---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The words Jesus Christ are not a first…"
description: "\"“The words Jesus Christ are not a first and last name; they are actually a name and a title. The name Jesus is derived from the Greek form of the name ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c0/josh-mcdowell-4194_words-jesus_the-words-jesus-christ-are-not-a-first-a_1669187.png"
---

#  The words Jesus Christ are not a first and last name; they…

![“The words Jesus Christ are not a first and last name; they are actually a name and a title. The name Jesus is derived from the Greek form of the name Jeshua or Joshua, meaning “Jehovah-Savior” or “the Lord saves.” The title Christ is derived from the Greek word for Messiah (or the Hebrew Mashiach…” quote by Josh McDowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c0/josh-mcdowell-4194_words-jesus_the-words-jesus-christ-are-not-a-first-a_1669187.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c0/josh-mcdowell-4194_words-jesus_the-words-jesus-christ-are-not-a-first-a_1669187.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c0/josh-mcdowell-4194_words-jesus_the-words-jesus-christ-are-not-a-first-a_1669187.png)

> ““The words Jesus Christ are not a first and last name; they are actually a name and a title. The name Jesus is derived from the Greek form of the name Jeshua or Joshua, meaning “Jehovah-Savior” or “the Lord saves.” The title Christ is derived from the Greek word for Messiah (or the Hebrew Mashiach, see Daniel 9:26) and means “anointed one.””

[Josh McDowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-mcdowell/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The name “Jesus” combines a personal name meaning “Jehovah‑Savior” with the title “Christ,” meaning “the anointed one.”

**In simple terms:** Jesus is a name plus a title meaning Savior and Anointed One

Key Takeaway

Recognize both name and title when discussing Jesus

Themes

theology names titles

Mood

reflective informative

Type

educational explanatory

When to use this quote

- religious education
- interfaith dialogue
- personal study
- teaching sermons

Key Concepts

Christology etymology Hebrew‑Greek linguistics

Questions to Reflect On

- How does understanding the meaning affect faith?
- What impact does the title have on worship?

A Different Perspective

Some traditions emphasize the title over the name, causing confusion

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