I AM Bible Studies and Resources

The Original Personal Name Of Messiah

Although the New Testament was written in Greek, the common spoken language of the time was Aramaic. The Greek manuscripts give the personal name of Christ as Iesous; this however is the translation of both Joshua (Yehoshua) and Jeshua (Yeshua), a variant of Joshua, both of which are found in the Old Testament (this will be discussed later).
The question then arises: Was the personal name of Messiah Yehoshua or Yeshua? The truth is that nobody can really say with any certainty - the reason being, that depending upon the language being used both forms are correct; we can see this from Scripture:

Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem; and with them were the prophets of God, helping them.
Ezra 5:2

These were in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor, and of Ezra the priest the scribe.
Nechemyah / Nehemiah 12:26

yes, take of them silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them on the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest;
Zekharyah / Zechariah 6:11

The verses in Ezra and Nechemyah / Nehemiah were originally written in Aramaic (the Hebrew Bible still renders them as such) whilst the verse in Zekharyah / Zechariah is in Hebrew; the same person is in view, only a different spelling (and pronunciation) is employed. That the forms Jeshua (Aramaic - Yeshua) and Joshua (Hebrew - Yehoshua) are the same is further confirmed by the Septuagint (LXX) where both are translated as the Greek name Iesous.
So it can be seen that Joshua, Jeshua, Iesous and Jesus are but different forms of the same name. It is likely though that His given name, as recorded in the Temple at the time of His circumcision (Lk. 2:21).

When eight days were fulfilled for the circumcision of the child, his name was called Yeshua, which was given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
Lk. 2:21

would have been the Hebrew form Yehoshua, whilst He would probably have been known by the Aramaic Yeshua (Yeshua is the form used by Jewish believers in Messiah in Israel and also around the world).

In the O.T., there are a few prophecies that give differing names for the Messiah such as: Immanuel - 'God with us' (Yesha`yahu / Isaiah 7:14); Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Yesha`yahu / Isaiah 9:6) and Joshua (Zekharyah / Zechariah 6:11-12). Apart from the verses in Zekharyah / Zechariah these are not personal names but rather descriptions of who Messiah really is.
Although Joshua, and therefore also the variatiions of the name, all have the same meaning - 'God saves' - Messiah's personal name was given by the command of God because He would save His people, not merely in a general way as Joshua, Moses' succsessor, did but in a far greater way - from their sins (Mt. 1.21).

For God it is not important if we use Yehoshua or Yeshua, or any variation of the Greek Iesous such as Jesus. What is important is the language of the heart - this is what God listens to.

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