Jesus

Greek: Iesous

Vine's: “a transliteration of the Heb. ‘Joshua,' meaning ‘Jehovah is salvation,' i.e., ‘is the Savior.'”

Thayer's: “Jesus…i.e. whose help is Jehovah.”

As both references note, the word “Jesus” was a name that was not uncommon among the Jews. It is the Greek name for the Hebrew “Joshua.” We know Joshua as the great military general of the Old Testament. He succeeded Moses as the leader of Israel and led the campaign to conquer Canaan land. He was a man of faith, being only one of two to declare from the start that they could take the land just as God had said (Num. 13, 14). For his faith he was one of two of the generation to come out of Egypt to enter the Promised Land. He believed “Jehovah is salvation.”

The Jesus with whom we are most familiar, however, is Jesus the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Jesus of Nazareth, as He is also known, was given His name by God. In a dream Joseph was told this would be His name (Matt. 1:21). Mary was informed as the angel spoke to her (Lk. 1:31). God chose this name as a way of conveying to the people the nature and mission of His Son. He was there to declare and make concrete the fact that “Jehovah is salvation.” No other name is as appropriate for the Savior of man.

Names in ancient times carried meaning.  Examine the children of Jacob to see an example of this. Leah's first born was called “Ruben” which means “See, a Son” (Gen. 29:31, 32). He was so named because Leah was less loved than Rachel and God blessed her with a son. Leah praised God for the birth of her fourth son, so his name was “Judah” which means praise (Gen. 29:35). The prophet Elijah's name means God (El) Jehovah (jah); Jehovah is God.

When we use Jesus' name, we need to remember what it means; Jehovah is salvation. We must look to Him as the author and finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:2). As we use His name and remind ourselves of its meaning, it will help us focus on what matters.