THEY WILL CALL HIS NAME EMMANUEL

THEY WILL CALL HIS NAME EMMANUEL (Matthew 1:23)

“They will call His name Emmanuel,”[1] Matthew cites from Isaiah. Yet, two verses earlier Matthew had the angel telling Joseph, “You will call His name Jesus.”[2] Did Matthew contradict himself?

No, the Scriptures disclose several names connected with Jesus. Joseph “called His name Jesus,”[3] exactly as the angel had instructed. However, Jesus’ followers utilized additional names related to His nature and character.

When conceding the absolute authority of Jesus, His disciples[4] called Him Lord,[5] a translation of the Greek word kúrios.[6] When acknowledging Jesus’ status as the Anointed One,[7] His disciples spoke of Him as Christ,[8] a transliteration[9] of the Greek word Christós.[10]

Pointing out Jesus’ deity, Matthew drew attention to Isaiah’s reference to Him as Emmanuel, an English transliteration of the Greek name Emmanuál (ĕm-mä-nü-ā́l),[11] itself a transliteration of the Hebrew name Imanuél (ĭm-ā́-nü-ḗl),[12] which means “God with us.” The apostle John described Jesus similarly as “the only begotten God,”[13] Deity born into a human body.

All for Jesus,

cbagby@BurningHeartBibleStudies.com 
www.BurningHeartBibleStudies.com

---

[1] Matthew 1:23 Bagby Translation; Isaiah 7:14

[2] Matthew 1:21 Bagby Translation

[3] Matthew 1:25 Bagby Translation

[4] The term disciple means “learner” and referred to believers who followed the teachings of Jesus. Sometimes the word described John the Immerser’s disciples, who followed John’s teachings concerning Jesus (Matthew 9:14).

[5] Matthew 14:30

[6] For information regarding the Greek word kúrios, see the book Born to Die (by Chuck Bagby), “Chapter 3 – Birth of Jesus, Rescuer of His People,” heading “Of the Lord (Matthew 1:20).”

[7] For a discussion of the anointing of Jesus by the Father, see the book Born to Die (by Chuck Bagby), “Chapter 10 – Jesus Fulfills All Righteousness,” heading “Spirit of God Descending (Matthew 3:16).”

[8] Matthew 11:2-5

[9] When transliterating, instead of translating a word, a translator spells out an approximation of the original language’s pronunciation of the word using the alphabet of the second language. For more details regarding transliteration, see the book Born to Die (by Chuck Bagby), “Appendix 3: Glossary.”

[10] For information about the Greek word Christós, see the book Born to Die (by Chuck Bagby), “Chapter 2 – Kings & Scoundrels: Jesus’ Ancestors,” heading “Christ (Matthew 1:1).”

[11] Emmanuál (ĕm-mä-nü-ā́l),  )Emmanouh/l

[12] Imanuél (ĭm-ā-nü-ḗl), lawnmu

[13] John 1:18 New American Standard – Updated (1995)