Episode Overview

Title: Christ, the Anointed One
Podcast: Things Unseen with Sinclair B. Ferguson (Ligonier Ministries)
Date: November 27, 2024

In this devotional episode, Sinclair B. Ferguson explores the meaning and implications of Jesus’ title as “the Christ,” the Anointed One. Drawing from biblical narratives and Old Testament prophecy, Ferguson unpacks why recognizing Jesus as the Christ was a pivotal revelation for Peter and what it means for believers today. The discussion delves deeply into the continuity between Old Testament “anointed ones” and the ultimate fulfillment of these roles in Christ.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Seed of Faith in Peter’s Confession

[00:08-01:15]

• The episode continues a series on “Who is Jesus?” and centers on Peter’s confession: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
• Ferguson explains that Peter’s declaration was not a sudden epiphany but the outgrowth of an idea seeded by his brother Andrew, who had earlier said, “We have found the Messiah.”
• Insight: The significance of voicing this realization directly to Jesus marks a profound moment of faith and recognition.

2. The Meaning of “Christ”—The Anointed One

[01:15-02:20]

• “Christ” is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew “Messiah,” both meaning “anointed one.”
• Old Testament context: Certain people (e.g., Aaron and his sons) and objects were anointed with sacred oil (Exodus 20:8) as a symbol of being set apart for God’s purposes.
  • The oil was specially prepared and reserved exclusively for this use, under threat of excommunication for misuse.
• Insight: Each Old Testament anointed individual or object pointed forward to the ultimate, true Anointed One to come.

3. The Anointed Offices—Prophet, Priest, and King

[02:20-03:32]

• Ferguson describes how the Old Testament “anointed ones”—prophets, priests, kings—were “like dots in a child’s puzzle book, to be joined up,” illustrating the promise of someone greater:
  • The final prophet (like Moses, but greater)
  • The ultimate priest (after Melchizedek, not Aaron)
  • The king greater than David, ruling universally
• Quote:
  • “All these people who were anointed were intended to point beyond themselves to the One who was still to come, the One who would accomplish what they could only do in a symbolic way...” (02:12)

4. Jesus Anointed with the Spirit, Not Oil

[03:32-04:20]

• Isaiah’s prophecy is highlighted: the coming Anointed One would be marked, not by oil, but by the Holy Spirit.
• Isaiah 11: “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse… and the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him.”
• John the Baptist was told to identify the Messiah by seeing the Spirit descend and remain on him (see also the Gospels).
• Quote:
  • “The one who was to come would be anointed not with oil, but with what that oil symbolized—namely, the Holy Spirit.” (03:32)

5. Jesus Fulfills Isaiah’s Vision

[04:20-05:10]

• Ferguson references Isaiah 61:
  • “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor…”
• Jesus read these exact words in the synagogue at Nazareth, then declared, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4).
• Quote:
  • “Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed One.” (05:10)

6. Christ’s Threefold Office

[05:10-06:18]

• Jesus embodies and fulfills the three anointed offices:
  • Prophet: “Who communicates the word of God to us and is himself the Word of God.”
  • Priest: “Whose sacrifice for our sins will be nothing less than himself offered in our place.”
  • King: “Who has come to restore the dominion that Adam lost and to reign over all his and our enemies.”

7. Peter’s Growing Understanding & Application to Listeners

[06:18-end]

• Peter was only beginning to grasp the significance of Jesus as the Christ and would still stumble, but his confession opened the door to deeper knowledge and love for Jesus.
• Ferguson closes by encouraging listeners to make the same confession and deepen their relationship with Christ:
  • “I hope you know these things too, and that the same will be true of you, that you are able to say: ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’” (06:45)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the buildup to Peter’s confession:

  • “It looks much more likely that it was the flowering of a seed that had been planted in his mind by his brother...” (00:35)

• On the purpose of Old Testament anointing:

  • “All these people who were anointed were intended to point beyond themselves to the one who was still to come...” (02:12)

• On Isaiah’s prophecy and the Spirit:

  • “The one who was to come would be anointed not with oil, but with what that oil symbolized—namely, the Holy Spirit.” (03:32)

• Jesus’ fulfillment of the prophetic word:

  • “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (05:02; quoting Jesus)

• Application to believers:

  • “So I hope you know these things too, and that the same will be true of you, that you are able to say: ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’” (06:45)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:08] – Introduction; recalling Peter’s confession and its background
• [01:15] – The meaning of “Christ” as “Anointed One” and Old Testament context
• [02:20] – The prophetic, priestly, and kingly anticipation of Jesus
• [03:32] – Isaiah’s prophecy of the Messiah anointed by the Spirit
• [04:20] – Jesus’ reading of Isaiah 61 in Nazareth and his self-identification as Messiah
• [05:10] – The threefold office of Christ and its fulfillment in Jesus
• [06:18] – Encouragement to embrace and profess Christ as Peter did

Conclusion

Sinclair B. Ferguson’s meditation is a tightly woven exegesis of Peter’s confession and the Old Testament shadows of the Messiah. Listeners are invited to see Christ as the unique fulfillment of every prophet, priest, and king anointed before him, and to make Peter’s confession their own. Through rich biblical reflection, Ferguson encourages a deeper love and understanding of Jesus, “the Christ, the Son of the living God.”