How was Jesus called by the name Immanuel if that wasn’t His name?
- According to what Isaiah 7:14 promised, ″As a result, the Lord himself will provide you with a sign.
- As you can see, the virgin will get pregnant and give birth to a son, whom she will name Immanuel.″ This key prophesy is confirmed in the New Testament by Matthew 1:22-23, which states, ″All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had declared through the prophet: ‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and have a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel’ (which means, ‘God with us.’)″ Some people have questioned why Jesus was not given the name Immanuel instead.
- Why wouldn’t He have been referred to as Immanuel if He had been?
- The first and most obvious reason may be found in the name Immanuel.
- It literally translates as ″God with us.″ The prophecy made by Isaiah was in regard to who the Messiah would be, not necessarily what His bodily name would be.
Jesus came to earth to live as God manifested in human form.Second, the name Immanuel was simply one of several names that were used to refer to Jesus throughout his lifetime.Indeed, according to Isaiah 9:6, ″his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.″ A significant amount of information about the nature and activities of the Messiah may be gleaned from each of these names.During His early life, Jesus, on the other hand, was not addressed by these titles.He was simply referred to as Jesus.Third, the angel who came to Mary instructed her to name the child Jesus rather than Immanuel, saying, ″you will conceive in your womb and have a son, and you shall name his name Jesus″ (Matthew 1:28).
- (Luke 1:31).
- ″She will bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus, for he will rescue his people from their sins,″ an angel came to Joseph, telling him that his wife was expecting a son (Matthew 1:21).
- This dream was interpreted as a fulfillment of the name Immanuel, which was prophesied by the prophet Isaiah (Matthew 1:22-24).
- The title and prophesy of Immanuel played a crucial role in the preparations for Jesus’ arrival.
- ″And the Word became flesh and lived among us,″ according to John 1:14, the Bible.
- As the meaning of the phrase Immanuel reveals, Jesus (the Word, who is God; see John 1:1) took on human form and dwelt among his followers, exactly as the title says.
- This significant attribute of Jesus was also utilized by the apostle Paul to instruct the early Christians.
- According to Philippians 2:5-8, we can say, ″Think about it and share it with one another because you have the same mind as Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, but humbled himself by taking on the form of a servant and being born in the likeness of men.
- And as a result of being discovered in human form, he humbled himself by becoming submissive even to the point of death, including death on the cross.″ It was not the name by which Jesus was known on earth, but it was used as a title and description of Jesus’ function as the Messiah, who was also known as the ″God with us.″ This fundamental biblical notion has far-reaching ramifications for everyone who follow Jesus today, and it is worth exploring further.
- Truths that are related: Is Jesus Christ the Son of God?
- Do you know what Jesus Christ’s given names are?
- What are some of the titles that Jesus is given in the Bible?
- What is the significance of Jesus Christ’s birth as a child of Mary?
What is the relevance of Jesus’ humanity in relation to his divinity?Why do we refer to Him as Jesus while His given name was Yeshua?Return to the page: The Truth About Jesus Christ.
Why wasn’t Jesus named Immanuel?
- Answer to the question A sign of the virgin birth is predicted in the prophet Isaiah’s prophesy of the birth of the Messiah, found in Isaiah 7:14, in which the prophet Isaiah claims, ″The Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and he will be named Immanuel.″ However, as we can see in Matthew 1:22–23, this prophesy had an initial fulfillment during Isaiah’s time, but it eventually pertains to the birth of Jesus: According to the Bible, ″All of this occurred in order to fulfill the prophecy of the Lord through the prophet: ‘The virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name him Immanuel,’ which means ‘God with us.’″ This does not imply, however, that the Messiah’s given name would be Immanuel in the traditional sense.
- Throughout the Old and New Testaments, there are several ″names″ attributed to Jesus, and Immanuel is one of these names.
- Other prophecies of the Messiah were made by Isaiah, including the following: ″He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace″ (Isaiah 9:6).
- Although Jesus was never addressed by any of those ″names″ by the people he encountered in Galilee or Judea, they are true descriptions of who He is and what He accomplishes in those places.
- ″Jesus will be called the Son of the Most High,″ according to the angel (Luke 1:32), and ″the Son of God,″ according to the angel (Luke 1:35), yet none of those names was His given name.
According to the prophet Jeremiah, ″a King who will reign rightly″ (Jeremiah 23:5) will come, and the name of this King will be ″The LORD is our righteousness,″ which means ″the LORD is our righteousness″ in Hebrew (Jeremiah 23:6, ESV).Jesus was never referred to be ″The Lord Our Righteousness″ as a given name, but we can refer to Him as such!He is the conduit via which God’s righteousness is brought to us.He is God shown in the flesh, and he is the one who justifies us (1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21).George Herman Ruth was, of course, given the name George.Other names for him are acceptable, because they all refer to the same individual: ″Babe,″ ″the Bambino,″ ″the Sultan of Swat,″ or ″the Colossus of Clout.″ Because of Babe Ruth’s personal past and his unique ability on the baseball field, he has amassed a plethora of nicknames.
- The same manner, we might refer to Jesus by His given name or by the title ″Immanuel,″ which means ″God with us.″ ″Wonderful,″ ″Counselor,″ ″Prince of Peace,″ or ″The Lord Our Righteousness″ are all possible variations.
- Because of His divine character and miraculous action, the names of Jesus Christ continue to grow in number.
- Jesus being termed ″Immanuel″ implies that he is God, that He came to live among us through His incarnation, and that He is constantly present with us.
- Jesus was God manifested in human form.
- Jesus was God in the flesh, establishing His home among us (John 1:1, 14).
- God is faithful to His promises.
- The virgin Mary gave birth to a son.
- Two thousand years ago, in Bethlehem, we watch the birth of that infant, who is then laid into a bale of hay as a place of rest.
- That infant, no matter how amazing it appears, is God.
