For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
Julian Grear
Can someone explain cuz I'm confused
Tracey Moran
I love the name Jesus, but have also come to love the name Yeshua. It gives much more depth of understanding to scriptures like:
Isa 12:3 "Therefore with joy you will draw water From the wells of salvation." The word salvation here, is Yeshua. He alone is our Rock and our salvation! Then the verse goes on to say..."And in that day you will say:“Praise the LORD, call upon His name; Declare His deeds among the peoples, Make mention that His name is exalted. Sing to the LORD, For He has done excellent things; This is known in all the earth. Cry out and shout, O inhabitant of Zion, For great is the Holy One of Israel in your midst!”
Thank you Father for your wonderful Salvation!
Bobby Daniel
There is no blasphemy in a name. Many claim to know the name of God. I'm fairly certain they don't or if they did, could in no way pronounce it or be able to have the capacity to say it, as it is not humanly or mentally possible. Who cares - Jesus, Yoshua... Whatever, refer to him as the Lamb, Savior, and Shepard of all mankind, and you won't go wrong in anyway. Quit searching for ways that might reject salvation and focus on the facts of Salvation. The Lamb, the Savior, and the Shepard of the Flock (Mankind).
mojisola ojuolape
Why all this controversy, call him by the name He appear to you. For instant to me His name is Savior. Because He has taken all my sin away. Hallelujah.
Bobby Daniel
Lamb, Savior, and Shepard! Enough with the names. You don't need names in Heaven!
Awo-Dede Okaiteh
On several occasions, even in the same country with closely related tribes, most words have different pronunciations, but the same meaning. However when you try mentioning someone's name in another accent, you stand to be corrected. Cos, I believe any word could be changed but a change in name is not much appreciated. Regardless, when I call on the name of Jesus, I get my results; so I guess Yeshua doesn't mind.
Charles Brown
The larger question for me has always been, why isn't His name Emmanuel? "You shall call His name Emmanuel, which means 'God is with us'". Seems like Mary and Joseph would have named Him Emmanuel. Have never understood this. It was a direct and unambiguous command for God.
Larry Truelove
I would suggest that the part about Emanuel was not a command but a prophecy. And while we don't read of biblical writers calling Him Emanuel, we modern Christians refer to Him in that name--millions of us do and fulfill prophecy every Christmas.
Eliakim Zacarias
Hey, Charles Brown. It was an interesting question... I did ignore it, since I could not explain, but someone more have this doubt. The name on the earth is not really important, it is just a tag, but the question is equally interesting. Maybe you can create a new question in the ebible.com. Tell me if you will create this topic ;)
Alex Gillan
The accusation that English speaking people should not use the name of Jesus, has it's root in cultic deception.
As has been clearly pointed out, English speaking people speak English and talk to The Lord in their native tongue (except when speaking by an unknown tongue). God is no respecter of persons, and most certainly no respecter of languages.
The view that we must only speak to God or refer to God or Jesus in the Hebrew tongue is a dangerous deception. Such teaching is from the enemies of the cross of Christ, and must be refuted.
Mac Obi
In the same New Testament we have words like 'Hosanna' and 'Halleluyah'; thus it will be great to also have Yeshua considering Acts 4:12. Thanks!
Mark Mercury
Each of the 22 Hebrew alphabet letters has an ideographic meaning. Each letter had a pictograph associated with it that conveyed a deeper meaning beyond the letter itself. So each word not only has the meaning of the word itself but also the combined meaning of the letters that comprise the word.
In Hebrew, the name “Jehovah”, is spelled “Yod” (also pronounced by some as “Yud” or “Yawd”) + “Hey” + “Vav” + “Hey”.
Yod has a pictograph of an arm or hand and carries the meaning of arm and hand/work/deed and God’s authority.
Hey has a pictograph symbol of a person with their arms up and carries the meaning Lo! Behold!
Vav’s pictograph is a peg or nail and sometimes hook. It is a connecting word so it also means and. Build and establish are part of its meaning and when used in front of a word, it can transform past into future or future to past.
Together they declare a prophetic message saying, “Behold the Hand, Behold the Nail”.
In addition, the name Yeshua and the symbolism contained within its Hebrew pictographs is interesting. The name “Yeshua” is made up of the letters, “Yud” (Hand), “Shin,” (means “destroy”), “Vav,” (“secure or establish”), and “Ayin,” (means “Eye”).
So, the name Yeshua can be translated to mean,
“The Hand that Destroys the Establishment of the Eye”
Alex Gillan
JESUS, Heb. Joshua or Jehoshua. Compare Num. 13. 8, 16, where "Oshea," v. 8, signifying "Salvation," is altered in v. 16 to "Jehoshua," "The Salvation of Jehovah," or "Jehovah the Saviour."
JEHOVAH (The LORD). The title Jehovah occurs about 7600 times, but it is generally rendered "the LORD," and only occasionally "Jehovah," as Exod. vi. 3; Ps. lxxxiii. 18; Isa. xii. 2; xxvi. 4; and in combination, as Gen. xxii. 14; Exod. xvii. 15; Judg. vi. 24; in all 7 times. 6800 times rendered "LORD," 800 times "GOD."
It first occurs, in connexion with Elohim, in Gen. ii. 4. "The LORD God (Jehovah Elohim) made." And alone, Gen. iv. 1, 3, etc.
The signification is; “He that always was, that always is, and that ever is to come”. We have it thus translated and interpreted in Rev. 1:4. "From him which is" (present participle, ὁ ὤν, the Ever-existing One), "and which was (imperfect tense, ὁ ἦν, expressing continuance in the past), "and which is to come" (present participle, ὁ ἐρχόμενος, the Coming One, ever to come).
It is a combination in marvellous perfection of the three periods of existence in one word, the future, the present, and the past.
First, YEHI, "he will be," long tense. Second, HOVE, "being," participle. Third, HAHYAH, " he was," short tense used in the past. Taking the first three letters of YEH YEH, יה, the middle two letters of hOVe, ōv, and the last two letters of hahyAH, AH, we have YEHOVAH, or JEHOVAH, in full ;יְהוָה YEH-OV-AH.
Sonya Heath
If the original name is Yehoshua which can also be Yeshua. The name was declared from the Angel Mich’ael and the decree came from Heaven!!! Calling Him anything other that Yeshua is blasphemous, in my opinion.
John Fortman
I was pleasantly surprised when I saw this question about the name Jesus. I was equally pleased when it was pointed out that Yeshua is his name in Hebrew and we recognize that Joshua is the correct equivalent of that name in English. I didn't know that so much was lost in the translation / transliteration from Hebrew to Greek, Greek to Latin, and Latin to English until recently. At 74 I stumbled on to this information and wish I had known about it earlier. I may have a question of my own.
David Peace
I’m a new Christian, has not been very long since I repented of my sins and accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I ended up here seeking answers after listening to the lyrics in a song that says, “ His Son Yahshua, Not Jesus”. All morning I had been listening to this group's music, listening hard and taking it all in, and then, “This”. I read through all the posts under the question and then came here to the discussion board.
I say I sit very, very confused and now questioning it all. From the bottom of my heart, I believed the Bible was the True word of God! I believed Jesus to be Son of God sent here to offer me salvation from my life of sin. I’ve been doing so much better trying to live differently, trying to follow His word, trying to learn all I can. Like a thirst I have not been able to quench. A hunger every day to know more and more.
Now I’m sitting here questioning it all! If I don’t even know the name I’m supposed to pray in, what good is it? According to some, it’s blasphemy! Others say I’m praying to a pig, a hog an idol no different than Baal, etc. If no one can agree on His name, then what? Does that even mean the rest is true? I’ve searched for hours on hours today trying to understand. I’m tired now and feel totally defeated!
Kelli Trujillo
Hi, David. As a moderator on eBible, I'm very sorry to hear that you read this thread and are more confused, not helped. Please keep a few things in mind:
1) Our forum allows for differences of opinion, as long as those opinions don't conflict with the basic things a person needs to believe in order to be a Christian. This discussion is about what to call Jesus, which is NOT something on which your faith hinges. Here's a link to our Statement of Faith, which will tell you the very basic things we should agree on as Christians: https://ebible.com/statement_of_faith
People have some different opinions about this because there are a variety of denominations that teach different things about this topic.
2) Most of the people contributing to our forum are NOT necessarily Bible scholars. They are regular people with opinions. Some people are more adamant than others that they are correct. We do our best to make sure we don't push content through that confuses or offends people. Feel free to report such content to us, and we'll review it.
3) The BEST way for you to find solid answers as a new Christian is to find biblically-based resources, such as books (there are books about the names of God) and solid Bible teaching from a reputable church and/or podcasts. In my opinion, pastors who teach the Bible using the expository teaching method are the most reliable.
I hope this helps.
Mark Vestal
Hi David! Kelli gave some great advice. I would like to add that God knows who are His, and His grace and love is for us to simply believe that "His only begotten son" gave His life on the cross for our sins, was buried, but rose again on the third day for our justification (John 3:16, 1 Cor 15:1-4, Rom 4:25). There is only One who did this for humanity, and it is your having faith in Him (His identity, authority, and Truth) that you were gifted salvation; the eternal promise that is based on believing what God tells us about His Son for us, rather than our performance for Him (which would include improper pronunciation, spelling, or translation of His Son's literal correct "name").
Satan loves for us to question our faith, but the beauty is that the more we do, the closer we will come to the knowledge of the truth (Heb 11:6).
Rev 19:11-13
"And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God."
Believe the Word of God.
Daniel Veler
Jesus, I believe, put this topic to rest when he taught the Apostles and also to us on how we should address God. Not by name but by title. He told them that when you pray, we are to say, “Our Father who art in Heaven.” He instructs in the relationship we are to have with God.
He also established that God is the only one that should be called Father. Once again showing our relationship with God.
Matthew 23:9: “And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.”
I will address God by the name Christ instructed us to do.
David Peace
Thank You Kelli, Mark and Daniel for taking the time to try and help me have a greater understanding. All of your words means a great deal! I feel better, I’m at peace now!
Thanks Again!
Kelli Trujillo
David, I am SOOOOO glad to hear you're feeling better about this! Praise God!
Daniel Veler
Thank you David. If we allow God’s word to be true then we all will come to know the truth if we just ask him.
Mark Vestal
Amen all!