WHY JESUS WASN'T CALLED IMMANUEL
One of the most interesting and misleading things written about in the New Testament Bible was penned by the author of the Book of Matthew when he took a small section of Isaiah chapter 7, and attempted to weave it in and show the birth of Jesus as the fulfillment of a prophecy.
Matt 1
“ … and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”
The problematic part of this OT scripture is that Isaiah 7:14 doesn't have anything to do with Jesus in the first place.
THE child spoken of WAS born (but not Jesus), and called by the name Immanuel by his mother (back in the OT times) and the Assyrians defeated the two kings who threatened Ahaz and his people. The prophecy was fulfilled long before the author of the book of Matthew claimed that Jesus fulfilled it. This verse was never intended to be about a future birth of Jesus the Nazarene.
Now, Here is the prophecy scripture about Jesus according to the author of the book of the New Testament Book of Luke:
“… And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.” (Iēsous (Greek: Ἰησοῦς), Yeshua/Joshua from the Hebrew)
Note: Mary's child was to be called Jesus, not Immanuel. This verse was retrofitted to indicate something that was not going to fit, and to indicate that Mary’s child would in fact be next in line for the long awaited Messiah/Christ.
Remember that the Hebrew name Immanu'el, means 'God with us.'
Now, here is the the reason why “Jesus Christ” was used as the identification of Mary’s child.
The central personage of Christianity is called Jesus Christ, but this is not his birth name, it is in actuality an acquired title.
The name "Jesus" is derived from an Aramaic (ancient Hebrew) word, יהשוה Yeshua or Jehoshua, which means "saviour." Thus, the original use of this term is as an honorific title. YHVH versus YHSVH. Yaweh, versus Yeshua. Directory translated, YHVH means "God." YHVH means "God Saves." Jesus, and Joshua, are identical. One being Greek language, the other being Hebrew.
Likewise, the word "Christ" is not a personal name. Christ is derived from the Greek Christos, “the Anointed One,” and the Krestos, whose esoteric meaning is “fire.” The word Christ is a title, not a personal name. Same goes for the Egyptian Krestus, and the Hindu Krishna. It is a title.
Nonetheless, the man who was known by the title Jesus Christ certainly had to have earn it. Yet, two thousands years of sectarian and political conflicts and power struggles have distorted the original story.
Note that the name “JESUS” used by English-speakers today is an English adaptation of a German transliteration of a Latin transliteration of a Greek transliteration of an originally Hebrew word.
Question everything … find the answers.
Just a thought ...
Justin Taylor, ORDM,
