by Jill Fandrich
We all have multiple names. I am Jill, Mrs. Fandrich, Mom, and (my favorite) Grandma. We really only know people in terms of their relationship to us, and the names we are called by reflect those relationships.
It’s no surprise then that there are many names for Jesus.
Even in his own time, people didn’t know what to call Jesus. Three of the Gospels relate the story of Jesus asking his disciples “Who do people say that I am?” The disciples answered, “Some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and some say Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” Jesus then asked them, “Who do YOU say that I am?” Peter, one of the disciples, responded, “You are the Messiah, the son of the living God.” Even those closest to Jesus didn’t agree on who he was.
Here’s a list of some of the names for Jesus:
Christ
Messiah
Emmanuel
King of Kings
Prince of Peace
Lamb of God
Saviour
Redeemer
Light of the World
Bread of Life
Good Shepherd
Rabbi/Teacher
Son of Man/Son of God
There are a lot more. Some sources say there are over 200 in the Bible, but you get the point.
So who is Jesus, anyway? Why so many names? Why isn’t there a simple way to talk about the central figure of the Christian faith? Is one more “right” than the others?
As a lifelong Christian who struggles to describe my beliefs, I find this plethora of names to be helpful, and even quite comforting, to my understanding of the Christian faith. If Jesus truly is both divine and human, which is a central tenant of Christianity, that’s a concept that is way too big to define in a single way. The many ways we talk about Jesus is like a multi-faceted prism, each shining light on a complex concept.
Let’s look at a few of the names and what they mean. The name Jesus itself means “Saviour.” Christ means “the Anointed One” and it is a title, not a surname. Most scholars think that Jesus’ “given name” was probably Joshua (Yeshua in Hebrew), which means “Yahweh saves.” “Yeshua” became “Jesus” to the Greeks.
“Saviour” and “Redeemer” reflect the belief that Jesus died for peoples’ sins on the cross, thereby “redeeming” them from the original sin of Adam and Eve. This doctrine, called “substitutional atonement,” is basic to many Christians, who believe that Jesus died on the cross to atone for the sins of mankind, being the “substitute” for God’s wrath. “Lamb of God” also invokes imagery of sacrificial lambs, a reference to the Abrahamic traditions of sacrificing a valuable animal as an act of worship.
“King of Kings” and “Prince of Peace” are also names of Jesus. Jesus wasn’t royalty, and neither was the Kingdom he proclaimed. Jesus was born to a humble family, worked as a carpenter, chose fishermen as his disciples, and hung out with outcasts, prostitutes, tax collectors, lepers, and widows. Jesus lifted up the people who were on the fringes and loved the people who no one else loved. The Kingdom of God he tried to bring to earth was one of love and peace.
Jesus is also called “Good Shepherd” and “Rabbi”. Although we don’t know many shepherds these days, the image of a good shepherd leading and protecting his flock would have resonated with first century people. “Rabbi”, which means teacher, reflects Jesus as a storyteller, instructor, and wise leader of a new understanding of faith. The New Testament is full of Jesus’ parables, illustrative stories which explain a concept or a point in creative, memorable language.
One of my favorite names for Jesus is “Emmanuel,” a name meaning “God with us.” The story of the nativity resonates with me more than any other because I love the concept of God taking human form to dwell among people. “Son of Man and Son of God” also describes the incarnation of God as a human being.
Jesus himself used metaphors to describe himself. There are many “I AM” statements in the Gospel of John, like “I am… the bread of life… the light of the world… the true vine.”
What I call Jesus and what someone else calls Jesus can both be right. The many names of Jesus reflect a complexity of religious thought that can’t be described in just one way. Who do YOU say that Jesus is?
We all have multiple names. I am Jill, Mrs. Fandrich, Mom, and (my favorite) Grandma. We really only know people in terms of their relationship to us, and the names we are called by reflect those relationships.
It’s no surprise then that there are many names for Jesus.
Even in his own time, people didn’t know what to call Jesus. Three of the Gospels relate the story of Jesus asking his disciples “Who do people say that I am?” The disciples answered, “Some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and some say Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” Jesus then asked them, “Who do YOU say that I am?” Peter, one of the disciples, responded, “You are the Messiah, the son of the living God.” Even those closest to Jesus didn’t agree on who he was.
Here’s a list of some of the names for Jesus:
Christ
Messiah
Emmanuel
King of Kings
Prince of Peace
Lamb of God
Saviour
Redeemer
Light of the World
Bread of Life
Good Shepherd
Rabbi/Teacher
Son of Man/Son of God
There are a lot more. Some sources say there are over 200 in the Bible, but you get the point.
So who is Jesus, anyway? Why so many names? Why isn’t there a simple way to talk about the central figure of the Christian faith? Is one more “right” than the others?
As a lifelong Christian who struggles to describe my beliefs, I find this plethora of names to be helpful, and even quite comforting, to my understanding of the Christian faith. If Jesus truly is both divine and human, which is a central tenant of Christianity, that’s a concept that is way too big to define in a single way. The many ways we talk about Jesus is like a multi-faceted prism, each shining light on a complex concept.
Let’s look at a few of the names and what they mean. The name Jesus itself means “Saviour.” Christ means “the Anointed One” and it is a title, not a surname. Most scholars think that Jesus’ “given name” was probably Joshua (Yeshua in Hebrew), which means “Yahweh saves.” “Yeshua” became “Jesus” to the Greeks.
“Saviour” and “Redeemer” reflect the belief that Jesus died for peoples’ sins on the cross, thereby “redeeming” them from the original sin of Adam and Eve. This doctrine, called “substitutional atonement,” is basic to many Christians, who believe that Jesus died on the cross to atone for the sins of mankind, being the “substitute” for God’s wrath. “Lamb of God” also invokes imagery of sacrificial lambs, a reference to the Abrahamic traditions of sacrificing a valuable animal as an act of worship.
“King of Kings” and “Prince of Peace” are also names of Jesus. Jesus wasn’t royalty, and neither was the Kingdom he proclaimed. Jesus was born to a humble family, worked as a carpenter, chose fishermen as his disciples, and hung out with outcasts, prostitutes, tax collectors, lepers, and widows. Jesus lifted up the people who were on the fringes and loved the people who no one else loved. The Kingdom of God he tried to bring to earth was one of love and peace.
Jesus is also called “Good Shepherd” and “Rabbi”. Although we don’t know many shepherds these days, the image of a good shepherd leading and protecting his flock would have resonated with first century people. “Rabbi”, which means teacher, reflects Jesus as a storyteller, instructor, and wise leader of a new understanding of faith. The New Testament is full of Jesus’ parables, illustrative stories which explain a concept or a point in creative, memorable language.
One of my favorite names for Jesus is “Emmanuel,” a name meaning “God with us.” The story of the nativity resonates with me more than any other because I love the concept of God taking human form to dwell among people. “Son of Man and Son of God” also describes the incarnation of God as a human being.
Jesus himself used metaphors to describe himself. There are many “I AM” statements in the Gospel of John, like “I am… the bread of life… the light of the world… the true vine.”
What I call Jesus and what someone else calls Jesus can both be right. The many names of Jesus reflect a complexity of religious thought that can’t be described in just one way. Who do YOU say that Jesus is?
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