What significance does the name "Jesus" hold in Luke 2:21? The Setting: A Child Named on the Eighth Day – “When eight days were completed for His circumcision, He was named Jesus, the name the angel had given Him before He had been conceived.” (Luke 2:21) – The eighth-day circumcision identifies Jesus with the covenant people of Israel (Genesis 17:12). – Naming at circumcision underlines both covenant membership and divine purpose woven together from the start of His earthly life. Meaning of the Name “Jesus” – Greek Iēsous translates Hebrew Yehoshua/Yeshua, meaning “Yahweh is salvation” or “The LORD saves.” – The name is therefore a declaration, not merely a label. Every time it is spoken, it proclaims God’s saving action. Old Testament Echoes in the Name – Joshua, Moses’ successor, bore the same name and led Israel into the Promised Land (Numbers 13:16; Joshua 1:1-2). Jesus is the greater Joshua who leads God’s people into eternal rest (Hebrews 4:8-9). – Repeated promises that “salvation belongs to the LORD” (Psalm 3:8; Isaiah 45:21-22) converge in the child whose very name embodies that salvation. – Exodus 14:13, “Stand firm and you will see the LORD’s salvation,” foreshadows the One now revealed. Fulfillment of Angelic Instruction – Gabriel told Mary: “You will conceive and give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus.” (Luke 1:31) – Joseph heard the same directive: “You are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21) – Obedient parents underscore that the child’s identity and mission originate in heaven, not human choice. Salvation Embodied in a Name – The naming is the first public act declaring Jesus’ mission; the cross and resurrection will unveil what the name already announces. – “There is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) – His name is therefore both proclamation and promise: God has personally entered history to rescue. Practical Takeaways for Believers Today – Saying “Jesus” is confessing that the LORD saves; it centers faith on God’s redemptive work, not human effort. – The precision of fulfilled prophecy (Luke 1:31; 2:21) assures us that every Word of God is trustworthy. – As circumcision marked covenant belonging, so bearing His name in baptism and daily life marks believers as people of the New Covenant (Colossians 2:11-12). – Remembering the meaning of His name fuels worship, evangelism, and confidence: the Savior’s very identity is salvation. |
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