Matthew 1:21 “And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His
people from their sins.”
I remember when I was in elementary school how everyone made fun of each other’s name. It was
laughable at first until it developed into an insult. One of my classmates even argued that his name was
special because it was given to him by his parents.
Today, we do not put too much significance on the names we give to our children. Our reasons vary,
from being sentimental with the name to naming them after a favorite anime character. However, in
ancient times, names bore either the family’s legacy or the fate of the person carrying the name.
The name Jesus came from the Hebrew word Yeshua, which is a shortened form of Yehoshua, meaning
“Yahweh Saves.” So the very name of Jesus not only declares the truth of God’s deliverance but also
speaks of the work Jesus is expected to do. How so?
The name Jesus is also the Greek equivalent of Joshua. Joshua was the successor of Moses and was
responsible for leading Israel safely to the Promised Land. Another Joshua, mentioned in Haggai, led
Israel back to Canaan after their exile. Both Joshuas were responsible for bringing God’s people to the
land God promised them. Likewise, Jesus is expected to lead His people—but unlike His predecessors,
He will not save them from slavery, exile, or any other form of captivity such as poverty or emotional
distress. Instead, He will save His people from their greatest trouble: sin.
Jesus guarantees salvation and He indeed accomplished it. The Bible even reveals that “there is no other
name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Speaking
of Jesus’ humility and sacrifice, Paul declares that God “highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the
name which is above every name.” (Philippians 2:9).
This is important because every one of us longs to be saved from destruction. We all desire someone we
can rely on. If the Bible states that all of us have sinned and that no one is righteous before God, then
we can be sure that no human being—no matter how religious or morally upright—can save us. It is only
through the God-Man Jesus Christ, whose name bears our salvation.
To you reading this, it is time to stop trusting others for your salvation and assurance and to start
trusting in the name of Jesus Christ. Nothing can secure us more—not the saints who have gone before
us, nor the leaders of our churches today—but only the name that is above every name: Jesus Christ!