- That Baby represents God’s presence among us.
- Jesus, as our Immanuel, embodies omnipotence, omniscience, perfection, and the love that never fails—and he does so in the midst of our suffering.
- No, Joseph did not give Jesus the name ″Immanuel,″ but Jesus’ essence makes Him really Immanuel, ″God with us,″ as the Hebrew word for ″with us.″ Isaiah warned us to keep our eyes peeled for Immanuel, the virgin-born Son of God.
- He will save us; he will bring about the reconciliation of all people with God and the restoration of all creation to its original splendor.
Jesus is the name we know Him by, but we may also refer to Him as ″God with us″ since that is precisely what he is.Return to the previous page: Questions regarding Jesus Christ Why wasn’t Jesus given the title ″Immanuel″?
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Why Was Jesus Not Named Immanuel?
- An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream in Matthew 1:21-22, giving him instructions on what to name the child that Mary was carrying.
- The child she will bear will be named Jesus because he will save his people from their sins, and you are to name him after the Savior who will save his people from their sins.″ All of this occurred in order to bring about the fulfillment of what the Lord had promised through the prophet: ″The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will name him Immanuel″ (which means ″God with us″ in Hebrew).
- A difficulty that many people have regarding this chapter involves the phrase ″they will call him Immanuel,″ which appears at the end of the verse.
- Despite this, we do not find anyone in the Bible using this name to refer to Jesus in any way.
- As a result, some have called into doubt the inspiration of the Scriptures.
Is this, however, a significant issue?The purpose of this essay is to attempt to offer an answer to that question.
Two Names
- You will observe that Jesus appears to be addressed by two different names in the text described above.
- Joseph is commanded to name the child Jesus, which is a Hebrew name that literally translates as ″Yahweh rescues.″ Because he will save his people from their sins, this is a suitable name for him.
- Actually, the name mentioned in this scripture is Yeshua; nevertheless, this is most commonly referred to as Joshua in English.
- However, as it has been translated into Greek, Latin, and eventually English, it has taken on the character of Jesus as well.
- The second name is Immanuel, which is also spelt Emmanuel in certain places.
This is based on Isaiah’s prophecy to King Ahaz in Isaiah 7:14, which states, ″Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and he will be named Immanuel.″ As a result, Matthew believes that the sign given by Isaiah is also applicable to the birth of Jesus himself.According to Matthew, the name Immanuel means ″God with us.″ This name, in contrast to the name ″Jesus,″ which is descriptive of what Jesus did, is descriptive of who Jesus was/is.But was Jesus’ given name, Immanuel, a legitimate name or a nickname?Or did it serve as a more detailed description of who he was?It is important to note that Joseph is instructed to name the infant Jesus.
- However, he would be referred to as Immanuel rather than just Immanuel.
The G.O.A.T.
- Several sports have designated individual players as their G.O.A.T., which stands for ″Greatest of All Time,″ which implies ″the greatest of all time.″ That is not the moniker that has been given to them by the authorities.
- It is more of a descriptive title than anything else.
- They are not referred to as Goats by anyone.
- Many, though, consider them to be the greatest of all time.
- I feel the same is true in this case with Jesus and Immanuel as it was with Moses.
The name Immanuel was not intended to be a formal title that others would address him by.However, when you study the Scriptures, you will see that people did refer to Jesus as ″God with us.″
Jesus Is Identified as Immanuel
- According to my understanding, Jesus’ prologue to the gospel of John contains the most emphatic ″God with us″ allusion to God.
- ″In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God,″ he says, introducing the Word as God: ″In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God″ (John 1:1).
- And then he goes on to describe the Word taking on human form, saying, ″The Word became flesh and made his abode among us.″ He has shown himself to us in his entire splendor, the splendor of the one and only Son who came from the Father, full of mercy and truth″ (John 1:14).
- The Word that John depicted here is Jesus, who is both God and man in the form of a human being.
- He was God in the flesh, walking among us.
On the evening of his betrayal, Jesus offered some final instructions to his followers, according to the gospel of John, which is recorded later in the book.In the midst of this, Phillip requested that Jesus show them the Father (John 14:8).When asked what he meant by this, Jesus answered by saying, ″Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father″ (John 14:9).God came to us in the person of Jesus.When people looked at Jesus, they saw the Father in his Son.Paul made several allusions to Jesus’ divinity throughout his letter.
- The apostle Paul wrote of Jesus in Philippians 2:6: ″Who, being God in his very being,″ he added.
- ″The Son is the image of the unseen God,″ he said in Colossians 1:15, and ″the Son is the image of the invisible God.″ The apostle Paul also stated in Colossians 2:9 that ″in Christ all the whole of Deity exists in human form.″ Throughout all of these texts, Paul was referring to Jesus as Immanuel, which is Hebrew for ″God with us.″ Finally, we will look at Hebrews 1:3, which is a short section.
- Hebrews teaches that ″the Son is the brightness of God’s glory and the precise expression of his being.″ When we look at Jesus, we see the brilliance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his existence.
- Jesus is the perfect representation of God in the flesh.
- According to the author of Hebrews, Jesus is known as Immanuel (God with us).
Immanuel and the Incarnation
- The phrase ″Incarnation″ refers to a religious concept that is frequently utilized around the holiday season.
- The term usually refers to a spirit or divinity who is dressed in flesh, whether it be human or animal in appearance.
- As Christians, we use the term ″incarnation″ to refer particularly to God taking on human form in the person of Jesus, who is the Son of God.
- Jesus is the manifestation of God in the flesh.
- The name Immanuel is used to allude to Jesus when we speak of his incarnation as a human being in the flesh.
