Bible Stories

Jesus

Was a common first name for a Jewish man. Nine others of this name are known at the time. It was the Greek version of three common Hebrew names,

Joshua, Jehoshua and Jeshua. This was the name by which Jesus was known in his lifetime, and it occurs nearly 600 “ales in the Gospels. Its meaning was: ‘The Lord (Yahweh) is my help’ or ‘Yahweh rescues’. Later New Testament writers use the name rarely; only the writer to the Hebrews uses it much. It stresses Jesus‘ humanity, as the carpenter of Nazareth.

Lord

Outside the Gospels. ‘Lord‘ is Jesus‘ dominant title. Paul uses it 222 times, and ‘Jesus is Lord‘ was the first creed for non-Jews. It was used in worship too. All ancient gods were called ‘Lord‘. Even in the Old Testament, ‘Lord‘ was read out instead of ‘Yahweh‘, which was too sacred to say. Although it could also be used simply to mean ’sir’, it chiefly expressed Christ’s rule over all, a rule that one day the whole world would recognize: ‘All will openly proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord.’

Son of man

Is a title found almost exclusively in the Gospels, used by Jesus himself. This was his self-chosen title, which the early church did not take up, since it was not so easy to understand or communicate. Its meaning is not so obvious as the other titles. In the Old Testament, it can simply be a way of saying ‘a man‘. In the book of Ezekiel, ‘son of man‘ comes ninety times and emphasizes Ezekiel’s frail humanity. But it was also used of a divine figure breaking in from heaven, whom the Jews increasingly came to expect. In the book of Daniel, the prophet’s vision portrays such a figure; but he also sees the ‘son of man‘ as a group, ‘the saints of the Most High’, who reign only after suffering.

Jesus‘ sayings include both aspects. He is human: ‘the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head’, and in particular he ‘must suffer many things’. Yet he is divine too: ‘You will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.’ Seemingly Jesus took this vague title and gave it his own meaning, stressing that his messiahship would involve rejection and death before resurrection and final return.

It was this note of suffering linked to future glory that differed so much from current expectations. Peter found it hard to accept, and it provoked a sharp argument between them: ‘Jesus began to teach … “The Son of man must suffer much and be rejected … ” Peter … began to rebuke him … “Get away from me, Satan.”

I am

At the burning bush, God revealed his personal name to Moses as ‘I am who I am‘, or simply ‘I am‘. In Hebrew this is ‘Yahweh‘ or ‘Jehovah’ in the older, inaccurate spelling).

In the New Testament. particularly John’s Gospel, Jesus used this title when speaking of himself. He used the style of deity: ‘I am the vine’, ‘I am the bread of life’, and so on. He even used God’s personal name of himself at least once: ‘Before Abraham was born, “I am“.’ His Jewish opponents knew very well what he meant. Understandably, they tried to stone him for blasphemy.

Messiah

Was the main title given to Jesus by Jewish Christians. It is a Hebrew word meaning ‘anointed’, and its Greek equivalent is ‘Christ‘. At first it was a title, ‘the Christ‘. Later it became part of his name: ‘Jesus Christ‘. Anointing was an act symbolizing that God had chosen and empowered a person, particularly a king. In the Old Testament the longing grew that God would make his people the top nation. Sometimes they thought of God doing this in person. More often, they hoped for another great king, like David, who would be their ‘Messiah’. Later such political hopes faded and the longing grew for a divine figure direct from heaven.

Many claimed to be political Messiahs in Jesus‘ day, particularly in Galilee. A Zealot group existed, and Jesus‘ disciple, Simon, was a member. Many tried to force Jesus into fulfilling this revolutionary role. Even Peter understood him in this way, and Jesus himself felt this temptation, especially since he saw himself as the fulfilment of all the varied strands of Old Testament hopes.

Misunderstanding was such a danger that he preferred to keep his messiahship a secret, unless formally challenged.

Son of God

May well be the title most used but least understood today. It was central to the first Christians in stating their belief in Jesus and expressing their worship of him. In the Old Testament, angels could be called God’s sons, as could Israel, and especially Israel’s king.

In the New Testament, Christians are God’s children. They have the privilege of calling God ‘Abbe’ — the closest family name, almost ‘Daddy’. But Jesus is the Son of God. His sonship is different in nature from his followers’. Thus Paul is careful to say that Christians are sons by adoption. And John’s Gospel records Jesus speaking of God as ‘my Father and your Father‘.

Jesus was aware from boyhood of this special relationship to God. Its centrality for him stands out at his baptism, temptation, transfiguration, trial and death. His most normal way of addressing God was as ‘Father‘, the one on whom he depended, and whom he obeyed. In John, who expounds the title most, it expresses a uniquely close relationship. In the Son, the Father can be seen with full clarity: ‘Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.’

Son of David

God had promised David that his throne would be established for ever. So the longing grew for the coming of ‘great David’s greater son‘. This was the kind of Messiah popularly expected in Jesus‘ day. In Matthew, Jesus is called ‘Son of David‘ six times, mainly by simple people. But he only accepted it once, and then reinterpreted it. The first Christians claimed that Jesus was indeed the Son of David, born in David’s city, Bethlehem.

The lamb

Is a title for Jesus little used in the New Testament, but much used by the church since! The lamb was the animal for

Sacrifice, and especially for Passover, when the blood of a young, pure, male lamb rescued God’s people from death. Philip, Peter, Paul, John the Baptist and supremely John the apostle saw Jesus thus, and especially in his death. They particularly saw this in the light of a phrase in one of Isaiah’s ’servant songs’, describing the servant as ‘like a lamb that is taken to be slaughtered’.

The Revelation uses a different Greek word and a new set of ideas. Jesus is a lamb of power and authority, to be worshipped and feared.

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