Sometimes a person’s name means what that person does.
This is Scripture for Students. I’m Steve Whitacre, president of Trinity College and a pastor at Sovereign Grace Church of Louisville. I want to help students build a daily habit for life-long Bible reading. Today is December 17, 2024 and this episode of Scripture for Students is called Jesus is an Aptronym. Grab your Bible and let’s get started.
Open up your Bible to Matthew chapter 1. Don’t you love a good aptronym? What’s that? You’re not sure what an “aptronym” is? Don’t worry, I had to look it up, too. An aptronym is when a person’s name is unusually apt, or suitable, for the job he or she does or the kind of person he is she is. You can probably see how “apt name” became aptronym.
There are some really great and really funny examples of aptronyms out there. One of my favorite names is the fastest man in the world: a Jamaican runner named Usain Bolt. If your last name is Bolt, it seems like you’re destined to run fast. I used to live in Virginia and I would regularly see trucks out and about for a plumber named John C. Flood. I also used to know of a pastor whose last name was Bishop. He was Pastor Bishop. That one was almost perfect! If he could just get promoted to… well, I don’t think I have to spell it out.
Today’s Scripture for Students is Matthew 1:21. I’m going to read Matthew 1:18–25 for some context, but we’re going to focus on verse 21. See if you can spot the aptronym.
Matthew 1:18–25
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.
19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.
20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).
24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife,
25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.
May the Lord bless the reading and the hearing and the keeping of his Word.
Verse 21 is where we find out that Jesus is an aptronym. Have you ever thought about why the angel says it this way, “And you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” We know his name is Jesus and we know that Easter is coming and he will save people from their sins, but what is the for for?
Well, it might help to know that the English name Jesus is a translation of the Greek version of the name, Iēsous. Iēsous is the Greek translation of the Hebrew version of the name Yeshua, which we would read today as Joshua. Yeshua is related to the word for salvation, and could be translated something like, “one who saves.” So whatever language you read Jesus’s name in, it is an aptronym! He will save his people from their sins.
One of the things I love about Christmas is it is probably one of the only times of the year when we find the name and the story of Jesus repeated and celebrated in our culture. So now, whenever you hear the name Jesus in a Christmas carol or see it printed on a Christmas card, remember that the name of Jesus is an aptronym! He came to save his people from their sins. His name is what he does. So if you are one of his people, the mere mention of his name is a reminder of the good news of salvation.
“And you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
That’s all for today. If you enjoyed this episode please share it with a friend and follow us on Apple Podcasts.
This content is sponsored by Trinity College of Louisville. We shape young men and young women for Christ and for the church. Learn more at TrinityCollegeLou.com. Until next time, keep growing!