Old Testament tradition

Anyone who knows a little about Spanish culture is certainly familiar with two first names such as José María or Jesús María, etc. Although unusual for our ears and tradition, the fact remains that the Spanish commonly use Jesús – Jesus as a first name. However, this name is not used in most Christian Europe. The name Jesus is of Hebrew origin and means… “The LORD (YHVH) saves; The LORD is salvation .” In Jesus’ time, the newer form Ješú ( a ) was already used. The original Hebrew name of Yehoshua is also found in the Old Testament. Several people have it. The first of them is Joshua, the son of Nun, who is known as the war leader of the Israelites and Moses’ guide during the ascent and descent from Mount Sinai. He was the guardian of the entrance to the tent of revelation and the leader of the people to the Promised Land (Sir 46,1). The book of Sirach, therefore, calls him Moses’ successor in prophecy. 2 Kr 23.8 writes about another Joshua who was a city commander. The city gate of Jerusalem was also named after him. Thus, such a commander had to be distinguished by extraordinary faithful service and loyalty to the king. Thirdly, let’s mention the high priest Josue, Josedek’s son. He is mentioned together with the Judean deputy Zerubbabel as the restorer of the temple (Hag 1,1). Raised in spirit, High Priest Joshua was cleansed of guilt, gifted with new authority, and entrusted with additional duties. The prophet Zechariah gives the high priest Joshua the rank of an anointed one, and he will be crowned after the restoration of the temple (Zech 3-4; 6). The books of Ezra-Nehemiah call it a shorter versionYeshua, which sounds almost the same as the later Aramaic form of the name Jesus.

From this brief overview, we see that the persons who bore the name of Joshua played an important role in leading the Israelites to the Promised Land, in the defense of the city, or the post-exile restoration of the temple. Undoubtedly, the figure of Joshua, Moses’ successor in the prophecy, played a particularly significant role. This Joshua finished what Moses started but could not finish by himself. Moses, at the command of the LORD, led the people out of Egypt, and Joshua, at the command of the LORD, led the people into the Promised Land. The first he brought out of slavery, and the second led to the blessed land. This last image is significant for understanding the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

The name Jesus in the period of the New Testament

In the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the name Joshua is pronounced Jésús. This name is also the name of the only author of the Old Testament writing who signed his writing – Jésús, son of Sirach from Jerusalem (Sir 50,27). In the New Testament Greek text, the name Jesus has the same Greek form as all the mentioned names – Jésús. At the time when books were written with capital Greek letters, the full form of the name Joshua or Jesus looked like this – IHCOUC, where the Greek letter sigma, although it looked like our Latin “C”, was always pronounced like our “s”. In other words, it was always pronounced Jésús. However, copyists used to make abbreviations of words and especially well-known names. And so the internal letters HCOU were omitted from the Greek word IHCOUC and the abbreviation IC was created. This abbreviation is well known from the icons where it denotes the name of Jesus. The abbreviation XC similarly refers to another Greek word, XPISTOC (read Christos ) Christ. So the name Jesus has the same meaning as the name Joshua. Here I would like to mention an incident that happened three years ago to a young family. She already had several children who bore biblical names such as Jacob and Jeremiah. They wanted to name their newborn son Joshua. Surprisingly, the officials of the city officials did not see this. The local pastor had to intervene, who confirmed in writing that the name Joshua is not dangerous and that it is also found in the Bible. The reasoning worked, so now that I’m putting a cross on little Joshua’s forehead, I’ll remember what a precious name he bea