We may not use that precise phrase, but the underlying concept is still present.In light of this, do you think it’s an issue that no one in the Bible expressly used the phrase Immanuel when referring to Jesus?I do not think this to be the case.He is repeatedly identified as God shown in the flesh.His given name is Jesus, but he is sometimes referred to as ″God with us.″ iStock/Getty Images Plus/udra courtesy of the photographer Ed Jarrett has been a disciple of Jesus for a long time and is a member of Sylvan Way Baptist Church.He has been a Bible teacher for more than 40 years and writes a blog called A Clay Jar on a regular basis.
- You may also follow him on social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook.
- Ed is married, the father of two children, and the grandpa of three grandchildren.
- He is now retired and spends his time tending to his gardening and hiking.
Why Was Jesus Called Immanuel? (God with Us)
- In Matthew’s narrative, Jesus is referred to as Immanuel (God with us).
- Look, the virgin will get pregnant and give birth to a son, whose name will be Immanuel, which means ″God with us″ in Hebrew (Matthew 1:23).
- This is not a name that I know personally.
- According to Isaiah 7:14, the prophecy is fulfilled not only in the naming of Jesus, but also in the entire story of His conception and birth.
- That Jesus was ever known by the name Immanuel is not important; what is important is that the term reflects His role in bringing God’s presence to men.
Matthew now goes into further detail on what this term implies for his audience.This particular phrase is really a transcription of the Hebrew into Greek, which results in the creation of a new Greek term from the sound of the Hebrew phrase ″God is with us.″ God is with us as a result of Jesus’ sacrifice.This is more of a statement than a prayer.The significance of the phrase is conveyed to Matthew’s readers.It is possible to interpret Matthew’s usage of this phrase in one of two ways.
- The character of Jesus can be described by the statement ″God is with us.″ He is God who has taken on the form of a human being.
- Matthew wished to demonstrate that the virgin conception was not a novel phenomenon, but rather that it had been foreseen by the prophet Isaiah in the Old Testament. God has finally come with the people to save them, just as the prophets promised.
- ″God is with us″ would not so much be a description of the actual character of Jesus, but rather a statement indicating that God has been generous to his people by sending His Messiah.
- Summary When the announcement of Jesus’ pregnancy was made to Joseph, an angel informed him that a son would be born who would be known as Immanuel, which means ″God with us.″ It is possible that the term is intended to emphasize the reality of the gospel, which is that God became a human being in the person of Jesus Christ.
- In addition, it is conceivable that Matthew is underlining the fact that God was loyal to His promises when He sent the Messiah to His people the Jews.
Why Was Jesus Called Immanuel? (God with Us)
7th Question: What Do You Think Everyone Should Know About Jesus?Many people have been perplexed by the meaning of a term associated with Jesus.In Matthew’s narrative, Jesus is referred to as ″Immanuel,″ which means ″God is with us.″ ″Look, the virgin shall conceive and birth a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,″ which means ″God is with us.″ (Matthew 1:23 New Revised Standard Version) Is it correct to assume that when the Bible says they will name Him Emmanuel, they are referring to His personal name?Should we refer to Him as this rather than as Jesus?In reality, this verse does not give Jesus a new or personal name, but rather a renaming of himself.The fact that Jesus was born was a fulfillment of a Bible prophesy found in Isaiah 7:14, according to the Bible.
Rather than in the name of the newborn Jesus, it is in the entire story of His life and mission that the fulfillment is found.That Jesus was ever known by the name Immanuel is not the case at all.He did not do so.His function is indicated by the name.
- Jesus is the One who brought God’s presence to the human race through the cross.
- Matthew explains what this statement means to his readers in detail.
- There are four short Hebrew words in it, and it is a transcription of those words into Greek.
- It is the sound of ″Immanuel″ that is produced when the Hebrew words are linked together.
- In this way, Matthew’s term is not a name for Jesus; rather, it is a declaration concerning the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophesy, which we will discuss later.
- God has come to be with us!
God Is with Us Because of Jesus
As a result, it is a general remark about Jesus; it is neither a proper name nor a prayer. It is possible to interpret Matthew’s usage of this phrase in one of two ways. The following are the details.
Option 1: It Describes Jesus’ Coming
The phrase ″God is with us″ refers to the arrival of Jesus on the scene.He is God who has taken on the form of a human being.As a result, this one word serves as a succinct summation of Jesus’ motivation for coming to earth.Indeed, He is God who has taken on the form of one of us.No one has ever seen God, according to John.He has shown Himself to be the One and Only Son—the One who is at the Father’s right hand.
(John 1:18 in the HCSB) God the Son came to this world in order to demonstrate what it is like to be a living God.Jesus is the One who gave an explanation of Himself.″God with us,″ in that sense, is what he is.
Option 2: It Describes God’s Grace by Sending the Messiah
There is a second choice available to you.Matthew may have wished to demonstrate that the virgin conception was not a novel phenomenon, but that it had been foreseen by the prophet Isaiah in the Old Testament.As a result, the phrase ″God is with us″ would not so much express the particular nature of Jesus’ arrival in the world as it would convey the fact that God has been generous to His people by sending His Messiah to them.In other words, God follows through on His promises.He is still present among His people.Regardless of how we interpret the portrayal of Jesus, it is compatible with the teaching of the rest of the New Testament, which teaches that God became a human being in the person of Jesus Christ.
As a result, He demonstrated to the world that He was still with the people of the nation of Israel.As a result, it is possible that the people of Jesus’ day may have honestly stated, ″God is with us.″
Summary – Question 7 Why Was Jesus Called Immanuel? (God with Us)
When the news of Jesus’ pregnancy was given to Joseph, the angel informed him that a Son would be born who would be known as Immanuel, which means ″God with us.″ Does this imply that Jesus is known by the moniker Immanuel (God with us)?It is not the case.There are several Hebrew words in it that translate to ″God with us,″ and it is truly a transcription of those phrases.As a result, Jesus is not to be addressed as ″Immanuel.″ Indeed, this is not the name by which He is referred to throughout the New Testament.One of two things is most likely being emphasized by the phrase.The statement may be used to draw attention to the reality of the gospel, which is that God became a human being in the person of Jesus Christ.
