The Name of Jesus

What His Name Means

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Peter told the lame man to walk “in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth” (3:6). Later he said, “His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong” (3:16). So what is in a name?

Names in the Bible. In the Bible, a name often tells who a person is. To speak of someone's name is to speak of the whole person: who they are and what they can do.

Jesus. Before Jesus was born, an angel told Joseph, “you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). The name Jesus means the Lord saves.

Christ. Christ is not Jesus' last name. It is a title that means the Anointed One, the King God promised to send. In Hebrew the same title is Messiah.

Of Nazareth. Nazareth was the small town where Jesus grew up. Peter said it so everyone knew exactly whom he meant: the real Jesus they had seen, who died and rose again.

In His name. When a king's messenger spoke in the king's name, he spoke with the king's power. When Peter spoke in Jesus' name, he was speaking for Jesus, by Jesus' power.

Not a magic word. Some men in the city of Ephesus once tried to use Jesus' name like a magic spell, even though they did not know Him. It did not work, and they ran away hurt (Acts 19:13-16). The power is in Jesus Himself, not in saying a word.

Faith in the name. Peter said it was “faith in His name” that made the man strong (3:16). Faith means trusting Jesus Himself, the Person the name belongs to.

Even faith is a gift. Peter said this faith “comes through Him” (3:16). Jesus even gives us the trust we need to come to Him.

Above every name. Because Jesus humbled Himself and died on the cross, “God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name” (Philippians 2:9).

Every knee. One day “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow” (Philippians 2:10). Everyone will know that Jesus is Lord.

A holy name. Jesus taught us to pray, “Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name” (Matthew 6:9). Hallowed means treated as holy. We never use God's name in a careless way.

What to do. This week, when you say the name of Jesus, say it with love and respect. Remember what His name means: the Lord saves.

Acts 3 and 4 speak of the name of Jesus again and again: in the command to the lame man (3:6), in Peter's explanation (3:16), and before the council (4:10, 12). The name stands for Jesus Himself, and His power is what healed the man.

Name and person. In Scripture a name often stands for a person's character and authority. To act in the name of someone is to act as their representative.

Yeshua. Jesus' Hebrew name, Yeshua (say: yeh-SHOO-ah), means the Lord saves. That is why the angel said, “for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).

Christ. Christ is the Greek word for anointed. In the Old Testament, prophets, priests and kings were anointed with oil. Jesus is the Anointed One who is all three.

Nazareth. Nazareth was a small, unimportant town. Naming it reminded the crowd that the Lord of glory is the same Jesus who grew up in a small, unimportant town. The rejected man from Nazareth holds all authority.

Authority, not a formula. In Acts 19:13-16, seven sons of a man named Sceva tried to use Jesus' name as a formula without knowing Him. The evil spirit said it knew Jesus and Paul but not them, and the men fled wounded. The name works only in a relationship with the One it names.

Faith in the name (3:16). Peter says it twice: “His name, through faith in His name.” The power is Jesus' own; faith is the empty hand that receives it. And faith itself is “the faith which comes through Him.”

Before the council (4:10). Peter said it again to the leaders: “by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole.” The name stands for the risen Person.

The exalted name. Philippians 2:9-11 says God gave Jesus “the name which is above every name” because He humbled Himself to the cross. Every knee will bow and every tongue confess “that Jesus Christ is Lord.”

Honored like God's name. Israel was commanded not to take the Lord's name in vain (Exodus 20:7). The apostles speak of Jesus' name with the honor that belongs to God's own name, because Jesus is Lord.

Hallowed (Matthew 6:9). To hallow is to treat as holy. Using Jesus' name as a curse word or a careless shout treats lightly the name that saves.

Application. When you pray in Jesus' name, you are saying that you come to God by His authority and for His honor, not your own. Let that shape what you ask for.

Calling on His Name

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The name of Jesus healed a lame man's legs. It does something even greater for everyone who believes in Him: it saves.

No other name. Peter told the leaders, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

Only one way. That means good deeds, money or religion cannot save us. Only Jesus can, because only Jesus died for our sins and rose again.

Whoever calls. “For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). Whoever means anyone at all: any age, any country, anyone who calls.

Calling on Him. To call on His name is to cry out to Jesus and trust Him to save you. It is like a drowning person calling to the only one who can pull him out.

Children of God. “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12).

Life in His name. John wrote his Gospel “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:31).

Believe. When a jailer asked how to be saved, Paul and Silas answered, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31).

Praying in His name. Jesus told His disciples to ask the Father in His name (John 14:13-14). That means we come to God because of Jesus, asking for what He would want.

Not a password. Ending a prayer with Jesus' name is good, but it is not a password. It means, Father, I am coming to You because Jesus made the way.

Living in His name. Paul taught that whatever we do, in word or deed, we should do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus (Colossians 3:17). Our words and actions show that we belong to Him.

Bold for His name. When the leaders saw the boldness of Peter and John, “they realized that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13).

His name forever. In heaven, God's people “shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads” (Revelation 22:4). They will belong to Him forever.

What to do. If you have never called on the name of Jesus, you can do it today. Tell Him you are sorry for your sin, and ask Him to save you.

In Acts 3 the name of Jesus heals a body. In Acts 4:12 the same name saves sinners. The two belong together: the healing everyone could see pointed to a salvation no one could see.

No other name (Acts 4:12). “There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” The word must is the Greek dei (say: DAY), it is necessary. Jesus is not one option among many; He is the only Savior God has given.

Why only Jesus. Only Jesus is both God and man, without sin, crucified for sin and raised from the dead. “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Calling on the name (Romans 10:13). Paul quotes the prophet Joel: “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” In Joel the Lord is the God of Israel, and Paul applies the verse to Jesus. Calling on Jesus is calling on God.

Receiving the name (John 1:12). To “believe in His name” is to receive Jesus Himself. The result is adoption into God's family: “the right to become children of God.”

Life in the name (John 20:31). Eternal life is not a reward for effort but life found in Him: “believing you may have life in His name.”

Praying in His name (John 14:13-14). To pray in Jesus' name is to ask as His representative, for His glory and in line with His will. It is the opposite of using His name to get our own way.

A warning (Acts 19:13-16). The sons of Sceva used Jesus' name without knowing Him and were overpowered. A name borrowed without faith has no power. Knowing Jesus is what matters.

Suffering for the name. After the council beat the apostles, they left “rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name” (Acts 5:41).

All of life in His name. Colossians 3:17 calls believers to do everything, in word or deed, in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Ordinary life becomes worship.

The last word. “They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads” (Revelation 22:4). The Bible's story ends with God's people belonging to Jesus forever.

Application. Calling on Jesus' name is the first step of salvation and a daily habit of trust. Call on Him to save you if you never have, and pray in His name every day, asking for what honors Him.

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