GREAT EXPECTATIONS FOR THE CELEBRATION AND COMMEMORATION  OF THE BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST ON CHRISTMAS  DAY…SPIRITUAL THOUGHTS..4

The name of ‘Jesus’ was a fairly common one among the Jews. In the original Hebrew, it was “Josue”.  The angel told Joseph that Mary would:

“She will bear a son; and you will give him the name of Jesus (Saviour) for he will save his people from their sins.”    Matthew, 1:21

The first indication of His mission on earth does not mention His teaching; for the teaching would be ineffective, unless there was first salvation. He was given another name at the same time, the name “Emmanuel”.

“The virgin will conceive and bear a son, and He shall be called Emmanu – El, a name which means ‘God is with us’.” Matthew, 1: 23

This name was taken from the prophecy of Isaiah and it assured something besides a Divine Presence which delivers and saves. The angel also told Mary:

“You will conceive and bear a son, and give him the name Jesus. He will be great; he will bear the great title ‘Son of the Most High’; the Lord will give him the throne of his ancestor David, and he will be king over Israel for ever, his reign shall never end.”  Luke, 1:31 – 33

The title, ‘Son of the Most high’ was the very one that was given to the Redeemer by the evil spirit which possessed the youth in the land of the Gerasenes. The fallen angel, thus, confessed Him to be what the unfallen angel said He was:

“What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most high ?” Mark, 5:7

The salvation that is promised by the name ‘Jesus’ is not a social salvation, but a spiritual one. He would not save people necessarily from their poverty, but He would save them from their sins. To destroy sin is to uproot the first causes of poverty. The name “Jesus” brought back the memory of their great leader who had brought them out of Egypt to rest in the ‘promised land’

The fact that He was prefigured by “Josue” indicates that He had the soldierly qualities necessary for the final victory over evil, which would come from the glad acceptance of suffering, unwavering courage, resoluteness of will and unshakeable devotion to the Father’s mandate.

It is worth recalling the fact when the people asked Jesus when He was going to deliver them from the power of Caesar, and Jesus answered that He had come to deliver them from an enemy greater than Caesar, namely from sins.

The name “Jesus” or “Saviour” was not given to Him after He had wrought salvation, but at the very moment He was conceived in Mary’s womb. The foundation of His salvation was from eternity and not from time.

Adapted from ‘The Life of Christ’ by Fulton Sheen.