This is the Christ

The lyrics of This is the Christ read like scripture, and offer many parallels to scriptural accounts. Right from the start, the explanation of a mild voice that "pierced them through and made their souls to quake", is reminiscent of a similar voice heard by the Nephites (see 3 Nephi 11) that "did pierce them that did hear to the center".

Interestingly, the first verse is written in the third person, "they heard His voice", "they saw Him come"; it reads like scriptural accounts of those that saw Him themselves and interacted with Him. The second verse switches focus to the first person, "I read His words", "I feel His love", which stirs up thoughts of a new concept: I can interact with the risen Lord like those that did before. Feeling the wounds in his hands and side or being pierced by His voice isn't a completely foreign notion. It can actually feel quite possible through deep and rich symbolism in ordinances and prophetic teaching.

Perhaps the most evocative moment in the song is the chilling question: "how many drops of blood were spilled for me?". That introspection leads the implied subject of the song to the statement of truth declared with finality that "I too can testify, This is the Christ". This is the Christ teaches that the journey to form a relationship with Christ may start in the third person, but can advance to a powerful and personal connection.