When Did ‘Messiah’ Become a Proper Name

Abstract

The thesis of this article is that the words for ‘anointed’ in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek were used by Jews as early as Paul not only as a title ‘the Messiah’ but also as a proper name, ‘Messiah’. After reviewing the scholarly debate, the writer points to New Testament evidence that supports the thesis, notably the use of messias in John 1:41, 4:25.