What is the symbol Chi Rho?
Chi C and Rho R are the first two letter in the Greek word Christ Crivstos. Christ means “anointed one.” The Hebrew for anointed is Messiah. This symbol reminds us that Jesus is the promised Messiah, the one God sent to save us.
Why do we have this symbol in our congregations?
We have this symbol in our congregations because Jesus is the promised anointed one. In the Old Testament they anointed prophets, priests, and kings. Jesus is our Prophet, who speaks God’s Word to us, and who is the incarnate Word of God (John 1:1-18). Jesus is our High Priest who sacrificed Himself for our sins and intercedes for us with God the Father (Hebrews). Jesus is our king who rules over us by His grace, crowned with thorns for our sins.
What does the Bible say about this symbol?
The Bible doesn’t say anything about this symbol, but Jesus as the Christ/Messiah is the subject of Scripture. John 20:31 sums up the purpose of all of Scripture when it says, “these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.”
Suggestions
You may want to sing the following hymns about Christ from Lutheran Service Book: 420, 458, 469, 829, 861, 873, 912,
Object Lesson
Put a little skin oil or olive oil on the skin. Explain that prophets (those who spoke God’s Word), priests (those who worked in God’s presence in the Temple), and kings (those who ruled the people) were anointed in Bible times. The chi rho is the first two letters in the word “Christ” which means “the anointed.” Jesus is our Prophet (who speaks God’s Word to us), our Priest (who has gone to heaven to prepare a place for us in God’s heaven), and our king (who rules His church on earth by grace until we go to his kingdom of glory in heaven).
Prayer
Christ, the way that leads unfailing to the Father’s home on high, Christ the truth that frees the captive, Christ, the life that cannot die. Mediator to the Father, sacrifice and great High Priest: lead us to Your heavenly mansions, there to share Your wedding feast. Amen.