God the Son, Jesus Christ, was sent to earth to teach the nature of God to the human race, and this was the goal of his arrival.The phrase ″God with us″ is a condensed version of His arrival.In addition, it is conceivable that Matthew is underlining the fact that God was loyal to His promises when He sent the Messiah to His people the Jews.To put it another way, God is with us because He always follows through on His promises.
- In any case, it is compatible with the concept of God becoming human in the person of Jesus Christ.
- 0 When the news of Jesus’ pregnancy was given to Joseph, the angel informed him that a Son would be born who would be known as Immanuel, which means ″God with us.″ It is possible that the term is intended to emphasize the reality of the gospel, which is that God became a human being in the person of Jesus Christ.
- In addition, it is conceivable that Matthew is underlining the fact that God was loyal to His promises when He sent the Messiah to His people the Jews.
- In any case, it is compatible with the concept of God becoming human in the person of Jesus Christ.
Why Was Jesus Called Immanuel?
In Matthew’s narrative, Jesus is referred to as Immanuel (God with us).Look, the virgin will get pregnant and give birth to a son, whose name will be Immanuel, which means ″God with us″ in Hebrew (Matthew 1:23).This is not a name that I know personally.According to Isaiah 7:14, the prophecy is fulfilled not only in the naming of Jesus, but also in the entire story of His conception and birth.That Jesus was ever known by the name Immanuel is not important; what is important is that the term reflects His role in bringing God’s presence to men.Matthew now goes into further detail on what this term implies for his audience.
A transcription of the Hebrew language into Greek is basically taking the sound of the Hebrew phrase ″God is with us″ and creating a new Greek term from it.God is with us as a result of Jesus’ sacrifice.This is more of a statement than a prayer.The significance of the phrase is conveyed to Matthew’s readers.
- It is possible to interpret Matthew’s usage of this phrase in one of two ways.
- The character of Jesus can be described by the statement ″God is with us.″ He is God who has taken on the form of a human being.
- Matthew wished to demonstrate that the virgin conception was not a novel phenomenon, but rather that it had been foreseen by the prophet Isaiah in the Old Testament. God has finally come with the people to save them, just as the prophets promised.
″God is with us″ would not so much be a description of the actual character of Jesus, but rather a statement indicating that God has been generous to his people by sending His Messiah.Brief Synopsis When the angel Gabriel revealed the pregnancy of Jesus to Joseph, the angel told him that a son would be born who would be known as Immanuel, which means ″God with us.″ It is possible that the term is intended to emphasize the reality of the gospel, which is that God became a human being in the person of Jesus Christ.In addition, it is conceivable that Matthew is underlining the fact that God was loyal to His promises when He sent the Messiah to His people the Jews.
Why Was Jesus Called Immanuel? « Blue Letter Bible Blogs Main landing site
In Matthew’s narrative, Jesus is referred to as Immanuel (God with us).Look, the virgin will get pregnant and give birth to a son, whose name will be Immanuel, which means ″God with us″ in Hebrew (Matthew 1:23).This is not a name that I know personally.According to Isaiah 7:14, the prophecy is fulfilled not only in the naming of Jesus, but also in the entire story of His conception and birth.That Jesus was ever known by the name Immanuel is not important; what is important is that the term reflects His role in bringing God’s presence to men.Matthew now goes into further detail on what this term implies for his audience.
A transcription of the Hebrew language into Greek is basically taking the sound of the Hebrew phrase ″God is with us″ and creating a new Greek term from it.God is with us as a result of Jesus’ sacrifice.This is more of a statement than a prayer.The significance of the phrase is conveyed to Matthew’s readers.
- It is possible to interpret Matthew’s usage of this phrase in one of two ways.
- The character of Jesus can be described by the statement ″God is with us.″ He is God who has taken on the form of a human being.
- Matthew wished to demonstrate that the virgin conception was not a novel phenomenon, but rather that it had been foreseen by the prophet Isaiah in the Old Testament. God has finally come with the people to save them, just as the prophets promised.
″God is with us″ would not so much be a description of the actual character of Jesus, but rather a statement indicating that God has been generous to his people by sending His Messiah.Brief Synopsis When the angel Gabriel revealed the pregnancy of Jesus to Joseph, the angel told him that a son would be born who would be known as Immanuel, which means ″God with us.″ It is possible that the term is intended to emphasize the reality of the gospel, which is that God became a human being in the person of Jesus Christ.In addition, it is conceivable that Matthew is underlining the fact that God was loyal to His promises when He sent the Messiah to His people the Jews.
Verse by Verse Ministry International
In the Bible, the Messiah is referred to by a variety of other titles, including Immanuel. The name given to the Christ child came straight from the Father Himself, as revealed by the angel: ″Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God.″
Luke 1:30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. Luke 1:31 “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.
When written in Hebrew, the name Jesus is spelled Yeshua, which is also translated as Joshua.The name literally translates as ″the Lord is salvation,″ indicating that the Father desired for His Son to be given a name that communicated His mission.Although this is the earthly name given to our Messiah, the scriptures refer to Him by other names before He was revealed to the world as the Son of God.There are about 200 distinct names or titles for the Messiah that have been given to him in the Bible collectively.These titles, when taken together, depict the character and activities of the Messiah as he fulfills the purpose of God.The book of Exodus contains the very first name that the Lord gave Himself:
Ex. 3:14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
After this, Jesus continued to employ this moniker in a subtle way throughout John’s Gospel, when He reacted to the Pharisees in the following fashion:
John 8:58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.”
In order to commemorate His return to earth, the Lord will take on yet another name, according to Jesus in Revelation 3:
Rev. 3:12 ‘He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name.
