BSN: The Name “Jesus”

Related links: Jesus = Joshua

Joseph and Mary were each told by an angel to name their first child, conceived by the Holy Spirit, “Jesus.”
- Joseph was told by an unnamed angel that the child his wife would bear should be named “Jesus” - Matt 1:18-21
- Mary was told by the angel Gabriel that her first child should be named “Jesus” – Luke 1:26-31; 2:21
The name “Jesus” means “The Lord saves” or “The Lord is salvation.” This is understood by tracing the name to its Hebrew roots. That is, in Hebrew, the name “Jesus” is “Joshua” or “Yeshua.” That Hebrew name is a combination of the Hebrew word for “Lord” and the Hebrew word for “save” or “salvation. There’s more detail on this at Jesus = Joshua.
“Jesus” was a common name in Jesus’ day. For this reason, his name was sometimes accompanied by a fact that might distinguish him from other men with the same name – such as “of Nazareth” (Differentiators for the Name “Jesus”).
It is interesting that heaven chose a common name for the miracle infant. It is also interesting that Joshua is the name Moses gave his chief assistant, whose birth name was Hoshea. See more at Joshua.