Jesus: A Glorious Name and Savior

The Bible says a good name is better than riches (Proverbs 22:1) and precious ointment (Ecclesiastes 7:1). While this could be alluding to one’s reputation, there is also great importance in a name. Biblical names are packed full of symbolism with different meanings. Some examples are provided in the table below.

Symbolism	Name	Meaning	Scripture
Origin	Adam	Ground	Genesis 2:7
Purpose	Abraham	Father of many	Genesis 17:5
Characteristic	Isaac	Laughter	Genesis 21:1-7
Circumstance	Israel	Wrestles with God	Genesis 32:28
Honoring of God	Jonathan	Gift from God	1 Samuel 18:3-4

Depending on the Bible version, the name ‘Jesus’ is found in the New Testament between 983 (KJV) and 1273 (NIV) times. This is second only to the number of times “God” is used.  We know that there is power in His name but how well do we understand that the meaning of His name describes that power? Knowing the significance of the name provided by an angel to Joseph in a dream helps us to comprehend the authority of the One named (Matthew 1:20-24). We’ll get to that shortly .

Isn’t it fascinating that the name of Jesus is spoken by believers and nonbelievers alike?  Followers of Jesus speak His name in faith and conviction.  For both the lost and saved, His name is frequently used in vain. Taking His name in vain is taking God’s name in vain which is strictly forbidden (Third Commandment; Exodus 20:7) and a sin I confess to have committed. I looked up the various definitions of “vain” and it means ‘empty, idle, insincere, frivolous or lacking substance.’ These couldn’t be further from the truth of who Jesus is and how we should honor His name.

There is something so powerful in His name that even those among us who are spiritually dead as well as demons (Luke 8:26-28; ) call it out, albeit usually with blasphemous intent. Taking the Lord’s name in vain can occur in ways other than the strict definition of ‘empty or frivolous.’ Profanity is the form we are most familiar with. Profanities against God and Jesus are rampant in Hollywood productions. Yet, I’ve never heard the names of Allah, Brahman, or Buddha used in vain in movies or other forms of entertainment.  That certainly cannot be out of reverence, fear, or even respect. I believe it is because they are no threat to Satan since they are false deities. Only the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is the true God and is hated by the evil one with such vehemence that blasphemies of the Holy Trinity are commonplace. Whether intentional as part of regular conversation, used to punctuate a point, or by slip of tongue in a fit of anger, Exodus 20:7 conveys that “the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.”  The power of the name of Jesus draws us to Him in love and obedience. There is also the unholy temptation to misuse it.

The Lord’s name can also be mistreated when making commitments (e.g., I swear to God). The Bible says that our word should be enough so let our ‘yes be yes’ and our ‘no be no’ (Matthew 5:37; James 5:12).  Furthermore, it seems that hypocrisy should be right up there with the other forms of misusing God’s name. As a follower of Christ, saying one thing and then doing another is an affront to God (see Luke 6:46; Romans 7:15-20; James 4:17).  As we read through the Holy Scriptures, praise God that they are filled with guidance and instructions for holy living.  Doubters that His Word is alive and active would be advised to prayerfully meditate on the powerful words of Hebrews 4:12:

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

A few of the many reasons people say the name ‘Jesus’ have been addressed, yet I can’t help but wonder what visually comes to mind when His name is used. There were no paintings or statues of Jesus that were made during His lifetime. Since then, however, the number of statues and paintings of the Lord are too many to count, in fact, He is the most painted figure in all Western art. Representations of Jesus are more about symbolism and meaning, rather than historical accuracy and likely are not accurate at all. So in my pondering (because I like to ponder), will Jesus look like the Suffering Servant described by the Prophet Isaiah – “He had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire Him (Isaiah 53:2)? Or will His appearance be that as described in the Revelation of Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:14-16), given to John on Patmos (e.g., white hair like wool or snow, eyes like a flame of fire, feet like brass as if refined in a furnace, countenance like the shining sun)?

Is it folly to give time and weight to such considerations? Given that we are often driven by our senses and emotions, it is understandable. Yet, the disciples who walked with the Lord during His earthly ministry (some of whom wrote books about Him) never provided any visual description of Jesus. Was this because graven images were forbidden (Exodus 20:4-6) or that we would likely focus too much on outside appearance (1 Samuel 16:7)? Conceivably, the message and the heart of Jesus, rather than His appearance, is where we ought to set our sights. Persuaded by this, let’s not dwell on speculation of His physical attributes, but rather redirect to the power of His name, which in turn, should compel us to humbly submit to His authority.

It may seem we traveled from Tennessee to Florida by way of Texas, so thank you for your patience. We have just one more little side trip to make before we get to the theme of this post…unpacking the name of Jesus.  Familiarity with the terms translation and transliteration will help in understanding changes from Hebrew to Greek and so on.  A translation conveys meaning, whereas a transliteration is a letter-to-letter switch (meaning that letters in one language are swapped for letters in another language that make the same or similar sounds). Keep these in mind as you read on.

OK…we are here at last. The name “Jesus” was a relatively common Jewish name through the beginning of the second century AD. When we read “Jesus of Nazareth” that is likely to distinguish Him from others with the same name. However, it would have been Yeshua in Hebrew which is a contracted (shortened) form of Yehoshua/Jehoshua. It is the same name as “Joshua.” Let that sink in for a minute and we’ll come back to it, but before we do, we are going to follow the ‘Name above all names’ (Philippians 2:9) to its current English version.

Yeshua (Hebrew) translated into Greek is Iesous which is Jesu in the Latin transliteration.  Finally, Jesu in the English transliteration, became Jesus.  To understand the meaning of the name “Jesus” we cannot look to the current English version; we must go back to its Hebrew origin, which brings us back to Joshua. Remember, that Yeshua (Yehoshua) is also Jehoshua or Joshua. It is believed that the name Joshua was never used in reference to Jesus in Bible translations to avoid confusion with Joshua of the Old Testament. 

The name Jesus or Joshua derives from its Hebrew roots meaning “the Lord is salvation or “Yahweh saves.”  Like Joshua from the Old Testament (who was a foreshadowing of our Lord), Jesus delivered His people from their bondage. But unlike the Joshua who led the Israelites into the promised land, Jesus offers salvation for all people, reconciling them to God and life eternal for those who call upon His name (Romans 10:13). Jesus shoulders this name not merely as an instrument of God’s saving grace. He embodied this salvation in His own person as Immanuel, “God with us” (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23).

Names have the power to communicate something significant. The name “Jesus/Yeshua” was given by the angel to Mary and Joseph because “He shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). He wasn’t just another Joshua, He was the true Joshua who fulfilled the meaning of the name as no one else could. His name saves: “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:.” (John 1:12).  We, who receive Jesus, are associated with His name and therefore with His person, deity, and work. We are baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19).  My hope is for us to prayerfully ask the Father to convert this knowledge into wisdom (James 1:5 & 3:7) so we can live our lives in a way that glorifies His name far above every other name (John 17:24). Amen? Amen!