A Pastor’s Perspective

“So What’s in a Name?” by Mike Hill, pastor of Calvary Chapel Aberdeen (mjhill@ida.net)

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“Are you gonna name the next one Jesus?”  My wife and I named our son after the man God sent to Egypt in order to save His people from starvation (Genesis 37-50).  We named our second child after the woman who was a devoted, intensely worshipful follower of Jesus and even became the first evangelist to spread the good news of Christ’s resurrection (Matthew 28:1; John 20:18).  The names we chose indicated the quality of character we wanted God to instill in our children.  When we only had two children, our friends would ask, “What are their names?”  We’d proudly respond, “Joseph and Mary.”  Without missing a beat, people would usually ask, “So, is the next one gonna be Jesus?”  We all would chuckle.  Of course not.  Our third child was a girl.

The name “Jesus” is the transliteration of the Hebrew name “Joshua” and literally means “Jehovah is salvation” or “God is salvation.”  This was a common name in the Hebrew culture.  I wonder if many parents named their child “Joshua” hoping that he just may become the one to crush the serpent’s head and deliver God’s people from their sins (cf. Genesis 3:15).  Though there were many boys whose name meant “God is salvation,” there was ultimately only one Person who could fulfill that role. 

Paul the apostle warned of “another Jesus” who is not the true Jesus of the Bible.  Many misguided people trust in “another Jesus” to their own demise (2Corinthians 11:4).  The fact that the name “Jesus” is used in a conversation or even plastered upon a church building does not mean the true Jesus is being represented.  Jesus Himself gave His followers a head’s up concerning “false christs” who unsuspecting crowds will follow (Matthew 24:24).  Many religions refer to a Jesus.  For example, the Koran mentions Jesus but does not consider Him to be the Son of God.  New Age speaks of a “Christ-consciousness.”  Hindus believe Jesus is simply one of many avatars or gods to show the way.  While yet another religion says that Jesus is the result of a physical relationship between God the Father and Mary. Each one of these religions has a completely different view of Jesus.  They basically are describing a different Jesus, and all cannot be true.  This makes a person want to say, “Will the real Jesus please stand up!”  The true Jesus is presented in the Bible, the most accurate resource since it is inspired by God Himself (2Timothy 3:16-17).

The Bible introduces us to Jesus who is the Creator of all things (John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:15), is co-existent and co-eternal with the Father and Spirit (Matthew 28:19), claimed to be the “I AM” who spoke to Moses from the burning bush (Exodus 3:14; John 8:58), who was not the offspring of a physical relationship between God the Father and Mary but the unique, one and only, Son of God (John 3:16).  The Bible presents God the Father as not having physical body parts, but “God is Spirit” (John 4:24) and Spirit is not made of “flesh and bones” (Luke 24:39).  Jesus is the One who clothed Himself with flesh and bone.  He alone is the God-Man, fully God and fully human (John 1:1-3, 14; 1Timothy 2:5b; 3:16; Hebrews 1:8-12).  He has the power to heal, to forgive sin, and will one day judge the living and the dead. Jesus has the name above all names and is worthy of our worship (Philippians 2:10-11; Matthew 28:9).

If my wife and I did have a child named “Jesus” it would be silly and wrong for people to place their faith in our child for salvation because of his name.  Yet, many people believe in “another Jesus” today.  Do you know the real Jesus of the Bible?