In this context, one of the greatest preachers of the Middle Ages should be mentioned – St. Bernardín of Siena (1380-1444). This Franciscan reformer is known as the Apostle of the Most Holy Name of Jesus. He brought many to conversion and reconciliation. Since he associated preaching with the Most Holy Name of Jesus and is said to have been the first to use it significantly more often than others, he also used the monogram IHS instead of the full name IHCOUC. As a great propagator of deep reverence for the name of Jesus, he is represented with this abbreviation, which is in the sun-shining disk. A hundred years later, the Jesuit fathers would become the successors of the extraordinary reverence for the name of Jesus. Originally, the abbreviation IHS was only used instead of the full name Jesus. Only much later, it began to be interpreted symbolically. It was assumed that each letter stands for a different word, of course in Latin, and thusIesus Homini Salvator meant Jesus saved man– more beautiful Jesus Saved Sinners. Although this interpretation of the name is not original, it is correct in content and deviates little from the original meaning of the name Jesus – the LORD saves or the LORD saves. All the writers of the New Testament wrote the writings of the New Testament at least 15 years after the death, resurrection, and ascension of our LORD Jesus Christ. Therefore, filled with the Holy Spirit and under the influence of his inspiration, they gave Easter meaning to many events. Therefore, when they describe the name Jesus, they immediately give it meaning not only from the name itself but especially from what Jesus did for man. Evangelists Matthew and Luke agree that the angel commanded to name Mary’s child Jesus (Mt 1:21; Lk 1:31; 2:21). The angel also explains to Joseph that he will name him Jesus, because he, Jesus, will free the people from their sins. God’s messenger explains not the name, but the role of Jesus – Jesus is the deliverer of people from their sins. None of the people can do that. Thus, the name Jesus in the case of Christ himself foreshadows a deeper meaning. It reminds us not only that his name means LORD is salvation, but that Jesus is the LORD himself – God, and that he saves man by freeing him from the slavery of sin.

Other persons in the New Testament with the name Jesus It is interesting that the New Testament also knows several other persons who have the name Jesus or Jesús. Jesus’ ancestor, the son of Eliezer, is mentioned first (Luke 3:29). The second Jesus, better known as Barabas (translated as “son of the father”), was a rebel and a murderer (Mk 15:7). Together with Jesus the Messiah, Pilate offers the people a choice (Mt 27:16-17). Certainly, the same names caused copyists to prefer not to name this rebel by the name Jésús, but only Barabbas, in many manuscripts. In the Acts of the Apostles, a certain wizard Elymus, Barjésú (“son of Jesus”; Acts 13,6-8) is mentioned. The fourth and last case of a man named Jésúsis Paul’s reliable associate also called Justus (“just”). This was Paul’s consolation (Col 4:11). In addition to Jesus the LORD, the New Testament mentions four more persons with the name Jesus – two of them have a negative character and the other two have a positive character. The last of them, Justus, is an example of an active worker in God’s kingdom.

Respect for the name

It is a sin to damage another person’s name. Everyone is sensitive to their name. On the other hand, respecting other people’s names means respecting them. Thus, the name in the basic sense of the word captures the whole person. Therefore, respecting the names of others is an expression of respect and love for them. To have respect for God’s name, LORD is even one of the Ten Commandments of God. And in this commandment, is also an expression of respect and love for God the Creator and Liberator. Let’s go back to the name Jesus. The word of St. Paul the Apostle to the Philippians beautifully expresses, come to a living faith in tradition. He wrote to the Philippians that God, in his salvation plan, exalted Jesus above all and gave him a name that is above every other name. He did this so that in the name of Jesus every knee would bow in heaven, on earth, and in the underworld and that every tongue confesses that Jesus, the Messiah, is Lord! Paying respect to the name of Jesus is not a humiliation for anyone, but it is an expression of our faith in the glory of God the Father (Phil 2,9-11). Worshiping the name of Jesus is not a magic formula that saves from evil. Worshiping the name of Jesus in true faith – that is, worshiping Jesus as a man and God in one person – is a profession of faith and giving praise to God’s condescension for his saving plan with us. To call on the name of Jesus is to bend the knee and bow the heart before the one who is God and man with a humble heart in one person. Calling on Jesus is the prayer of a good thief asking for salvation. As Joshua led the people to the Promised Land, so Jesus leads those who call to him to paradise (Luke 23:42). Let us often call on Jesus as LORD and have hope! You don’t have to wait for January 3, when there is any remembrance of the Most Holy Name, Jesus. Let us call with hope, Jesus, remember us…