1Mt 1:21

The name ‘Jesus’ is without doubt the greatest name ever given to man, for "there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). This name is the name of our Mediator, our Saviour and Lord, Jesus Christ.

About 700 years before the Lord Jesus Christ was born, the prophet Isaiah had prophesied his birth in the words: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel" (Isa 7:14). This prophecy is referred to in the apostle Matthew’s inspired account of the birth of the Lord, at which place we are also told that ‘Immanuel’ or ‘Emmanuel’ means ‘God with us’ (Mt 1:23).

It is therefore somewhat surprising that when the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, he told him to call the child whom Mary was carrying "Jesus" (Mt 1:21). There is no doubt that this was the will of God, and neither do we have any doubt that Immanuel and Jesus is the same person.

Why then was Jesus given another name other than the name that was prophesied? I believe the name ‘Immanuel’ was not intended as a name to address the Lord by. "and [she] shall call his name Immanuel" is a prophetic device to emphasise the fact that the virgin born child, will be no ordinary man, but will, in fact, be the God-Man, in whom "dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily" (Col 2:9).

The name Jesus on the other hand speaks of the purpose for the incarnation, and was intended by the Lord to be used by God’s people to address their Saviour.

The name ‘Jesus’ is the anglicism of the Greek jIhsou`" (Iêsous, pronounced Ee-ay-soose), which in turn is the Greek form of the Hebrew ['vuwhoyÒ (pronounced Yeh-ho-shoo-ah), which is usually translated Joshua or Jehoshua. Joshua or Jehoshua means "Jehovah is salvation."

When the angel of the Lord announced that the name of the child would be ‘Jesus,’ he also gave the reason: "for he shall save his people from their sins" (Mt 1:21).

This statement says a lot about the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ.

First, we see that people need to be saved or rescued from their sin. Because of sin, we are guilty and deserve the wrath and curse of God; and moreover, we are by nature dead in sin and trespasses, and therefore bounded to sin and Satan. We need to be saved from the punishment due to our sin and from our bondage to sin.

Secondly, we see that our salvation from sin must be accomplished in the way appointed by the Lord, namely by a redeemer. We cannot save ourselves by our own effort, nor may we be saved in any other way apart from Christ Jesus.

Thirdly, we see that the Lord Jesus Christ came to save sinners and not merely to make salvation possible. He did not come to satisfy some preconditions so that sinners may be offered salvation. He came to save them and all whom he came to save will be saved.

Fourthly, we see that the Lord Jesus Christ did not come to save the whole world, nor to attempt to do so. He came to save "his people." Who are his people? They are not the Jews, but those whom the Father has given unto Him, namely the elect throughout the ages (cf. Jn 17:9, 11).