Upon hearing the name “Jesus”, almost everyone today thinks of one person. Yet during His life, that was a fairly common name. “Jesus” is our English translation of a Greek translation of a Hebrew name: Yeshua – or Joshua. That’s not an unusual name for a traveling Jewish preacher. Yet how his parents landed on that name for their firstborn is anything but common. The virgin Mary learned from a visit by the angel Gabriel that she would be overshadowed by the power of the Most High and bear a son. It was during this visit that the heavenly messenger first declared, “you shall call His name Jesus” (Lk. 1:26-31). That message was reinforced a few months later to Mary’s betrothed, Joseph. The angel also told him why God gave that name: “for He will save His people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). That’s what “Jesus” in Greek or “Joshua” in Hebrew means: God saves.
Names were deeply significant to God’s people throughout their history (cf. Gen. 3:20). The names of Jacob’s twelve sons each meant something (cf. Gen. 29:31-30:24, 35:16-19). Moses’ name came from the way he was drawn out of the water (cf. Ex. 2:10). Jesus nicknamed Simon “Rock”, perhaps teasing him a bit for his hard-headed nature while giving him an aspiration to grow steadier (cf. Jn. 1:42). So, with “Jesus” – a common name uncommonly given – God made a powerful statement about what His Son would accomplish: He would save us.
Remember also, Joshua was Israel’s leader after Moses. He alone accompanied Moses on Mount Sinai to receive the Law and into the Tabernacle where God spoke to Moses like a friend (cf. Ex. 24:12-13, 33:11). Joshua was confident in God’s ability to give them the Promised Land and was one of only two people over the age of twenty to survive Israel’s wilderness wandering (cf. Num. 14:26-38). It was Joshua who ultimately led the people to receive the inheritance God had promised them through Moses and to find rest in the land (cf. Josh. 11:23).
Jesus would be all of that and so much more. He is God’s presence with His people – the Word become flesh, the One at the Father’s side making Him known (cf. Jn. 1:14, 18). He is the fulfillment of everything Moses wrote and all of God’s promises (cf. Lk. 24:44, 2 Cor. 1:20). And the rest Jesus gives? It is so much greater. “For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on…Let us therefore strive to enter that rest” (Heb. 4:8, 11). That’s what Jesus offers: “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28).
This is Jesus: through Him, God saves us from our sins and gives us true rest.
As different people encountered Jesus, they had all sorts of reactions. How do you see Him? This is Jesus: learn more at https://www.georgetownchurchofchrist.com/this-is-jesus.