1 Samuel 12:3, the Septuagint Version. “It is unthinkable, on my part,” exclaimed David, “to thrust my hand out against [Saul] the anointed [LXX, khri·stonʹ] of Jehovah!” (1 Sam. 26:11) Neither would David allow his nephew Abishai to touch Saul. (1 Sam. 26:8, 9) David also had the Amalekite slain because he said he killed Saul “the anointed [LXX, khri·stonʹ] of Jehovah.” (2 Sam. 1:13-16) This title and commission to be king was also bestowed on David, and thereafter he spoke of himself as Jehovah’s “anointed one [LXX, khri·stoiʹ].” (1 Sam. 16:12, 13; 2 Sam. 22:51) King Zedekiah, who sat on the throne as an heir of David, was also called “the anointed one [khri·stosʹl of Jehovah.”—Lam. 4:20.

The prophets too were titled Jehovah’s anointed ones, as indicated by the parallelism in Psalm 105:15. Jehovah gave the command to his prophet Elijah: “Elisha . . . you should anoint as prophet in place of you,” though the details of the actual anointing are not recorded.—1 Ki. 19:16.

There are other instances where the Septuagint uses khri·stosʹ prophetically. There are ten references to khri·stosʹ in the book of Psalms, the one in Psalm 2:1, 2 being particularly noteworthy: Nations in tumult and kings of the earth massing together “against Jehovah and against his anointed one.” The apostles quoted this prophecy and applied the title to the ‘holy servant Jesus, whom Jehovah had anointed.’ (Acts 4:24-27) A more unusual example is where the term is applied to the Persian king Cyrus. Before his birth, the prophecy of Isaiah (45:1-3) declared: “This is what Jehovah has said to his anointed one [LXX, khri·stoiʹ], to Cyrus, whose right hand I have taken hold of.” Cyrus was never literally anointed with holy oil as were the kings of Israel, but, as in other instances in the Bible, the expression “anointed one” is a titled form of address given to him because of his commission and appointment from God.—See ANOINTED, ANOINTING.

CHRISTIAN

The Latinized Greek term Khri·sti·a·nosʹ, found only three times in the Christian Greek Scriptures, designates followers of Christ Jesus, the exponents of Christianity.—Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Pet. 4:16.

“It was first in Antioch [Syria] that the disciples were by divine providence called Christians.” (Acts 11:26) It is possible, then, that this name was used as early as the year 44 C.E. when the events surrounding this text occurred, although the grammatical structure of this phrase does not necessarily make it so; some think it was a little later. At any rate, by 58 C.E., in the city of Caesarea, nearly 300 miles (482.7 kilometers) S of Antioch, the term was well known and used even by public officials, for, at that time, King Agrippa II said to Paul: “In a short time you would persuade me to become a Christian.”—Acts 26:28.

Bible writers in addressing fellow believers or describing followers of Christ used expressions such as “believers in the Lord,” “brothers” and “disciples” (Acts 5:14; 6:3; 15:10), “chosen ones” and “faithful ones” (Col. 3:12; 1 Tim. 4:12), “slaves to God” and “slaves of Christ Jesus” (Rom. 6:22; Phil. 1:1), “holy ones,” “congregation of God” and “those who call upon the Lord.” (Acts 9:13; 20:28; 1 Cor. 1:2; 2 Tim. 2:22) These terms with doctrinal meaning were used primarily as internal congregational designations. To outsiders Christianity was referred to as “The Way” (Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23; 22:4), and opponents called it “the sect of the Nazarenes” or just “this sect.”—Acts 24:5; 28:22.

It was first in Syrian Antioch that Christ’s followers became known as Christians. It is most unlikely that the Jews first styled Jesus’ followers “Christians” (Greek) or “Messianists” (Hebrew), for they would not reject Jesus as being the Messiah or Christ, and then tacitly recognize him as the Anointed One or Christ by stamping his followers “Christians.” Some think the heathen population may have nicknamed them Christians out of jest or scorn, but the Bible shows that it was a God-given name; they “were by divine providence called Christians.”—Acts 11:26.

The Greek verb khre·ma·tiʹzo in this text is generally rendered simply “were called.” A check of some fifty translations in several modern languages reveals that only the New World Translation and Young’s indicate that God had anything to do with selecting the name “Christian”; Young’s reads: “The disciples also were divinely called first in Antioch Christians.”

This is an example of careful scholarship, for khre·ma·tiʹzo as used in the Christian Greek Scriptures is always associated with something supernatural, oracular or divine. Strong’s Greek Lexicon defines it as “to utter an oracle, . . . i.e. divinely intimate.” Robinson’s Greek Lexicon gives the meaning: “Spoken in respect to a divine response, oracle, declaration, to give response, to speak as an oracle, to warn from God.” Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon: “to give a divine command or admonition, to teach from heaven . . . to be divinely commanded, admonished, instructed . . . to be the mouthpiece of divine revelations, to promulge the commands of God.” Thomas Scott in his Commentary on this text says: “The word implies that this was done by divine revelation: for it has generally this signification in the New Testament, and is rendered ‘warned from God’ or ‘warned of God,’ even when there is no word for God in the Greek.” Clarke’s Commentary says: “The word [khre·ma·tiʹsai] In our common text, which we translate were called, signifies in the New Testament, to appoint, warn, or nominate, by Divine direction. In this sense, the word is used, Matt. ii. 12. . . . If, therefore, the name was given by Divine appointment, it is most likely that Saul and Barnabas were directed to give it; and that, therefore, the name Christian is from God.”—See Matthew 2:12, 22; Luke 2:26; Acts 10:22; Hebrews 8:5; 11:7; 12:25, where this Greek verb occurs.

The Scriptures speak of Jesus Christ as the bridegroom, the Head and Husband of his anointed followers. (2 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 5:23) Appropriately, then, as a wife is happy to take her husband’s name, so this “bride” class of Christ was pleased to receive a name identifying them as belonging to him. In this way observers of these first-century Christians readily recognized them not only by their activity but also by their name as altogether different from the practitioners of Judaism; here was a growing association where there was neither Jew nor Greek but all were one under their Head and Leader Jesus Christ.—Gal. 3:26-28; Col. 3:11.

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A CHRISTIAN

Jesus extended the invitation to be his follower, saying: “If anyone wants to come after me, let him disown himself and pick up his torture stake and continually follow me.” (Matt. 16:24) Those who are true Christians have full faith that Jesus Christ is God’s specially Anointed One and only-begotten Son, the Promised Seed who sacrificed his human life as a ransom, was resurrected and exalted to the right hand of Jehovah, and the one who received authority to subdue his enemies and vindicate Jehovah’s name. (Matt. 20:28; Luke 24:46; John 3:16; Gal. 3:16; Phil. 2:9-11; Heb. 10:12, 13) Christians view the Bible as the inspired Word of God, absolute truth, beneficial for teaching and disciplining mankind.—John 17:17; 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:21.

More is required of true Christians than mere confession of faith. It is necessary that belief be demonstrated by works. (Rom. 10:10; Jas. 2:17, 26) Born as sinners, those who become Christians repent, turn around, dedicate their lives to Jehovah’s worship and service, and submit to water baptism. (Matt. 28:19;