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“And she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins.   Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,  Behold, a virgin shall be with Child, and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us” (Matthew 1:21-23).

When Matthew the evangelist related the account of the Saviour’s birth, he mentioned two names of our Lord Jesus Christ: “Jesus” and “Emmanuel.”  The former describes His divine office, and the latter His nature.  What can we learn from these two names? 

JESUS is an abbreviated form of the Hebrew “Joshua” meaning “Saviour.”  Mary was told by the angel to “call His name Jesus for He shall save His people from their sins.”   This is His special office.  His mission was to save sinners from the guilt, penalty, condemnation and dominion of sin. 

Jesus was a very common name among the Jews.  Interestingly, there were two characters in the Old Testament with the same name: Joshua, the captain of Israel’s army when they entered the Promised Land; and Joshua, the high priest (Zec. 6: 11-12).  Both were illustrious types of Christ.  The apostle Paul wrote of one “Jesus, which is called Justus” (Col. 4: 11).  “The Lord took a common name already replete with meaning and transformed it by His life, death and resurrection into a Name which is repeated with love and reverence by countless generations of sinners saved by grace.  Is that Name precious to you?” – Dennis Shelton.

He who is the King of kings and Lord of lords, could have taken some high-sounding name, but He did not.  The Son of God is content to call Himself Saviour.  Through His redemptive work, sinners may draw near to the Father with boldness, and have access to His throne of grace.  It is His office and His delight to show mercy.  “For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved” (Jn. 3:17); “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Lk. 19: 10).  Thank God for His condescension to save lost sinners, and to attend to their needs.

Jesus is a name, which is peculiarly sweet and precious to believers.  “It has given them what money cannot buy, even inward peace.  It has eased their wearied consciences, and given rest to their heavy hearts” – J C Ryle.   To the heavy-laden, Jesus is a most comforting name (Matt. 11: 28). 

King Solomon spoke for many when he said : “Because of the savour of thy good ointments Thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love Thee” (Song of Solomon 1: 3).  Happy are they who trust not merely in vague notions of God’s mercy, but in that blessed name, Jesus.  “No voice can sing, no heart can frame, Nor can the mem’ry find, A sweeter sound than Jesus’ name, The Saviour of mankind.” 

No other name can be compared with His. It stands alone. He only is the Redeemer.  He only is Christ, the Anointed of God.  One day, He will be highly exalted:  “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a Name which is above every name:  That at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”  (Philp. 2: 9-11).

EMMANUEL, “God with us” describes Christ’s nature for He is God  “manifest in the flesh” (I Tim. 3: 16).  Our Saviour is perfect Man as well as perfect God;  two natures in one, yet not divided.  The name “Emmanuel” takes in the whole mystery.  Jesus is “God with us.”   He had a nature like our own in all things, sin only excepted.  But though Jesus was “with us” in human flesh and blood, He was at the same time very God.  If we ever lose sight of this important foundational truth, we may run into fearful heresies.

When He was born of the Virgin Mary, our Lord took on human nature.  We often read of His being weary, hungry and thirsty.  Like us, He felt sad, He wept, He groaned and He was subjected to physical infirmities.  In all these, we see “the man” Christ Jesus. 

But in the same Gospels, we read also that our Saviour knew the hearts of men: “But Jesus did not commit Himself unto them, because He knew all men,  And needed not that any should testify of man: for He knew what was in man” (Jn. 2: 24-25).  He had power over the forces of nature (Mk 4: 39); He had power over the demons (Mk. 5: 8);  He could work the greatest miracle with a word (Matt. 8: 13; Mk 7: 29-30).   He is the eternal God; in His discourse with the Jews, He proclaimed:  “Before Abraham was I am” (Jn. 8: 58); and “I and My Father are One” (Jn. 10: 30).    He “is over all, God, blessed forever. Amen” (Rom. 9:5.)

Brethren, do we wish to have a strong foundation for our faith and hope?  Remember always our Saviour’s divinity.  All power is His in heaven and on earth.  None can pluck us out of His hand.   Do not be anxious or troubled; trust in Him Who is the Almighty God.

Do we long for comfort in our time of need?  Then bear in mind our Saviour’s humanity.  He is the man Christ Jesus, who lay on the bosom of the Virgin Mary, as a little infant, and knows the heart of a man.  He can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities.  Commit our every care unto Him Who can empathise with us in our sorrows: “For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.   Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4: 15-16).

“EMMANUEL, God with us in our nature, in our sorrow, in our lifework, in our punishment, in our grave, and now with us, or rather we with Him, in resurrection, ascension, triumph, and Second Advent splendour!” – C H Spurgeon.  All glory be to Jesus, our Saviour, our Emmanuel!

- Pastor