The RAVYN Blog

It’s the question of the century.

Where does the name ‘Jesus’ come from?

Some skeptics attempt to dismantle the truth of Christianity by arguing that Jesus could not have existed because the letter ‘J’ didn’t appear in the English alphabet until 1524.

For some, this argument is compelling. However, it doesn’t address the elephant in the room: his name wasn’t actually ‘Jesus’.

But then, this creates another problem: if His name wasn’t actually ‘Jesus’, what was His name, and why do we call Him ‘Jesus’ now?

To me, the greatest issue isn’t whether or not His name is ‘Jesus’; it’s whether we should be using ‘Jesus’ at all.

Before We Dive In…

Addressing whether or not we should be using the name ‘Jesus’ is in and of itself something that most Christians don’t give much thought to. However, some small-scale religious groups do believe that using ‘Jesus’ not only erases His history, but actually gives credit to foreign deities.

The Black Hebrew Israelites are one such group that teaches the true name of Christ, Yahushua Ha-Mashiach, should be maintained.

During this study, we should understand these two things:

• The name ‘Jesus’ currently describes the Messiah and Son of God, who came, died, and resurrected during the first century AD
• The name ‘Jesus’ is a transliteration of his actual given name; today we know what His given name is

We, as Christians, should ask ourselves if we should continue using the name ‘Jesus’ even though we know His true name.

Before I give my answer, I’d like to start this miniseries by talking about the Son, where His name comes from, and why His name is an important part of our salvation.

The Miniseries Discussion

Throughout the ‘What’s in a Name’ series, we’ll be looking at the following:

• God’s Name Revealed to Moses
• The Angel of the Lord in Exodus and Judges
• The Erasure of God’s Name During the Babylonian Exile
• The Restoration of God’s Name
• The History of the Letter J
• The Etymology and History of the Name ‘Jesus’

Final Thoughts

Under the Faith Forum, we discuss topical situations and how our faith in Christ challenges our perspective on them. We also answer some of the most challenging questions in the For Inquiring Minds Only series.

I welcome healthy discussions in the comments section and encourage you to share your thoughts and insights on the blog.

Remember that our best teacher and guide is the Holy Spirit. Pray for clarity and understanding before reading through a session, and feel free to ask any questions that may arise.

Signed,

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