As a result, even the name Jesus is not the final name of the Lord. In Revelation 19, his new name is described in the following way:
Rev. 19:16 And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”
As a result, the question of what is the Messiah’s name is distinct from the question of what is the name of a human individual.Because there is no one like the Lord, He does not have a name that distinguishes Him from everyone else in the universe.In order to define Himself to His creation, the Lord must first select a name for Himself.In order to describe Himself to humans in a variety of ways, the Lord chooses to call Himself by several names.
Jesus-Immanuel: Matthew’s Narrative Christology of Divine Presence
MA (Master of Arts in Christian Scripture) is an advanced degree (CSc)
First Advisor/Committee Member
Laura C. S. Holmes, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of New Testament at the University of Southern California.
Keywords
Immanuel (the Hebrew Word), the presence of God, and the Bible are all concepts related to Jesus Christ and his person and functions. Critique and narrative in Matthew; Bible. Matthew I 23; Bible. Matthew xviii 20; Bible. Matthew xxviii 20; Holy Spirit; Church. Matthew I 23; Bible.
Abstract
The fact that many Christological readings of Matthew’s Gospel pay particular attention to titular analyses does not excuse them from failing to account for one of Matthew’s most brilliant and broad literary strategies.Matthew describes a messiah who will be known as ″Jesus,″ because he will redeem his people from their sins, and also as ″Immanuel,″ which means ″God with us,″ in the first chapter of his tale.With Jesus-Immanuel appearing in the midst of his followers and telling them, ″I am with you always,″ the entire gospel story comes to an end.In order to understand how Matthew builds his whole narrative around the Immanuel motif of divine presence, we must examine everything that Matthew has written about him, from beginning to end.It also challenges established methods to Christological research, prompting us to seek for a ″narrative Christology″ as a result of this.When it comes to Jesus, what is the story that the entire narrative of Matthew’s Gospel tells?
Immanuel’s theme, which appears only in Matthew’s Gospel, contributes to the development of a narrative Christology that recognizes divine presence as a reality in the person of Jesus Christ, which is manifested in his community of followers and the work of the Holy Spirit.Specifically, this paper examines some of the challenges involved with Matthew’s three explicit uses of the Immanuel theme (1:23; 18:20; 28:20), while also paying close attention to the overall narrative of Matthew’s gospel.Using a literary method to highlight the relationships between Jesus-Immanuel, community, and the Holy Spirit is a worthwhile endeavor.As Matthew’s story unfolds, we see that God’s presence may be discovered in the person of Jesus and experienced among his assembled community of followers.
- God’s presence can also be dynamically revealed via the activity of the Spirit.
Recommended Citation
Jacob Michael Carlson’s ″Jesus-Immanuel:Narrative Matthew’s Christology of Divine Presence″ is available online (2017). Theses from the Seattle Pacific Seminary, number nine.
What does Immanuel mean?
Answer to the question Immanuel is a masculine Hebrew given name that means ″God with us″ or ″God is with us.″ Immanuel is a variant of the name Isaac.It appears three times in the Bible: twice in the Old Testament book of Isaiah (7:14 and 8:8), and once in the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 1:23).(1:23).It is possible to spell the name Immanuel in a different way, which is Emmanuel, which is taken from the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament.While Immanuel, which is spelled with an I, is a direct translation of the original Hebrew name into English, Emmanuel, which is written with an E, is a translation of a translation of a translation (from Hebrew to Greek to English).″Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and he will be named Immanuel,″ according to the book of Isaiah, who was born during the reign of King Ahaz.
The name Immanuel was given to the child as a sign to the king that Judah would be protected from attacks by Israel and Syria (Isaiah 7:14).Immanuel foretold that God would establish His guiding and protective presence among His people at this time of rescue, as symbolized by the name Immanuel.Isaiah’s prophesy concerning a child called Immanuel had another, far-reaching implication: it foreshadowed the birth of Jesus Christ, who was to be Israel’s Messiah.After seven hundred years had passed since the death of King Ahaz, a virgin from Nazareth named Mary became the bride of Joseph.
- In Matthew 1:20–21, an angel appeared to Joseph, confirming that Mary had conceived a child by the Holy Spirit.
- This was before they were married.
- He would be known as Jesus when he was born, according to the plan.
- ″All of this happened in order to fulfill what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: ‘The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will name him Immanuel’ (which means ‘God with us’)″ Matthew, seeing the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophesy, gives this inspired revelation: (Matthew 1:22–23; Mark 1:12–23; Luke 1:12–23).
- In fact, Jesus fulfilled Isaiah’s promise because He truly became ″God with us,″ meaning He was entirely human while yet remaining fully divine.
- As prophesied by the prophet Isaiah, Christ came to dwell among His people in Israel.
As Immanuel, Matthew regarded Jesus as the living manifestation of the Incarnation—the wonder of the Son of God becoming a human being and establishing His home among us so that He could reveal God to us—and the living representation of the Incarnation.Jesus was God with us, expressed in the form of a human being (1 Timothy 3:16).The Incarnation is elegantly described in the Gospel of John, which says, ″The Word became human and made his residence among us.″ This is the glory of the one and only Son of God, who came from the Father and was full of grace and truth….It was only through the one and only Son, who is both God and the closest relationship with the Father, that God was made known″ (John 1:14–18).No one has ever seen God, but the Son, who is both god and the closest relationship with Father, has made him known.God, in the person of Jesus, walked with us and chatted with us in the same way that He did with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.
The coming of Christ demonstrated to all of humanity that God is dependable in His promises to them.Jesus was more than a symbol of God’s presence among us, like the child born during the reign of Ahaz.Jesus came to be God with us in the flesh.Immanuel means ″God with us.″ He is not a partial revelation of God with us; rather, Jesus is God with us in all of His fullness: ″For in Christ all the whole of God dwells in bodily form″ (Colossians 1:26).
