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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Who do you say that I am	Diego	Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Question: I’m kinda confused as to which is correct or is there any difference in the following verses: On Mark 8:29, Matthew 16:16 and Luke 9:20, when Jesus asks Peter “Who do you say that I am?” the douay Rheims, King James, and other older versions finish that verse, where Peter replies, as “You are the Christ”. However more modern translations, include one from the USCCB render it, as “You are the Messiah”. What I was able to gather in my searching is that Greek Septuagint translates the Hebrew word for anointed one or “messiah” as Kristos, which would then be translated to “Christos” or in English “Christ” . I have heard some say that Jesus is never referred to in scripture as “The Christ” but as “The Messiah”. Are we making too much out of this insistence that Jesus is never referred to as “Christ”? Why would Catholic newer translations change it from “Messiah” to “Christ?” Thanking you in advance. Diego
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), LTh, DD Dear Diego: Sorry for the long delay in answering. The etimology of Christ is: [Middle English Crist, from Old English Crīst, from Latin Chrīstus, from Greek Khrīstos, from khrīstos, anointed, verbal adj. of khrīein, to anoint.] The etimology of Messiah is: [Middle English Messias, Messie, from Old French Messie, from Late Latin Messīās, from Greek, from Aramaic məšiḥā, the anointed one (from məšaḥ, to anoint) or Hebrew māšîaḥ, anointed (from māšaḥ, to anoint).] Both Christ and Messiah refer to the Anointed One, but Messiah refers more to one who is anticipated, the anticipated savior. Christ is the savior who has come. He is the anticipated one. Thus, Jews use the word Messiah, while Christians more often than not use the word Christ. The first century Christians were likely to still use the term Messiah. As to why contemporary translations use Messiah instead of Christ, I have no idea. Except for the Revised Standard 2nd Catholic Edition, I do not use any translation or rendering created after around 1970. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Who do you say that I am

Diego

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Question:

I’m kinda confused as to which is correct or is there any difference in the following verses:
On Mark 8:29, Matthew 16:16 and Luke 9:20, when Jesus asks Peter “Who do you say that I am?” the douay Rheims, King James, and other older versions finish that verse, where Peter replies, as “You are the Christ”. However more modern translations, include one from the USCCB render it, as “You are the Messiah”.

What I was able to gather in my searching is that Greek Septuagint translates the Hebrew word for anointed one or “messiah” as Kristos, which would then be translated to “Christos” or in English “Christ” . I have heard some say that Jesus is never referred to in scripture as “The Christ” but as “The Messiah”. Are we making too much out of this insistence that Jesus is never referred to as “Christ”?

Why would Catholic newer translations change it from “Messiah” to “Christ?”

Thanking you in advance.

Diego

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), LTh, DD

Dear Diego:

Sorry for the long delay in answering.

The etimology of Christ is: [Middle English Crist, from Old English Crīst, from Latin Chrīstus, from Greek Khrīstos, from khrīstos, anointed, verbal adj. of khrīein, to anoint.]

The etimology of Messiah is: [Middle English Messias, Messie, from Old French Messie, from Late Latin Messīās, from Greek, from Aramaic məšiḥā, the anointed one (from məšaḥ, to anoint) or Hebrew māšîaḥ, anointed (from māšaḥ, to anoint).]

Both Christ and Messiah refer to the Anointed One, but Messiah refers more to one who is anticipated, the anticipated savior. Christ is the savior who has come. He is the anticipated one.

Thus, Jews use the word Messiah, while Christians more often than not use the word Christ. The first century Christians were likely to still use the term Messiah.

As to why contemporary translations use Messiah instead of Christ, I have no idea. Except for the Revised Standard 2nd Catholic Edition, I do not use any translation or rendering created after around 1970.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum