Jesus the Messiah: The Christ Who Gives Living Water and Eternal Life
“Jesus Christ” is often spoken as though “Christ” were simply part of Jesus’ personal name. Yet the word carries a far greater claim. Christ is a title declaring that Jesus is the promised Messiah—the anointed King and Deliverer sent by God.
This truth stands at the heart of the Christian faith. Jesus did not merely offer helpful teaching, model compassion, or speak prophetically. He came as the One promised throughout Scripture: the Son of David, the Saviour, the Lord, and the giver of eternal life. His identity as Messiah cannot be separated from His saving work. To confess Jesus as the Christ is to recognize who He is, why He came, and why every person is called to believe in Him.
“Christ” Means God’s Anointed One
The words Messiah and Christ express the same basic truth. Messiah comes from Hebrew, while Christ comes from Greek. Both identify the one anointed and appointed by God for a unique mission.
Andrew made this connection when he found Simon Peter:
"He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ." — John 1:41
Christ, therefore, is not Jesus’ surname. It is a declaration about His identity and office. The Gospel of Matthew makes this distinction clear:
"And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ." — Matthew 1:16
Jesus is His personal name; Christ identifies Him as the promised and anointed One. This title gathers together the biblical hopes of a righteous King, a suffering Deliverer, a Spirit-anointed Servant, and an everlasting Saviour.
When Peter confessed Jesus, he did not merely identify Him as another religious teacher:
"And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." — Matthew 16:16
This confession reaches beyond admiration. Jesus is not simply a messenger from God. He is the Christ, the unique Son of the living God.
The Messiah Promised and Revealed
The Messiah did not appear without preparation. God’s promises had taught His people to expect a royal Deliverer whose kingdom would endure forever.
Isaiah announced that this coming ruler would be both truly human and far greater than any ordinary king:
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of
his government and peace
there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this." — Isaiah 9:6-7
The promised child would reign on David’s throne, establish justice, and possess an everlasting kingdom. The hope of Messiahship was therefore not merely the hope of temporary political improvement. It pointed toward God’s decisive act of salvation and rule.
Daniel also spoke of “Messiah the Prince” and foretold that the Messiah would be “cut off”:
"Know therefore and understand,
that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince
shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof
shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined." — Daniel 9:25-26
The Messiah would be a Prince, yet He would also suffer. His mission would involve rejection and sacrifice rather than earthly triumph alone.
At Jesus’ birth, the angel announced that the promised One had arrived:
"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." — Luke 2:11
He is Saviour, Christ, and Lord. These titles belong together. The Messiah came not only to govern but also to save.
The Anointed Messiah and His Saving Mission
Jesus publicly identified His ministry with the work of God’s anointed Servant. In the synagogue, He read of the One upon whom the Spirit of the Lord rested:
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
And he closed the book, and he gave
it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
And he began to say unto them,
This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears." — Luke 4:18-21
Jesus was not claiming to be merely one prophet among many. He declared that the messianic promise was being fulfilled in Him. His preaching, compassion, healing, deliverance, death, and resurrection all belong to His mission as the Christ.
The apostles proclaimed the same truth after His resurrection:
"Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ." — Acts 2:36
His Messiahship cannot be separated from the cross. The One crucified is the Lord and Christ. Nor can it be separated from His resurrection and exaltation. The rejected Messiah conquered death and now reigns.
John explains why his Gospel records the words and works of Jesus:
"But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name." — John 20:31
Believing that Jesus is the Christ is not an optional theological detail. It is essential to rightly knowing Him, and life is found through His name.
The Messiah Gives Living Water and Eternal Life
Jesus’ saving work addresses the deepest need of the human heart. Sin leaves humanity spiritually thirsty, hungry, guilty, and subject to death. As Messiah, Jesus does not merely describe the solution; He gives Himself as the answer.
At the feast, Jesus openly invited the thirsty to come to Him:
"In the last day, that great
day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying,
If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet
given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)" — John 7:37-39
The living water is connected with the Holy Ghost, given to those who believe. Jesus supplies what external religion, human effort, and earthly satisfaction can never provide: spiritual life from God.
He also described Himself as the bread of life:
"And Jesus said unto them,
I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.
All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day." — John 6:35-40
The Messiah receives those who come to Him, preserves them, gives them everlasting life, and promises to raise them at the last day. His saving mission reaches beyond present comfort to final resurrection.
Knowing About the Messiah Is Not the Same as Knowing Him
Several misunderstandings can obscure the glory of Jesus’ Messiahship.
First, “Christ” must not be treated as merely Jesus’ last name. It declares that He is God’s promised Anointed One.
Second, Messiahship must not be reduced to a generic prophetic role. Prophets delivered God’s message, but Jesus is the Son of God, the saving King, and the fulfillment of the messianic promises.
Third, Jesus’ identity must not be separated from His saving work. He saves precisely as the Christ who was sent, crucified, raised, and exalted. A “Messiah” who does not deliver from sin and death is not the Messiah revealed in Scripture.
Finally, religious knowledge is not the same as personally knowing Christ. The Samaritan woman knew that the Messiah was expected, but she still needed to recognize the One speaking to her:
"The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
Jesus saith unto her,
I that speak unto thee am
he." — John 4:25-26
Knowledge about prophecy had brought her near the truth, but Jesus brought the truth directly before her. The proper response was not mere curiosity but faith.
Martha expressed that personal confession in the presence of death:
"Jesus said unto her,
I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world." — John 11:25-27
Key Takeaways
- Christ is a title meaning the Messiah, God’s promised and anointed One.
- Jesus is not merely a prophet or moral teacher; He is the Christ and the Son of the living God.
- The Old Testament anticipated a royal Messiah who would reign, suffer, and bring salvation.
- Jesus’ identity as Messiah cannot be separated from His death, resurrection, and saving work.
- He gives the Holy Ghost, living water, everlasting life, and the hope of resurrection to those who believe.
- Knowing facts about Jesus is not enough; Scripture calls each person to come to Him in faith.
The practical question is the one Jesus placed before Martha: “Believest thou this?” Bring spiritual thirst, guilt, fear, and need directly to Jesus. Trust Him not merely as an inspiring figure but as the Christ, the Son of God, the crucified and risen Saviour. Whoever comes to Him will not be cast out. The long-promised Messiah has come, and eternal life is found in His name.