(Colossians 2:9, NLT).When Jesus abandoned the grandeur of heaven, He took on the form of a servant so that He might identify with us in our daily hardships (Philippians 2:6–11; Hebrews 4:15–16), He was demonstrating His love for us.Immanuel is the Savior of the world (1 Timothy 1:15).
God sent His Son to live among us and die for us on the cross, demonstrating His love for us.We can be reconciled to God via the sacrifice of Christ’s blood (Romans 5:10; 2 Corinthians 5:19; Colossians 1:20).In the process of being born of His Spirit, Christ begins to live inside us (2 Corinthians 6:16; Galatians 2:20).Our Immanuel will be with us for the rest of our lives.Prior to His return to the Father, Jesus made this promise to His followers after His resurrection from the dead: ″I will be with you always, even to the end of the age″ (Matthew 28:20, NLT; see also Hebrews 13:5).
Nothing will ever be able to separate us from God’s love for us, which is expressed through Christ (Romans 8:35–39).Return to the previous page: Questions regarding Jesus Christ What exactly does the name Immanuel mean?
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What does it mean that Jesus is God with us?
Answer to the question Matthew 1:20–21 describes how an angel appeared to Joseph before the birth of Jesus and informed him that his fiancée, Mary, had become pregnant by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:20–21).Mary was to give birth to a son, whom they were to name Jesus, and they were to raise him as their own.In the following verses, Matthew quotes from Isaiah 7:14 and provides the following inspired revelation: ″All of this occurred in order to fulfill what the Lord had promised through the prophet: ‘The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will name him Immanuel’ (which means ‘God with us’).″ (Matthew 1:22–23; Mark 1:12–23; Luke 1:12–23).The prophet Isaiah foretold the virgin birth of the promised Messiah seven hundred years before the event took place.He foretold that His name would be Immanuel, which means ″God with us,″ according to the prophecy.Matthew identified Jesus as Immanuel by referring to the words of the prophet Isaiah.
It is the marvel of the Incarnation that is expressed in the term Immanuel: Jesus is God with us!Throughout history, God had been with His people—in the pillar of cloud above the tabernacle, in prophetic voices and the Ark of the Covenant—but never had God been so visibly present with them as He was through His virgin-born Son, Jesus, who came to earth as Israel’s Messiah and was crucified for their sins.The presence of God among His people was most clearly demonstrated in the Old Testament when His splendor flooded the tabernacle (Exodus 25:8; 40:34–35) and the temple (1 Kings 8:10–11), among other places.Yet that splendor was dwarfed by the intimate presence of God the Son, God becoming flesh and dwelling among us.
- God was truly present with us.
- The Gospel of John contains one of the most crucial passages in the Bible regarding the Incarnation of Jesus: John 1:1–14.
- ″The Word was with God, and the Word was God,″ according to the Gospel of John.
- ″He was there with God from the beginning,″ the CSB says in verses 1–2.
- The phrase logos, which translates as ″the Word,″ is used by John to make a direct allusion to God.
- In verse 14, the apostle John states, ″The Word became flesh and lived among us.″ We were able to witness his brilliance, the glory that comes from being the one and only Son of the Father, full of mercy and truth″ (CSB).
Jesus was in the midst of instructing His followers on the night of His arrest.A plea had been made by Philip: ″Lord, show us the Father, and that would be sufficient for us.″ It was a very natural need on her part.″Philip, how is it that I have been with you all this time and you still do not recognize Me?″ Jesus said.Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father,″ Jesus said in John 14:8–9, according to the BSB.All along, Jesus had been demonstrating the Father’s presence to them.’God with us’ was precisely what he was.
Whenever Jesus spoke, He was speaking the words of the Father.Whatever Jesus did, He did it in the same way that the Father would have done it.God takes on human flesh and blood in order to save us (1 Timothy 3:16).This is the significance of the concept of incarnation.
Jesus Christ physically ″tabernacled″ among us as one of us; He ″erected His tent″ in our midst and ″set up camp″ among us (John 1:14).God revealed His magnificence to us and extended His grace and truth to us.The tabernacle signified God’s presence under the Old Covenant; but, under the New Covenant, Jesus Christ has replaced the tabernacle as God’s presence among us.
Jesus is not only a symbol of God’s presence among us; he is God himself among us.God’s revelation in Jesus is not a partial revelation; rather, He is God with us in all of His fullness: ″For in Christ all the whole of God dwells in bodily form″ (Colossians 1:26).(Colossians 2:9, New Living Translation) God reveals Himself to us in His Son, Jesus Christ, in all of His fullness.It is through this revelation that He exposes Himself to be our Redeemer (1 Peter 1:18–19).Jesus is God with us in the capacity of Reconciler.
As a result of sin, we were once divided from God (Isaiah 59:2), but when Jesus Christ came, He reconciled us to him: ″For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, and no longer reckoning people’s sins against them″ (2 Corinthians 5:19, NLT; see also Romans 8:3).Jesus is not just God with us, but also God in us, according to the Bible.When we are born again, God comes to dwell in us via Jesus Christ.
″My old self has been crucified with Christ,″ says the believer.No more am I the one who lives; rather, Christ lives in me.As a result, I exist in this earthly body by placing my faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself up for me″ (Galatians 2:20, NLT).Because we are the temple of the living God, the Holy Spirit dwells within us, and we are His dwelling place: ″For we are the temple of the living God.″ According to God’s words, ″I will dwell among them and walk among them.″ It is I who will be their God, and it is they who will be my people.’ (2 Corinthians 6:16, New Living Translation).Jesus is not only God with us for a short period of time, but is God with us forever.God the Son, never for a minute relinquishing his divine essence, took on a completely human character and became ‘God with us’ for all time: ″ ″I will be with you at all times, even until the end of the world″ (Matthew 28:20, NLT; see also Hebrews 13:5).
- When it was time for Jesus to return to the Father, He informed His followers, ″I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, who will be with you forever″ (Matthew 28:20).
