The Name of Jesus

Advent Day #4

And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Matthew 1:21

            Jesus was a relatively common name in first-century Judea. Jesus was the Greek version of the Old Testament name, Jehoshua, or Joshua, as it was shortened to. As the verse describes, the name means that Jehovah saves. But Jesus was only the first name of Jesus’ proper name. Matthew 1:18 uses His full name.

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

            Jesus the Christ combined His human name with His divine name. Christ means “the Anointed One” or the Messiah. His supernatural birth avoided the sin passed down from Adam since the Garden of Eden, making Him fully human and fully God. In that very Garden, God had promised that the seed of a woman would one day come to bruise the serpent’s head. (Genesis 3:15) The curse of sin that brought shame, suffering, and separation from God could now be broken. Jesus the Christ had come to save His people from their sins.

            Sin is just as much a crisis today as it was two thousand years ago. Every person still needs to call upon the name of Jesus for His salvation. Christmas is such a wonderful time of year to speak His name! If you have not yet placed your faith only in Jesus, the Bible says, For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Romans 10:13 And if you have already called upon His name, speak His name boldly with anyone who will listen because that is why He came that very first Christmas.