special spiritual task. Over time, "Jesus Christ" became the common name for Jesus among his followers, with "Christ" evolving from a title into a proper name.