Christ Jesus or Jesus Christ? Does the Order Matter?

 As you read through the New Testament, you may notice something interesting. Sometimes a writer refers to "Jesus Christ," while at other times he writes "Christ Jesus." Is there a difference, or are the two expressions simply interchangeable?

The answer is both yes and no.

The first thing to understand is that "Christ" is not Jesus' last name. It is a title. The Greek word “Christos” means "Anointed One," or "Messiah." Jesus is His personal name, while Christ describes His God-given role as the promised Savior and King foretold throughout the Old Testament.

When a writer in the New Testament says "Jesus Christ," his emphasis is often on identifying Jesus of Nazareth as the promised Messiah. It is something like saying, "Jesus is the Christ." This concept was the central message of the apostles' preaching.

One of the apostles, Peter, expressed this truth when he declared, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16). And again, the Apostle John told his writers that he wrote his Gospel "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God" (John 20:31).

Now, on the other hand, the expression "Christ Jesus" often places the title first, then draws attention to Jesus' exalted position as the Messiah before mentioning His personal name. This word order appears especially often in the writings of the Apostle Paul.

The Boys Jesus Never Grew Up With

In Matthew's account of Herod's massacre we see one of the darkest moments in the story of Jesus’ birth. We often pass over it quickly, eager to move on from the manger to the ministry of Jesus. But, I think Matthew records the event for a reason.

"When Herod saw that he was deceived by the wise men, he was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under..." 

(Matthew 2:16)

Think about it for a moment. What that event meant.

If Jesus later returned to Bethlehem as a child, He may have found something hauntingly different from what most children experience. The boys who would likely have been His playmates—the children who might have raced with Him through the streets, climbed the hillsides, or learned trades alongside Him—were gone. Herod's soldiers had taken them.