His Name is Jesus!

Jesus means ‘Yahweh saves.’ In this Man of Nazareth, the Salvation promised by the God of Abraham and Israel has arrived for all men.

The child carried by Mary was “begotten of the Holy Spirit.” The angel instructed Joseph to name the child ‘Jesus’: “Call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” His name pointed to the saving act of God for humanity that was about to unfold. Men and women would behold the long-promised Salvation of Yahweh in Jesus of Nazareth.

[Jesus Saves - Photo by Edwin Andrade on Unsplash]

Naming him ‘Jesus’ or “Salvation of Yahweh” does not mean he is identical to his Father, but that the “God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” has acted decisively in His Son to bring salvation to humanity, especially through Christ’s Death and Resurrection. According to the Apostle Paul, this is the foundation of the Apostolic Tradition:

• “For I delivered to you first of all that which also I received, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried; and that he has been raised on the third day” – (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

The first verse of the Gospel of Matthew identifies the child as the “Son of Abraham.” This was more than another name on a genealogical list. Not only was Jesus the biological descendant of Abraham, but he also came to fulfill the promises that God covenanted with the Patriarch - (Matthew 1:20-21).

Jesus of Nazareth is the “Seed of Abraham” in whom all the nations of the earth are blessed. It is no coincidence that he began proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom in Galilee - (Genesis 12:3, 22:18, Galatians 3:16-29):

• “Galilee of the Nations <…> The people that sat in darkness saw a great light and to those who sat in the region and Shadow of Death. From that time, Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent! For the Kingdom of the Heavens is at hand” - (Matthew 4:16).

• “There will be no gloom to her that was in anguish. In the former time, he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali; but in the latter time, he has made it glorious, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Nations. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. They that dwelt in the land of the Shadow of Death, upon them has the light shined” - (Isaiah 9:1-3).

• “For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared before the face of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel” – (Luke 2:30-32).

The salvation promised by God in past ages is provided for Humanity in His Son, Jesus Christ, and this salvation envisaged the inclusion of the Gentiles from the beginning along with the Nation of Israel:

• “For I say that Christ has been made a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, that he might confirm the promises given to the fathers, and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, Therefore, I will give praise unto you among the Gentiles and sing unto your name. And again, he says, Rejoice, you Gentiles with his people. And again, Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; and let all the peoples praise him. And again, Isaiah says, There will be the Root of Jesse, and he that arises to rule over the Gentiles. On him will the Gentiles hope” – (Romans 15:8-12, 16:25).

HIS DIVINELY APPOINTED NAME

The angel’s announcement to Joseph parallels the prediction made to Abraham about his firstborn son, which occurred when Sarah was ninety years old and beyond childbearing age, making her pregnancy miraculous. Abraham also received his son’s name through Divine appointment, for God commanded Abraham to name his son ‘Isaac’ - (Genesis 17:19).

The name ‘Jesus’ or ‘Joshua’ first appears in the Book of Exodus. Joshua’s original name was ‘Hoshea’, the Son of Nun. Moses changed it from ‘Hoshea’ to ‘Joshua’, or more literally, ‘Ye-hoshua’ - (Numbers 13:1-8, Exodus 17:9).

‘Hoshea’ means “salvation, deliverance, help.” It is from the Hebrew verb for “save, help, deliver,” and that verb is ‘yasha’. For example, “Yahweh saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians” - (Exodus 14:30. Compare Deuteronomy 20:4).

By prefixing the first syllable of the Hebrew name ‘Yahweh’ to ‘Hoshea’ (YHWH {יהוה}), his name became ‘Ye-hoshua’. In several of the later books of the Hebrew Bible, the second syllable is eliminated, and the name is shortened to ‘Yeshua’ - (e.g., Nehemiah 8:17, Ezra 2:2).

The form ‘Jesus’ is the anglicized spelling of ‘Yeshua.’ It means more than “savior.” It combines the name of God or ‘Yahweh’ with the Hebrew verb for “save,” and so, ‘Jesus’ means “Yahweh saves” or “salvation of Yahweh.” The promised salvation of God arrived in the man from the insignificant village of Nazareth, Jesus, the son of Joseph.

The angel’s announcement also echoed key themes from the ‘Servant’s Song’ of the Book of Isaiah. Jesus is the ‘Servant of Yahweh’ who came to “bear the sins of many.” For example:

• (Isaiah 53:10-11) – “Yet it pleased Yahweh to bruise him; he has put him to grief, making his soul an offering for sin. He will see his seed, he will prolong his days, and the pleasure of Yahweh will prosper in his hand. He will see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied. By the knowledge of himself will my Righteous Servant justify many, and he will carry their sins.”

The genealogy of Jesus recorded in Matthew begins with Abraham, the Great Patriarch and Progenitor of Israel. Jesus is the “Son of Abraham,” the promised “Seed” who actualizes the Covenant promises.

Christ is also the “Son of David,” the Messiah and King who reigns from David’s Throne over the Kingdom of God. The glorious reign of the God of Israel began with the Death and Resurrection of the Nazarene - (“Ask of me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance!” - Psalm 2:6-9).

Like Joshua, Jesus is the Ruler of God’s people who delivers us from bondage to Satan and shepherds us to the Promised Land, namely, the Kingdom of God. In the truest sense, he is the one who “saves his people from their sins.”

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SEE ALSO:

• Salvation for All Men - (The Gospel of the Kingdom announced by Jesus Christ offers Salvation and life to men and women of every nation and people)

• The Son of Abraham - (Jesus is the Son of Abraham and the heir of the promises, the One who fulfills and implements the inheritance for his people)

• The Son of David - (Jesus is the son of David and heir to the Messianic Throne, the beloved Son of God, and the Suffering Servant of Yahweh)

• Son nom est Jésus - (“Jésus” signifie “Yahvé sauve.” Dans l'homme de Nazareth, le salut promis par le Dieu d'Israël est arrivé dans toute sa gloire)