When Christians tell the story of the birth of Jesus(pbuh), which was prophesied, they read the parts showing that Joseph and Mary were told what to call him.
Usually they don’t mention that this was because Jesus’ name was prophesied, or why. There were a number of prophecies that Jesus had to fulfil to show that he was the Messiah, before he could begin to perform the role. Among those prophecies was that his name would mean more than one thing. That was only possible because of word plays.
The name of Jesus could say different things at the same time, and in different languages too. It is because his name matched those prophecies, and also said other things, that the New Testament repeatedly refers to people believing in his name. Using word plays, his name meant different things. That is why people believed in his name, and you can find many biblical references to people believing in it.
One of the things that his name would mean was Mighty God. A Theophoric name is a name that contains or hints at the name of a god. Those names, which are still common today in many languages, suggested the protection of that god and made people wary of attacking that person. Jesus is the Greek interpretation of one of the meanings of his name. His Hebrew name, Jehoshua, has the same root meaning as Jehovah, so it was a Theophoric name. But the prophecies showed that his name would say various things.
Since so many people believed in his name, it did.
In fact, in the original language, Jesus of Nazareth also works as a word play saying Rabbinical school. One of the Prophets said that Jesus would be called a Nazarene, meaning that he would live in Nazareth for a time. Since Jesus was also a Rabbi and was teaching others, the word plays make sense.
These are some of the signs that he matched the prophecies about the expected person who would tell them things, and they are some of the signs that made a lot of people at the time believe that he was the real Messiah. (Messiah and Christ mean anointed, and Jesus was anointed by God to show that he was the one who would do a number of things prophesied of the Messiah figure.)
Naturally, as the other meanings of the name given to Jesus are uncovered in word plays, we should see greater unity between Christians, Moslems (who already believe Jesus was the Messiah and that he will come back) and those Jews who do not currently accept Jesus as the Messiah. (The Prophet Daniel(pbuh) was given the time that the Messiah figure would arrive, and it has long since past.)
These things show that Jesus was the expected Messiah, and this information will lead to greater unity and increase the possibilities for agreement and peace. They also show that word plays were used a great deal and that they formed a lot of the proof that was accepted at the time.
Some of the biblical texts that show the name of Jesus would mean different things follow.
Isaiah 9:6 (KJV) …and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Jeremiah 23:6 (KJV) In his days Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, The Lord our Righteousness.
Matthew 1:21-23 (KJV) And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. 22: Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23: Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
The Theophoric nature of the name of Jesus is clearly seen in the New Testament, and he made mention of it himself more than once. To give you a couple of examples, he mentions being there in God’s name.
John 5:43 (KJV) I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.
John 10:25 (KJV) Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed me not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me.
As you can see, it gets mentioned in some very well known parts of the Bible.
Matthew 21:9 (KJV) And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
Mark 11:9 (KJV) And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Luke 19:38 (KJV) Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.
John 12:12-13 (KJV) On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13: Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Luke 13:35 (KJV) Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
The religious leaders (who had tried to stop anyone who said that they were the Messiah from speaking in a synagogue) tried to put a stop to this prophesied proof that he was the one expected, by stopping people from talking about it.
Acts 4:17-18 (KJV) But that it spread not further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. 18: And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.
They even went so far as trying to have a local court put a stop to any talk of these prophesied signs. You can clearly see that the judge would not get involved with their disagreement about names and words at Acts 18:15.
Acts 18:12-15 (KJV) And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgement seat. 13: Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law. 14: And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you: 15: But if it be a question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters.
One way of doing the word plays is to look at how they are written, and there is a subtle word play in one of the descriptive names given to Jesus. He is often called the lamb of God. The b at the end of the word lamb is not pronounced and remains silent. Prophecy said that Jesus would be a light for the gentiles, the non-Jews, and he said that he was the light of the world. If you try and pronounce the b at the end of the word lamb, you will find yourself saying lamp, which is another word for a light.
There is more than one reason why Jesus would be a light to the world. One of them is that you need light to see, and Jesus was letting them see things like this. Keep watching this website during 2012, because at Matthew 4:22-24 and at Luke 8:17-18 he said that everything will be revealed if you pay attention to what you hear.
If anyone tells you that there will be no further revelations, remind them of those, and the references to the Spirit of Truth telling people everything at John 16:12-14 (KJV) I have many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13: Howbeit when he, the Spirit of Truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14: He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and he shall shew it unto you.
Feel free to add that Proverbs said that it is the glory of God to hide things from people.
Proverbs 25:2 (KJV) It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.
And that prophecy in the Old Testament repeatedly said that God would reveal things later, and in words.
Isaiah 42:16 (KJV) And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not: I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.
Isaiah 35:5 (KJV) Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
Isaiah 29:18 (KJV) And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.
Isaiah 42:18 (KJV) Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see.
Isaiah 56:1 (KJV) Thus saith the Lord, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.
The fact that word plays were used also explains why Jesus replied that those who asked him a couple of questions had answered him at the same time. The answer was contained in their questions, in word plays.
Mark 15:2 (KJV) And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answering said unto him, Thou sayest it.
Luke 23:3 (KJV) And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest it.
The answer was contained in his name.
If you keep watching this website during 2012, you will see that information, and a great deal more. And you will have a much better understanding of what so much of the Bible, and particularly the New Testament, is about. After all, Jesus said ‘He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and he shall shew it unto you’ that people would know what he was doing when he washed their feet, and that has already been revealed here.
