What’s in a name? Do names carry certain meaning? We had no choice over the names that were given to us. Some of you like your names and others may wish that you had never gotten that name especially if your name is Jabez which means “pain.” I like my name Francis which means “a free man” In the days when the Bible was being written, the Israelites often chose names for their babies based on the child’s character or appearance, i.e., Esau (hairy) and Korah (bald). Some babies were named because of an incident at their birth or their names were based on some hope or prayer of the parent, as in Zechariah’s name (God has remembered), as in Samuel (God has heard). Sometimes babies received the name of an everyday object, like Tamar (palm tree), and Tabitha (gazelle). Parents often named their children by the time of day they were born. For example: Shaharaim (dawn), Hodesh (new moon). The condition of the mother also frequently inspired a name: Leah (exhausted) and Mahli (sick).
Some were named to fulfill a certain purpose for example John the cousin of Jesus, he considered himself as the forerunner of Christ and his purpose was to bear witness of the light. When God wanted to fulfill his purpose of saving the world he sent his only son and named him Jesus. A boy named Jesus is the main reason for this season of Christmas.. Why did God choose to name his son Jesus? Do the titles and names of Jesus hold any significance or are they just like any other names? What are the meanings of those titles? Let us read the Christmas story to find out their true meaning and how that could affect our lives today. Matt 1:18-25. In this passage we read about two distinct names, one is Jesus and the other is Emmanuel. They explain the real reason why we celebrate Christmas. Let’s look at what these two names mean.
I. WHAT DOES THE NAME JESUS MEAN?( Vs 21, 25)
The naming of the child is an important part of the scripture before us. In fact two important names were given to the same person and they both help us to know about him. An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and said that the child that Mary conceived was of the Holy Spirit and he was to name him Jesus. Why Jesus? What does the name Jesus mean?
Jesus was a common name. It was the Bob of the first century. We know of one other person in the New Testament itself named Jesus. He was a companion to the apostle Paul and is mentioned in Colossi ans 4:11 in a list of people sending greetings to the church at Colossae. And Josephus, the first-century Jewish historian, mentions no fewer than 20 different men named Jesus. The child whom God sent to be the Savior of the world was given a name common to the time and place. The name Jesus could be easily uttered by any common man of his time.
During Jesus’ time on earth some addressed him teacher but many called him simply “Jesus” Even little children could easily run to him, the poor were at ease in his presence, the sick were healed, the hungry were fed above all sinners were saved. Jesus was called the friend of sinners.
What does Jesus mean? It is from a Greek word Joshua meaning, “The Lord Saves” The angel who appears to Joseph alludes to that meaning when he says, “... you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” True to his name Jesus died so that we might live. In Romans 5:6-8 "For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7- For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8- But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." This child was given a name that would be a constant reminder of the saving grace of God. If Jesus means God will save his people, what does Emmanuel mean?
II. WHAT DOES EMMANUEL MEAN? (Vs 22-23)
In Vs 22, we read, “ Now all this took place that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which translated means, God with us.”
After recording what the angel said to Joseph, the gospel writer Matthew referred to a prophecy in Isaiah 7:14 which was fulfilled in 8th century BC. In this context Isaiah was offering Judah’s king Ahaz a sign of encouragement and perhaps even of punishment; should he not act on faith. Ahaz was concerned with pressure being put on him by Rezin of Damascus and Pekah of Israel, so he wanted to appeal for help from Tiglath-pileser III of Assyria( II Kings 16:5-7). Isaiah directed Ahaz to trust in the Lord, not in a foreign king, and offered him a sign of God’s help. A woman was to conceive and bear a son, whom she would name Emmanuel, which means “God with us”. Unfortunately Ahaz did not head the advice of Isaiah and paid heavily.
Though this prophecy was meant for Ahaz, but it also carried a future fulfillment. But Matthew, looking at it through the lens of what he knew about Jesus, saw it also as prophecy. And thus he took the name given to that child born in Isaiah’s time, Emmanuel, and applied it symbolically to Jesus. And that name, Emmanuel, as Matthew hastens to tell us, means “God is with us.” Between his given name, Jesus, and his symbolic name, Emmanuel, this child to be born to Mary makes two important affirmations about God — that he saves us and that he is with us. As commentator Eugene Boring points outs in The New Interpreter’s Bible, “For Matthew, the story of Jesus is a way of talking about God.”) The name Jesus means, “The Lord Saves. What does he save us from? One way to understand it is to grasp that God created us to have connection, close association, communion with him. But due to our sin we have lost that connection. In other words we have become unfit to have communion with God.
Among the things that make us unfit are the sins of self-centeredness and rebellion, but when we turn to God, he makes it possible through Jesus for us to change, and become fit for communion with God. God is our salvation and Jesus is the way God provided for salvation to come to us. Salvation is a gift from God, you don’t have to earn it but just receive it by faith.
Jesus’ other symbolic name, Emmanuel, adds a further dimension to our understanding of God. “God is with us” is a message we need to hear today more than ever. Our world has layer upon layer of troubles and our own encounters with life are not all sweetness and light either. So the reality of God-being with us is critical. It is one thing to know that God saves us through Jesus but it is another thing to live with a realization that God is indeed with us.
Emmanuel, God with us! What an assuring name of God. Let’s ponder on it for a while. As we talk millions of North Koreans are mourning the death of their dear leader Kim Jong il who was in their eyes like a god. They are devastated not to have their leader with them, but would they ever understand that there is truly a God whose name is Emmanuel; God with us? Who will tell them of this wonderful good news? We must pray that somehow God will make this truth dawn upon them during this Christmas season.
Recently I lost my father. It is hard to believe that he is not with us this Christmas. When I heard of the news of my fathers’ death I felt for the first time in my life like an orphan. Both my parents have gone to be with the Lord. In my distress I turned to God’s word for comfort. He spoke to me through this scripture where Jesus said to his disciples before he departed from this world. God comforted me with these words of Jesus, John 14:18, “I will not leave you as orphans: I will come to you.” What assuring words; those were the exact words I needed to hear. That is the message of Christmas; God did not abandon this world; but so loved the world and sent his son Emmanuel God with us, so that the world might be saved through Him.
The scriptures give us wonderful promises of God’s nearness and his presence, to name a few: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”(Psalm 34:18). “God has said, Never will I leave you never will I forsake you.”(Heb 13:5) Jesus promised his frightened disciples saying, “And surely I am with you always; to the very end of the age. Matthew 28:20. Dear friends; no matter who is with you today or not; whatever you might be going through in your life be assured that Emmanuel; God is with you. He will never let you go.
The two names that were given to a boy named Jesus affirm two important truths about God: that he saves us and that he is with us. Not only is God everywhere present but more specifically He is with you where you are. I would like to close with these words of Paul in 2 Cor 9:15, “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift.” Amen
allaboutjesuschrist.org/names-of-jesus.htm. Retrieved June 13, 2007.
