This is the week we celebrate the birth of Christ. The announcement of our Lord’s birth in the Gospel of Matthew and Luke uses four different terms to symbolize God’s Son, thereby confirming the Father’s mission in Him.
The first name given to our Savior is Jesus (Matthew 1:21). According to this verse, his mission was to save “His people from their sins.” Jesus was a common name of that time. But saving people from their sins was not a common occurrence. Philippians (2:10) states this is the name to which every knee shall bow.
Luke describes an angel’s appearance (Luke 1:31) to Mary, saying the Lord’s name would be Jesus. This name, Jesus, was officially given to him on his eighth day at the circumcision ceremony.
Immanuel, God with us, was first used in Isaiah 7:14 to prophesy the natural birth of the Son of God. These were the exact words repeated by an angel to Joseph (Matthew 1:23) about the child, Mary his fiancée, would bring forth. The meaning of the name indicates the impossible would happen. Jesus was God walking in the form of a human being in Israel.
The third name attributed to Jesus was the Son of the Highest (Luke 1:32), which the angel spoke to Mary. This Son was to be like his Father, our heavenly Father. Not only that, but Jesus would also be the ultimate successor of King David’s throne and rule forever.
In Luke 1:35, the Bible records the fourth name of our Savior, the Son of God. Not just any son but the Son of God. His name denotes deity and superiority. He is God, the Father’s Son, having all the attributes of his Father’s knowledge, presence, and power.
Three disciples Peter, James, and John heard God the Father say, “This is my beloved Son ( Matthew 17:5). John the Baptist also heard God the Father speak, “This is my beloved Son,” at the Lord’s baptism in Matthew 3:17.
What is the meaning of these four names? First, Jesus is the Savior of the world. Second, Immanuel assures the Christian He is always with us. Third, the term Son of the Highest signifies Jesus is like his Father in every aspect. Then lastly, the name Son of God describes his superiority over everything and everybody.
I hope this description of God’s ultimate gift to humanity will enrich your Christmas by accepting God’s ultimate gift of salvation.