- (John 14:16, ESV).
- It was the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Godhead, who Jesus was alluding to, who would continue to bring the presence of God into the lives of those who believe.
The Holy Spirit fulfills the function of Jesus as teacher, revealer of truth, encourager, comforter, intercessor, and God with us.He is also known as the ″Spirit of Truth.″ Return to the previous page: Questions concerning the deity of Jesus Christ What exactly does it mean to say that Jesus is God among us?
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Why Did Mary and Joseph Not Call Jesus “Immanuel”?
Q.Why did Mary and Joseph refrain from referring to Jesus as ″Immanuel″?A virgin will ″conceive and have a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel,″ according to the prophecy of Isaiah, who lived around 700 years before the birth of the expected Messiah (7:14).Following Isaiah’s prophesy, the apostle Matthew referred to it once again in his writings, this time stating that ″they shall call His name Immanuel″ (1:22-23).Many have questioned why, if the prophesied Son of Mary was to be named ″Immanuel,″ this term is never used in the New Testament, with the exception of Matthew’s quote of Isaiah 7:14, which is the only time the word appears.When did Mary, Joseph, John the Baptizer, Peter, Paul, or anybody else refer to the Messiah as ″Immanuel″ for the first time?
However, as is often the case with God’s Word, the Bible serves as its own (and greatest!) commentary on the text.It is useful to study what the prophet wrote two chapters later in order to have a clearer understanding of what Isaiah meant by the name Immanuel.″His name will be Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace,″ wrote Isaiah of the Messiah’s coming: ″His name will be Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace″ (9:6).Does this suggest that the Messiah will be given the names ″Wonderful,″ ″Counselor,″ or ″Everlasting Father″ as a given name in the literal sense of the word?
- To ask is, without a doubt, to receive a response.
- Although these names were provided to describe the essence of the Messiah, they were not intended to be used as literal given names.
- As highlighted by critic Albert Barnes, his traits must be such that all of these applications serve as accurate representations of his abilities and work.
- In Hebrew, the words to be called and to be are frequently used to denote the same thing….
- In Isaiah, the usage of a verb in this manner is not unusual.
- It is said that ″one calls him,″ which according to the use in Isaiah is understood as to suggest that he will rightfully carry this name; or simply, he will be known as (1997).
The son of Mary was known as ″Immanuel″ by nature (John 1:1-3; 10:30,33; 20:28), but He was known by His given name, ″Jesus.″ From as early as Genesis chapter two, we can see a comparable separation between one’s essence and one’s name.God created Eve from Adam’s rib, and the first man said, ″This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my skin; she shall be known as woman, because she was taken out of man″ (Genesis 2:23, emp.added).Despite the fact that Adam stated that ″she shall be named woman,″ Moses recounted that ″Adam called his wife’s name Eve″ one chapter later (3:20).Evidently, Adam intended that the person God produced from his rib was a female human, ″a helper akin to him″ (albeit with notable distinctions and roles—3:18-23), but that she would be recognized by the name ″Eve″ because she was a female human by nature.As well as having a thorough comprehension of Jesus’ name and nature, Gabriel’s chat with Mary before to her miraculous conception is beneficial in this regard.
In spite of the fact that Gabriel did not use the term ″Immanuel,″ take note of the way in which he distinguished between Jesus’ given name and the names by which He would be called as a result of His divine nature: And the angel assured her that she had gained favor with God: ″Do not be frightened, Mary, for you have found favor with God; and behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a Son, and you will name Him Jesus.″ He will be renowned, and he will be known as the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will grant Him the throne of David, which he will sit on.And He will reign over the family of Jacob for all time, and the boundaries of His realm will be unending….The Holy Spirit will descend upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; as a result, the Holy One who is to be born will be referred to as the Son of God; consequently, the Holy One who is to be born will be referred to as the Son of God (Luke 1:30-35, emp.added).
Finally, Matthew emphasizes God’s usage of the ″name″ Immanuel in the very text he quotes—Isaiah 7:14—by quoting from the Bible itself.In the chapter immediately before and after Matthew informs his readers of the prophecy about the Messiah’s name being ″Immanuel″ (1:23), he notes how Joseph would call (1:21) and did call (1:25) the Messiah by ″His name Jesus.″ This understanding, demonstrated by Matthew’s use of the name ″Immanuel″ in verse 23 but ″Jesus″ in verses 21 and 25, clearly demonstrates that Matthew understood one name (Jesus) to be a given, literal name and the other (Immanuel) to be a characterization of Jesus’ essence, similar to the title ″Christ.″
REFERENCE
Notes on the Old and New Testaments, edited by Albert Barnes (1997). (Electronic Database: Biblesoft). The date of publication is September 1, 2010. REPRODUCTION & DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES: The reproduction of this material in part or in its full is permissible as long as the terms and conditions set out by the author and the publisher are followed. Prerequisites for Reproduction
Was Jesus Supposed to be Called Immanuel?
Steppes of Faith is written by Gina.Consequently, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a Son, who will be named Immanuel.″ Isaiah 7:14 (KJV) In a prophecy to King Ahaz of Judea, some 700 years before the birth of the Messiah, the prophet Isaiah prophesied of the coming of the Lord.That it will be delivered was intended to be a message of assurance that God would deliver Jerusalem from her foes.Isaiah informed Ahaz that he could select whatever indication of proof he desired, but Ahaz refused to accept one of them.As a result, God made the decision for him.He picked the sign He had prepared for a long time: the birth of His son Jesus.
″A virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall name His name Immanuel,″ Isaiah prophesied to Ahaz.″So all of this was done in order that the prophecy spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us,’ might be fulfilled,″ says Matthew 1:23, in reference to the birth of Jesus.You may have observed that if you go back to Matthew 1:21, you will find an angel speaking to Joseph in a dream, advising him to go ahead and marry Mary since the baby inside her was from the Holy Spirit, which you can read about here.In addition, the angel provides him with a suggestion for a baby’s name.
