Week Two: Jesus the Savior

The Name this week:
Jesus - Yeshua - means "Yahweh is salvation"
Jesus Christ is God bending toward us, God becoming one of us, God reaching out in mercy, God humbling himself, God nailed to a cross, God rising up from the grave.
Jesus: Name above all names

Key Scriptures this week:

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,

who daily bears our burdens.

- Psalm 68:19

Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife,

because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,

because he will safe his people from their sins.

- Matthew 1:20-21

Day One: God Reveals His Name

Scripture Reading: Matthew 1:18-25

Understanding the Name:

The name Jesus was common in first-century Palestine, but after Jesus Christ, it nearly disappeared as a given name. Jesus or Iesous in Greek, is equivalent to the Hebrew Yeshu, which is a contraction of the Hebrew name Yehoshua, which translates into English "Joshua." Jesus and Joshua both mean, "Yahweh is help" or "Yahewh is salvation."

Soter is the Greek word translated, "Savior." Hebrew equivalent is Moshia. The Greek "Jesus is Savior" would be Iesous Soter (yay-SOUS so-TAIR). See Acts 4:12.

Questions for reflection:

1. What comes to mind when you hear the name "Jesus"?
2. Though Jesus was a common name in first-century Palestine, God sent an angel to announce the name to Joseph. Comment on the significance of this.
3. Why do you thing Jesus' name is linked to the name of Yahweh, the covenant name of God in the Hebrew scriptures?
4. Describe what salvation means to you.