THE REVEALER: JESUS CHRIST VS CHRIST JESUS

You will notice apostle Paul mostly interchange Jesus Christ and Christ Jesus in his messages.. Now, does it mean same thing or emphasizes different things

It’s a good question and here is an answer or a partial one!

1. About the names: Christ literally means anointed or the anointed one. It is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word for anointed mashiach , which being transliterated became in English, Messiah. So Christ=Messiah . Jesus, the name Gabriel announced and gave to Mary, means literally The Lord Saves or the Lord is salvation . Jesus is a transliterated from the Hebrew name, Joshua, as in Moses’ most important friend (A whole book of the Bible is appropriately named Joshua which centers on the conquest of the land under Joshua; Joshua was a warrior). So, 
Jesus=Joshua=God saves.

2. Christ is less a name and more a title or an office, the Office of the Christ, the Anointed One. Just as if you would meet, say,the mayor, you would called him Mayor which would indicate simultaneously his title because of his office.

3. Christ Jesus is used some 80 times. Jesus Christ is used some 140 times. 

4. Jesus Christ is used by the Gospel writers, and the Apostle Paul and in fact it used by most of the New Testament writers. Jesus and Christ are also used separately: Christ, over 500 times and Jesus, some 1,000 times. So either name, Jesus Christ or Christ Jesus, indicates a more full indication of identity of the Holy One of Israel. Both Names are more formal.

5. Christ Jesus is used almost exclusively by the Apostle Paul, and hardly by the Gospel writers. Remember: Paul was originally a devout Jew and Pharisee (see Philippians 3:4-6 ) My conjecture is that the Apostle was emphasizing Jesus’ thorough-going Jewishness as the Son of David and Son of God. This One is the Messiah Jesus, Anointed One Jesus, foretold by the prophets of Israel. So the formal nature of the Apostle’s use of Christ Jesus is suggested by the fact he uses this quite often in his opening greetings in his epistles (letters) to churches and congregations.

6. Jesus Christ has almost become for a lot people the Lord’s first name, Jesus, and His last or family name, Christ. Obviously, it is not!   His parents were not Mary and Joseph Christ! It is a proclamation and witness and could be originally, “Jesus is CHRIST” and so shortened. Jesus, the One who restores all things, thoroughly occupies and lives and reigns in His divine office of Christ: God saves, God has anointed, we are saved. He thoroughly inhabited His office through His death and resurrection for sinners and the life of the world.

Author: ANENVOYHB