‘The Name Jesus’

While meditating on the verse “And when eight days were completed for his circumcision, he was named Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived” (Luke 2:21), I desire to receive the grace that comes from this meditation:

(1)    When I meditate on this verse — “he was named Jesus” (Lk. 2:21) — I have been particularly struck by the phrase.  According to Scripture it says, “as the angel had named him before he was conceived” [“they named him ‘Jesus,’ just as the angel had instructed before he was conceived” (Modern Korean Bible)] (v. 21).  Here the “angel” is the angel Gabriel (1:26), and what Gabriel told Mary was, “You will conceive and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus” (v. 31).

(a)    When I reflect on the name “Jesus,” Matthew 1:21 comes to mind: “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”  And while pondering the command “you shall call his name Jesus”, I looked up the Greek verb “καλέσεις” (kalēseis) on the internet.

(i)                 In doing so I found that this Greek word appears not only in Matthew 1:21 but also in vv. 23 and 25.  In v. 23 it says, “they will call his name Immanuel”, and in v. 25 it says, “and he was called Jesus”.

·         While meditating on these three verses I noticed a chiasm (A — B — A′): (A) “you shall call his name Jesus” (v. 21), (B) “they will call his name Immanuel” (v. 23), (A′) “they called his name Jesus” (v. 25). (Chiasm: “a symmetrical parallel structure used in Hebrew literature; when applied to biblical interpretation it is a method aimed at gaining deeper insight into a passage.  Interpreting a passage through its chiastic structure helps grasp the overall unity and harmony of Scripture and uncover hidden meaning.  The chiastic structure highlights the central message of the text and leaves a strong impression on the reader” (Internet).  Reflecting in this way, I concluded that the core message of Matthew 1:21, 23, and 25 is that “Jesus” (vv. 21, 25) [(A) & (A′)] is “Immanuel” (v. 23) (B).

-          “Immanuel” in Hebrew means “God with us.”  Isaiah spoke to King Ahaz during the Syro-Ephraimite crisis and promised a sign from the Lord: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isa. 7:14).  This name proclaims that God himself will be present among his covenant people (Internet).

n  Matthew, in Matthew 1:23, quotes Isaiah 7:14; by applying the title “Immanuel” to Jesus, Matthew presents him as the long-awaited Messiah in whom God definitively dwells with humanity (Matthew presents Him as the long-awaited Messiah in whom God definitively dwells with humanity).  The fact that this expression occurs only once in the New Testament underscores the unique and climactic fulfillment in Christ (Internet).

-          When I meditate on the word “Immanuel,” John 1:14 comes to mind: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us….”  This incarnation of Jesus means that God came in the sinless human body to be with his people and to save them (cf. 2 Cor. 5:21: “God made the one who knew no sin to be sin for us, that in him we might become the righteousness of God”), (Ref.: Internet).

n  The name “Immanuel” guarantees that those who believe in Jesus are never abandoned, and it frames Jesus’ final words: “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Mt. 28:20) (Internet).

(b)    As I meditate on the command “you shall call his name Jesus” (Lk. 2:21) and the statement “they will call his name Immanuel” (Mt. 1:23), I also recalled and discovered several Korean gospel songs and short meditation pieces:

(i)                 Korean gospel songs:

·         The first gospel song is titled “That Name (The Name Jesus).” Its lyrics begin: “Jesus — oh, that name / I cannot speak it / The secret in that name / The love in that name / That love I cannot tell / Its fullness I cannot express / It has become a mystery — that name / A mystery to people, though the Builder’s rejected stone / The name engraved on my heart / A beautiful jewel, a precious secret in me / A joy hidden in my heart / Jesus — oh, that name / I cannot speak the secret of that name / The love in that name.”

-          The lyricist, poet Myung-hee Song, who has cerebral palsy from birth, wrote this gospel song.  Through this hymn she expresses gratitude for being adopted as God’s child by faith in Jesus and confesses her daily praise and love for the Lord who gives new life each day (Ref.: Internet).

n  “This hymn sings of the secret and astonishing love hidden in the name of Jesus.  It confesses such sublime and abundant love that human words cannot fully express” (Internet)

·         The second gospel song is Jeong-mi Song’s “Precious Name, Jesus”: “Jesus my Lord, the most precious name in the world / Oh — Jesus my life, Jesus who saved me / Jesus who took on a human body and was born into this world / Jesus my Lord, a name made secret to people / Oh — Jesus my hope, Jesus who gives me eternal life / Christ crucified, precious name Jesus / Jesus my Lord, the name of God’s wisdom / Oh — Jesus my praise, Jesus who gives me peace / The Christ who bore all suffering, precious name Jesus / Jesus gives me peace, the Christ who bore all suffering, precious name Jesus.”

·         The third gospel song is “Immanuel,” written by our church accompanist Mrs. Kim Kyung-hye: “Immanuel / Immanuel / God is spirit / Therefore, let those who worship worship in spirit and truth / Amen.”

(ii)               Short Word Meditations:

·         “… Acts 4:12 clearly tells us: ‘There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.’  What does this mean?  It means that the only name among humankind by which we can be saved is the name Jesus (meaning: God is salvation).  In other words, we can be saved only through Jesus….”

·         “… The apostle Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, boldly declared before opposing religious leaders that only by ‘the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth’ can one be saved (Acts 4:10; cf. vv. 7, 12, 17, 18).  The religious leaders threatened Peter and John: ‘Do not speak or teach in the name of Jesus’ (v. 18).  Just as the hymn ‘That Name, Jesus’ says, ‘people rejected that name like the rejected stone of the builder,’ the religious leaders who persecuted the apostles hated the name Jesus because they did not understand the secret and love contained in that name, and they tried to silence the apostles: ‘Do not speak to anyone in that name’ (v. 17).  But I think that for Peter and John, the name ‘Jesus’ was ‘a name engraved on my heart, a beautiful jewel, a precious secret to me, a joy hidden in my heart; Jesus — oh, that name, I cannot speak the secret of that name, the love of that name.’  Therefore Peter, at the temple gate, said to the lame man begging there, ‘Silver and gold I do not have, but what I have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk’ (3:6). …”

·         “Immanuel God who rescues us from every hardship”: “Beloved family, even if brothers and sisters jealously forsake us, ‘yet God was with Joseph (us).’  The Immanuel God who is with us has ‘delivered him (us) out of all adversities’ and will continue to deliver him (us) now and in the future (Acts 7:9–10, Modern Korean Bible).”

·         “With faith in Immanuel God …”: “Even if a great storm in life sinks the ship called ‘home’ (see Matt. 8:24), by faith in Immanuel God (1:23) I want to find rest in the Lord and sing, ‘Throughout my life the way I go may be smooth like a calm river, or in great storms terrifying and difficult, yet my soul is always at peace—my soul is peaceful, my soul, my soul at peace’ (from the hymn ‘Throughout My Life the Path I Go,’ verse 1 and refrain), trusting in the Immanuel God (cf. 2 Thess. 1:7; Heb. 4:11).”