Matthew 1:21-22 “..an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
Today we start a series at looking at the various names and titles found in the bible foe Jesus. We start with his given name, translated into english as Jesus. In the native tongue of Nazareth the given name was Yeshua and in greek Iesous, From the former it can be seen that it is closely related to the name Joshua and in the Greek how the english Jesus was evolved.
There are several definitions of Yeshua that can be found in Hebrew and Aramaic biblical text, taken from the Hebrew verb, yasha, that means “to deliver, save, or rescue,” and the link with Joshua. Joshua is stated as “Jeshua” in some English Bibles, and you can see the resemblance of Joshua leading the Jews out of Egypt as how Yeshua would lead and save all people years later as the Saviour. The link with Joshua is even more descriptive in that it means the LORD saves. In the Hebrew scripture translated in Capitals in some english translations s LORD refers to YHWH, a form of the Hebrew name of God used in the Bible. The name came to be regarded by Jews as too sacred to be spoken.
By claiming “Yeshua” as a name of Jesus, we support the bond we have with the Messiah in acknowledging all that He did to deliver us from evil bondage from the enemy and to save us from ourselves, our sinful natures. Some suggest that using “Yeshua” when addressing Him in prayer establishes a closer bond with the Lord that could be viewed in the same way one would reference a loved one in an intimate way.
In the bible we often read the phrase “the name of Jesus”; for example Philippians 2:9–11 “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord”
Charles Wesley speak of the name of Jesus in this way.
Jesus, the Name high over all,
in hell or earth or sky;
angels and mortals prostrate fall,
and devils fear and fly.
Jesus, the Name to sinners dear,
the Name to sinners giv'n;
it scatters all their guilty fear,
it turns their hell to heav'n.
Jesus, Name full of glory, grace, love and strength! You are the refuge of those who repent, our banner of warfare in this life, the medicine of souls, the comfort of those who mourn, the delight of those who believe, the light of those who preach the true faith, the wages of those who toil, the healing of the sick.
To You our devotion aspires; by You our prayers are received; we delight in contemplating You. O Name of Jesus, You are the glory of all the saints for eternity. Amen.
St. Bernardine of Siena
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