- In addition, she will give birth to a son, whom you will name ″Jesus,″ because He will rescue His people from their sins.
- According to what you may imagine, many individuals have speculated that Mary and Joseph may have mispronounced the name of their infant child.
- Isn’t He meant to be known as Immanuel, after all?
- Why did God inform Isaiah that the Messiah’s name would be Immanuel, while the angel told Joseph that the Messiah’s name would be Jesus?
- The gap between His name and His essence is the key to unlocking the mystery.
What’s in A Name?
You’re undoubtedly acquainted with a large number of people.Someone with the names Richard, Susan, Thomas or Deborah may be one of these people.You may call them by those names, or you could call them by other names such as Rich or Rick, Susie, Tom or Tommy, Debbie or Deb, and so on.Perhaps your children refer to their buddies as ″bestie,″ ″bro,″ or ″guy.″ They have what we refer to as ″nicknames.″ Is it the same for your spouse or the person you’re dating?Do you refer to them as ″honey,″ ″sweetie,″ or ″babe″ from time to time?Those are expressions of affection, or another type of nickname, for the person in question.
The same may be said about Jesus.A few chapters following Isaiah’s conversation with Ahaz (9:6), Isaiah went on to characterize the Lord as ″Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace,″ among other descriptions.″Wonderful″ or ″Everlasting Father,″ was Isaiah implying that the Son of God’s given name is ″Wonderful″ or ″Everlasting Father?″ No.Isaiah is describing the Lord in language of love that we may understand.
- These names are descriptive of His character and qualities.
- These passages speak of His might and majesty.
- Albert Barnes, an American theologian who lived in the 1800s, once expressed his thoughts on what Isaiah was attempting to communicate.
- ″His characteristics shall be such that all of these applications will serve as accurate descriptions of his abilities and work.
- In Hebrew, the words to be called and to be are frequently used to denote the same thing….
- In Isaiah, the usage of a verb in this manner is not unusual.
In Isaiah, the phrase ″one calls him″ is used to mean ″he will justly bear this name,″ which means ″he will be″ in plain English, or simply ″he will be.″ According to Barnes, it was ordinary language in Isaiah’s day to use the same verb to signify both ″to be called″ and ″to be,″ and this was a typical occurrence.As a result, Immanuel is the name that the Messiah is expected to ″be called″ or the name that He is.It’s like a moniker for Him, one that accurately represents His character.In the New Testament, the Lord is referred to as ″Son of God″ and ″Son of the Most High″ by the author Luke.Others referred to Him as ″Master″ and ″teacher.″ Many people even refer to Him as the Christ, as if it were Jesus’ final name (which it isn’t).Christ is a Greek word that meaning ″chosen one″ or ″anointed one.″ His name is Jesus Christ, and He is unquestionably the Anointed One, yet none of these titles accurately describe who He is.
He goes by the name of Jesus, and everything else, including the title of Immanuel, is a description of His nature or character.
Jesus is Immanuel
Despite the fact that Jesus took on human form and came to dwell among us (John 1:14, 15), He was always known as Immanuel.God was and continues to be with us.By going out of heaven and into a sinful world, Jesus demonstrated God’s character, demonstrating that He is with us everywhere we go and that He walks with us through every condition in order to lead us to His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21).He loves us with an everlasting love that He would, in every meaning of the word, move heaven and earth to save us from the torment and death that await us in the hereafter.His name is Jesus, but his character, his essence, is known as Immanuel (God with us).He will be with us for the rest of our lives.
Your Turn
Have you ever been perplexed by all of the numerous names for Jesus you’ve heard?Was it ever dawned on you that there are over 60 different names for the Lord in the Bible?Which one (or ones) of them is your favorite?Please inform us right here.Let us assist one another in discovering new ways to adore Jesus.Also, don’t forget to check out Three Gifts of the Father’s Love.
What are the three gifts that God provided us as a result of the birth of Jesus?You may find out more about it by clicking here.
Further Reading
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Why was Jesus called Immanuel?
Throughout history, God, who created man in His own image (Genesis 1:26, Genesis 2:7), has desired to establish a beautiful and close connection with us.God sent Jesus because we would never have been able to be flawless and immaculate enough to dwell in God’s perfect and holy presence if we had to do it ourselves.God is prepared to place all of our sins on Jesus’ shoulders.And everyone who believes this is absolutely holy, righteous, and impeccably pure in the eyes of the Creator (Colossians 1:22).’Immanuel’ is a term that comes from the Hebrew language.It translates as ″God is with us.″ Immanuel was the name of Jesus.
How do I find out?We know this because God informs us in his Word that ″the virgin will get pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name him Immanuel (which means ″God with us″).″ (Matthew 1:23; New International Version) God took on human flesh in the person of Jesus to bring forgiveness and reconciliation to everyone who believes in him.What are your thoughts?Do you despise God to the point of utter denial?
- Are you certain that your earthly death marks the end of your existence for all time?
- Hugo Chavez, the socialist leader who died in a car accident, declared that he is a Christian and that he clings to Christ, the Savior, on a daily basis.
- Is it possible that Steve Jobs, the creator of Apple and a Buddhist, turned to Jesus during his final moments?
- ″Oh Wow!
- Oh Wow!
- Oh Wow!″ he said as he closed his eyes.
— Does this sound like emptiness after a person has died on this planet?Alternately, do you believe that your efforts will result in your entrance into heaven?According to the teachings of God and Jesus in the Bible, you will not be able to gain entrance into paradise just via your good works.It is only through and through Jesus that we may achieve our goals.We have placed all of our merited punishment on Him, so that we may stand before God pure and clean like freshly fallen snow because of our sin.According to the Bible, what is the process of salvation?