Christ
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Christ (ancient Greek, Christós, meaning 'anointed') is a translation of the Hebrew מָשִׁיחַ (Māšîaḥ), the Messiah, and is used as a title for Jesus in the New Testament.
The followers of Jesus became known as Christians (as in Acts 11:26 because they believed Jesus to be the Messiah (Christos) prophesied in the Hebrew Bible. Christians designate him Jesus Christ, meaning Jesus the Christos. Christ was originally a title, but later became part of the name "Jesus Christ", though it is still also used as a title, in the reciprocal use Christ Jesus, meaning "The Messiah Jesus". In common usage "Christ" is generally treated as synonymous with "Jesus of Nazareth".
Jesus is not accepted by the majority of Jews as their Messiah. The Jewish people still await the Messiah's first coming, while Christians await his second coming, when they believe he will fulfill those parts of Messianic prophecy left unfulfilled in the first century AD.
The area of Christian theology called Christology is primarily concerned with the nature and person of Jesus Christ as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament.
Christ in art
There has been a long tradition of featuring Jesus in paintings and sculpture, ranging from the Roman catacombs and the conservative icon tradition of the Orthodox world through medieval altarpieces to modern acrylics. Many images depict the Life and Passion of Christ, especially the Crucifixion of Christ, whilst others show the infant Christ with his mother (Madonna and Child) or Christ in Majesty. Many of the most famous paintings in Western art feature Christ. The tradition continues in professional and folk art in many countries, as well as popular commercial imagery. Most images, whatever their origins, (as left) keep fairly close to the conventional appearance (and clothing) of Christ established in Byzantine art by about 400AD, which is now instantly recognisable.
Protestant Christians (following reformers such as John Calvin and Zwingli) frequently reject many depictions of Jesus as a form of idolatry (cf the Ten Commandments).
Triumph of Christianity by Tommaso Laureti (1530-1602), ceiling painting in the Sala di Constantino, Vatican Palace. Images like this one celebrate the destruction of ancient pagan culture and the victory of Christianity. |
See also
- Anointing of Jesus
- Anointing
- Anti-Christ
- Chrism
- Christ in art
- Christianity
- Christmas
- Christology
- Jewish Messiah
- Messiah
- Messianic prophecy
- Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament