And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS,
for He will save His people from their sins.
Matthew 1:21*
The Lord’s human name occurs 983 times in the Word of God. Two-thirds of these are in the gospels, where it is used most often in the narratives and very rarely in direct address. “Jesus” almost always appears in combination with other titles such as “Christ” or “Lord” when found in the epistles. However, it appears unadorned with any additional title all but six times in the gospels. The most logical explanation for this is that the histories of Christ’s life focus on the reality of His physical presence while the doctrinal books emphasize the relevance of His advent.
Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua and literally means “Salvation.” There was nothing unusual about this common name in the Roman Empire. In fact, so many shared this name that His detractors found it necessary to call him “Jesus of Nazareth” in order to single Him out.
The same is true today. The name of Jesus is used as a curse by Christ-rejecters, but speaks of a wonderful Savior to those who love Him. The big difference is the reality of the encounter. For those who do not know Jesus, His name means nothing at all. To those who love Him, it’s beautiful!
How sweet the name of Jesus sounds
In a believer’s ear!
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,
And drives away his fear.
– John Newton (1725-1807)
*see also John 12:21, 19:19, 21:25; Ephesians 6:24; 2 Peter 1:1; plus 936 other references
December 1
