Jesus took upon himself the name of Christ

In tribes around the world, initiation rituals exist in which boys are instructed to take upon themselves the identity of the tribe’s mythical hero. The idea of a boy patterning his life on an exemplary figure of story—or prophecy—wasn’t as rare historically as it is today. At the time of Christ, all young Jewish boys would have been raised to live so that they could qualify to be the prophesied Messiah. Though most believe that Jesus was raised from birth by his knowing mother as the literal Messiah, there are significant lessons provided by the idea that he differed from his childhood peers only in the fact that he did not deviate from the pattern given.

Most assume that Jesus knew his identity and details of his mission as a child. They point to his comment when his parents found him teaching the elders in the temple: “How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” (Luke 2:49) Whether Jesus meant this as an assertion that he was the Son of God is not clear, as Jews in his time would have all referred to God as their Father.¹

What is clear is that Jesus followed the pattern all Jewish boys should have of living up to the calling their tribe bore to produce a boy worthy of being the Messiah. As a boy, Jesus had access to the scriptures that described how all people should be, just as everyone else in his nation could do. Young Jesus, hearing the scriptures that described the promised Messiah, did not think “this is who I am as the Son of God,” but rather, “this is how the Father wants us all to be.” His realization that he was different than others came as he noticed that the way he was living was different and better than what others had done, were doing, or would do.

The Lord’s example is exceedingly valuable to all of us. In learning what the scriptures said about human potential and living his life as prescribed, he followed the path to eternal life available to all from the beginning.¹⁴⁸⁸ Jesus did not create the name of the Father. Rather, he discovered and lived according to more of it than anything else in creation had, helping others to improve the extent and accuracy of their understanding of the character of the Father.

Jesus took upon himself the name of Christ just as all of us can and must. Jesus learned who he was by following the same commandments the Father gives to everyone. He looked and realized he was the only one who was doing what he was doing, in spite of the fact that everyone else had the same access he did. He learned who he was by reading the scriptures. Though he himself had given them, he had no way of remembering that. He relied on what others had written from and about him. Without them, he never could have assumed his mission.