Is Jesus Christ’s Hebrew name, Yeshua Hamashiach, the correct one?
Each of God’s names has a specific meaning, and when we hear Yeshua Hamashiach, we are reminded of the witness that Jesus gave to the Jewish people on earth, as well as his Jewish heritage. Additionally, we are reminded of how the New Testament finishes the framework that was established by the Old Testament.
In the Bible, God is referred to by several different names, including “Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6), “Elohim” (Genesis 1:1), and “El Roi” (Genesis 16:13), among many more. Isn’t there something about Jesus Christ? Every language has a unique name for him as well as a distinct way of pronouncing his name. But does he go by a single moniker that everyone knows him by?
The name Yeshua Hamashiach translates to “Jesus the Messiah.” Yeshua is what the ancient Hebrews would have called Jesus if they had given him that name. Does this suggest that we have been mispronouncing the name of Jesus up to this point? Is that the only name that people know him by, Yeshua Hamashiach? And is the name we now speak for Jesus the result of heathen corruption of the name?
This article will make the case that even though people who lived during the time of Jesus may have pronounced his name like “Yeshua,” we do not forsake our prayers or petitions unto the Lord by saying “Jesus” or “His Kristos” or “Isus Krist” or any other pronunciation in any other language. Instead, we continue to pray and petition unto the Lord in the name of Jesus.
We are commanded by God to invoke his name, whether we refer to him as Jesus or Yeshua Hamashiach.
Where Did the Debate Over Whether Yeshua or Jesus Came From in the First Place?
“What does having a temple in Athens have to do with Jerusalem?”
It would be an understatement to suggest that the culture of Ancient Greece and the Bible did not get along well with one another. In the time of Jesus and beyond, people had a sensitive spot when it came to Hellenization for various reasons, including the insurrection of the Maccabeans against Antiochus Epiphanes IV and the Sadducees’ adoption of far too many Hellenistic traditions.
The Hebrew name Yeshua Hamashiach, which was later Hellenized into Jesus, was derived from the Greek term “IZEUS,” which means “son of Zeus.” If we understood Jesus’ name to mean “Son of Zeus,” then this interpretation of his name is a far way from correct theology. Putting a figure of Zeus within the temple was a sacrilegious act that Antiochus Epiphanes IV committed.
The notion that Jesus’ name originated from anything connected to the Greek pantheon would have been abhorrent to both Jews and Christians alike at the time it was proposed.
Of fact, it’s possible that the name Jesus was a transliteration at one point. After all, the New Testament was written in Greek, and since different alphabets are used for languages around the world, not all names will be written with the same letters in each alphabet. The Greek word IESOUS was given a Latin transliteration that converted it to IESUS, from whence we obtain the English word “Jesus.”
It is necessary to differentiate between a transliteration and a translation to avoid confusion. Esperanza is the first name I was given in Spanish (translation). If we were to transliterate my name, it most likely would come out as Jop (the J creates the sound of “h,” and then makes a lengthy “oh” sound).
If people during Jesus’ time referred to him as “Yeshua,” then shouldn’t we do the same? This is true regardless of the circumstances. Wouldn’t it be strange if the pronunciation of our names varied depending on the language they were spoken in? Do we dilute the power of the name of Jesus when we use the name “Jesus” instead of the name “Yeshua”?
Why Do We Use the Name “Jesus” When “Yeshua” Is Correct?
We can correctly pronounce the name of Jesus as “Jesus” for some different reasons. It does not matter to God whether we pray to him in the name of Jesus, Yeshua, or any other translation of his name; he will still hear and answer our requests.
We need to keep in mind that many Messianic Jews and other groups within Christianity will only use the name “Yeshua” to emphasize the fact that Jesus was a Jew, and also because the name “Christ” or “Jesus” has some negative connotations associated with it as a result of the church’s misuse and abuse of that name.
In other words, we are free to pronounce the name of Jesus as “Jesus,” but if we come across a Christian who prefers to say “Yeshua” or “Yeshua Hamashiach,” we should accept their decision and refrain from pronouncing the name in either of those ways.
Another justification for our utilization of the name “Jesus” is that God has given us the mandate to spread the message of his gospel to the people of every nation. We have the power to communicate with others by giving the name of Jesus a pronunciation that they are familiar with and can utter for themselves thanks to the practice of transliteration (Mark 16:15).
Letters and alphabets can look very different depending on where in the world you go. Because I haven’t practiced moving my vocal cords in that way, there are some letters in the Russian alphabet that I am unable to speak. This is because of the language’s unique phonetic qualities.
In prayer, we are free to call upon God by any of his many names; nonetheless, we should consider Yeshua Hamashiach to be one of those names. Every name that is given to God has a certain meaning, and the name Yeshua reminds us of the witness that Jesus gave to the Jewish people on earth, as well as his Jewish background. It also brings to mind how the New Testament finishes off the framework that was established in the Old Testament.
Why is it Important to Remember This?
In the end, no one name can be definitively attributed to Jesus, yet each name of Jesus carries an immense amount of power. We can show people who choose to proclaim “Jesus is Lord” (Yeshua HaMashiach) respect and look for methods to include that name in our prayers as well as in our everyday life.
