How do you choose a name? Young friends just named their first born Brady. They considered Payton if they had been given a girl. These are great names in the NFL. Another family chose the mother’s maiden name as their son’s middle name. A boy named Gray did our corporate scripture reading Sunday. His name runs in our family! Of all the great names in the world, the greatest of all is Jesus, which means God saves. In Hebrew the name is Joshua, in Greek Jesus.
There were many Joshuas as well as others named Jesus in the first century world. Their names may have revealed their parents’ wish for the coming of salvation. Jesus fulfilled the name, perfectly. He, himself, embodied and fulfilled God’s promise of salvation to all who believe.
After the brutality of crucifixion came vindication through resurrection. Someday all people will bow at the name of Jesus. Every tongue, mine and yours, for example, will say Jesus Christ is Lord giving glory to God the Father. Since it is inevitable we might as well get started. Peter and John were right, “There is no other name given among humans by which we must be saved.” Jesus.
