What is the meaning of the nameJesus? What does the nameJesusmean?
The name Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew Joshua (Jehoshua), and it means "Jehovah is salvation" — or, as it is commonly expressed, "Jehovah the Saviour." It was not a name chosen by men but commanded by the angel to Joseph: "Thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). The name thus declares both who He is and what He came to do.
Edward Dennett devotes an entire chapter to this in The Name Above Every Name:
Edward DennettAs may be seen from Hebrews 4:8, Jesus is the Greek form of Joshua, or Jehoshua, which signifies "Jehovah is salvation," or "whose salvation is Jehovah." There is therefore ample justification for the common observation that the name Jesus means Jehovah the Saviour. If so, what a subject for contemplation, yea, and for adoration, is thus brought before our souls! A child born into the world, of lowly parentage in man's esteem, is declared, divinely declared, to be Jehovah the Saviour!
Dennett connects the name directly to the purpose for which it was given:
The name Jesus was given in connection with His work, "for," it was added, "He shall save His people from their sins."
And he extends its reach beyond Israel:
Well then may we praise God continually for His wondrous grace... and well, too, may our hearts be filled with gratitude at the mention of the name of JESUS, for He it is who has secured everything for us.
J.N. Darby states it with characteristic directness in his exposition of the Gospels:
J.N. DarbyIn Matthew the Lord is considered as Emmanuel the promised Messiah, Jehovah who saves His people from their sins. "Jehovah the Saviour" is the meaning of the name Jesus.
Morrish's Bible Dictionary gives this concise entry:
Morrish's Bible DictionaryJesus, The Lord. Jesus is the pre-announced name of the Son of God as man. It signifies 'Jehovah the Saviour.' Matt. 1:21.
It notes that the Greek form "Jesus" corresponds to the Hebrew "Joshua" (Acts 7:45; Heb. 4:8), and that while others bore the name, in its full significance it belongs to the Lord alone.
An article in The Christian's Friend (1895) unfolds how this name gathers up the whole Old Testament revelation of Jehovah:
Yes, the God who heard the groaning of His people Israel in Egypt, who saw their affliction, heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters, knew their sorrows, and came down to redeem them out of Egypt... it was He, the same God, the same Jehovah, the El Shaddai known to the patriarchs, who now came into this world as a Babe. But if a Babe, He came, blessed be His name for ever, as the Saviour of His people. Surely we may say that the shadows were fleeing away, and that the darkness which had hitherto shrouded God from His people was fast disappearing. It was indeed the blessed dawn of the day of grace.
An article in Our Spiritual Wealth (1969) highlights how every compound Jehovah-name in the Old Testament finds its fulfilment in Jesus:
The Name Jesus actually means, "Jehovah the Saviour." In the Old Testament the Name of Jehovah is ever before us, but there are special mentions of it as "Jehovah-jireh"... Other Scriptures give us Jehovah-nissi, Jehovah-rapha, Jehovah-shalom, Jehovah-tsidkenu and Jehovah-shammah, each one giving some special feature of the Name of the Lord. Every one of these precious names is enfolded for us in the Name of Jesus, and brings us down in worship and adoration before Him whose Name it is.
Others had borne the name of Jesus, but there is only One who has expressed what the name means, and only One worthy to bear it.
In summary, the name Jesus (Hebrew Jehoshua) means "Jehovah the Saviour" or "Jehovah is salvation." It was commanded by the angel and declares two inseparable truths: who He is — Jehovah Himself, come into the world as a man — and what He came to do — to save His people from their sins. The name ties the incarnation directly to the work of the cross. Every compound Jehovah-name in the Old Testament — Jehovah-jireh (the Lord will provide), Jehovah-rapha (the Lord who heals), Jehovah-shalom (the Lord our peace), Jehovah-tsidkenu (the Lord our righteousness) — is gathered up and fulfilled in the one name Jesus. Others bore the name before Him (Joshua the son of Nun), but only One has fully expressed its meaning and is worthy to bear it eternally.