Last night I woke up about 4. I tossed and turned and then my mild case of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) kicked in.I think I said something to myself like, "Jesus Christ, I hate it when I can't sleep."
And then I began obsessing on that name. As in is Christ the last name of Jesus of Nazareth?
I've heard that name, Jesus Christ, all my life and had never thought to wonder about that before.
Was Jesus a member of the Christ family, as in, his earthly mom and dad were Joesph and Mary Christ? With, I think a brother named James Christ? Did Jesus have other siblings besides James, with the Christ last name?
Did James Christ marry and reproduce? Are there descendants of the Christ family walking the planet today?
And why is the birthday of Jesus Christ called Christmas? What's the "mas" part of the name? Some Catholic thing? A derivative of "mass?"
If Christ is not the last name of Jesus, what is it? Why is the birthday of Jesus not called Jesusmas? Well, actually that has absolutely no ring to it. We wish you a Merry Jesusmas, we wish you a Merry Jesusmas. No. That would not work.
I've never spent a lot of time in church. I'd probably know the answer to my Jesus Christ question if I'd listened better when I was in church. My mom and dad went through a going to church phase starting when I was about 10. Presbyterian. When I was 12 or 13 I became a member. I think.
The church going ended sometime after I was 16 when I brought home information I'd heard at school from a neighbor of our preacher, details about an affair he was having with the Sunday School Superintendent. This erupted into a big scandal. The preacher was replaced. If I remember right, my dad was an elder during the Affair of the Preacher Scandal.
A new preacher was found. Within a year he became embroiled in an affair with the Choir Director.
It was around then we quit going to church. I think mom and dad figured out us kids were learning all sorts of things about religion that they did not think was a good thing for us to be learning. Like it was around this time I started using the phrase "religious hypocrite."
I've lost track of how many religious leaders have taken a scandalous fall since I lost my innocence during the notorious Affair of the Preacher Scandal. There have been probably a dozen right here in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex since I've moved here.
I'll likely not ever know whether or not Christ is the last name of Jesus. Or something else. Like I'm still waiting for someone to explain to me why the day when Jesus Christ came back to life and started walking the planet again is called Easter.
12 comments:
You really know how to get feedback going. You'll need to expand the mailroom to answer all the cards and letters you'll be getting later today from Bible-belters. Good luck with that.
Don---
So, you're telling me that there are going to be a lot of people helping alleviate my ignorance about the last name of Jesus? I'll be quite appreciative.
I think, if memory serves me correctly - it was Jesus - "The Christ" and I think christ is either an Aramaic (?) word for savior, messiah or else it was yet another word morphed by the clever roman catholic thinking - as are most holidays on the 'christian' calendar. After a few centuries of celebrating 'Christmas' at the same time most of Europe was celebrating the Winter Solstace - it all jumbled together. Scholars agree there was no liklihood that that the historical jesus was not born in December, because of the records of when taxes were paid, etc. (The reason his mom and dad went to bethlehem, remember.) Same with Easter and the other holidays. No real true association with historical fact...just good marketing and brand identity merging.
Thanks for the thoughts on JC, CB.
It was a name given to Jesus right before his crucifixion. As Pilate was presenting the choices of criminals to be pardoned...he offered Barabas or Jesus. He was hoping that the crowd would pick Jesus, but they chose Barabas instead causing Pilate to become annoyed thus remarking, "Jesus? cripes!" The crowd, misunderstanding then started shouting, "Jesus Christ! Jesus Christ!" Well, and as they say...the rest is history. ;)
CT2----
I thought Pontius Pilate was Roman, thus he would have been speaking Latin. Cripes is an Anglo word of UK origin. I dunno, maybe Pontius had served in the UK zone before he got transferred to Jerusalem.
I don't see why everyone is so certain that Jesus was not a member of the Christ family. That seems the most logical explanation to me.
Then again. Logic and math have never been my strong areas.
Wow. Jesus, cripes!? Hahaha. From what I understand (from what little church I have attended), Christ is a title name. Kind of like how in Japan, your last name is followed with "san" or "sama" or something similar. It denotes your status. A quick Google search says that "Christ" means "annointed one" or "appointed one." I guess that loosely translates to "savior" and such. The term is either Latin or Greek (since they were the ones who persecuted Jesus). "Christ" being a latin term makes the most sense because it would explain any word with "Christ" in it. IIRC, "Christ" is an anglo version of the Greek translation for "Mesiah" (Hebrew). You are wicked close on the Christmas thing. It is a newer version of "Christ's Mass" in which special mass was held in celebration of Jesus Christ. We learned this last Christmas in church, haha!
Thanks Jovan---
All you Biblical Scholars have been so helpful in alleviating me of some of my woeful ignorance today regarding J. Christ.
Well, Durango...you can't blame a girl for trying, eh?
CT2---
I think you can blame a girl for anything. Making it stick is the tricky part.
I ain't got nothing to add, just wanted to prove Don Young right by padding the comment list. Plus, it sure is dang cold and wet in them tha Tandy Hills so I'm pitching my tent somewhere dryer and a little warmer. had to settle for the library since I don't know which gas pipeline route Mayor Moregrief's mansion is sitting on. Your friend, BillyHill.
The name Christ wasn't invented by a religion, it means "anointed," something Jesus is and religion is not. Unfortunately, man made religion has done an effective job of screwing over the whole reason that Jesus came in the first place. Most of what is called church today is a sad joke. Jesus didn't come to start a relion, but to make a way for us to come into relationship with his Father, God.
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