Yeshua vs Jesus
The Real Name
By
Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.
OPENING: - About 25 / 27 years ago I was preaching and I stated how the name Jesus was not the actual name of Christ but was the translated version of Yeshua the actual name of Christ. I was young in the ministry and let me say it really didn’t go well then. I was told I couldn’t teach that stuff, I was out of line that I was not teaching Bible and that I really needed to study more, so I did a lot. Well, Praise the Lord times change but TRUTH remains the TRUTH and I still am standing on TRUTH and now even have people asking and seeking to understand the real name, the importance of knowing the real name, how and why it changed, and does it make a difference which one we use?
In this lesson it is my desire to answer these questions, opening the understanding of the name Yeshua versus Jesus, deepening your relationship with Christ by understand that He had a name that at the time was a very common name, yet God gave Him a name above all names, how it changed and most importantly why it changed and which should we use today.
PRAYER
SCRIPTURE: - Philippians 2:9-11 “Wherefore God also hath highly exhalted Him and given Him a name which is above every name. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”. John 5:43 “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”. Luke 1:26-33
Now the first thing the critics, the super religious, the ones set in their ways, those that want to say that you want to put so much emphasis on the name it really doesn’t matter that much and you don’t need to teach that, its not Bible and all that other non-sense will say something like Shakespeare thinking they are being profound and deep and say "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet" which is a popular adage from William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet, in which Juliet seems to argue that it does not matter that Romeo is from her family's rival house of Montague. The reference is used to state that the names of things do not affect what they really are. Now that may be good for a play, but when you are dealing with eternity and eternal promises and purpose it matters.
Let me quickly squash some poor Theological Myths, understanding, calling, praying, using Yeshua doesn’t take anything away from the precious name Jesus. There is no way that it degrades, demeans, make derogatory, or lessen the name Jesus. Instead, it’s discovering hidden treasures and unlocks beautiful layers of meaning and helps us connect even more deeply with who Jesus is, His incredible mission, and the powerful salvation He offers, it deepens our relationship and causes us to understand more vividly our connection with him. Understanding His real name will more than likely changes your perception of the image that has been perpetrated for centuries as Jesus Christ as this feminine blond hair blue eyed white-washed poster boy for a shampoo commercial to something more in line with what He actually looked like but that is a good thing especially when the scripture says in Exodus 20:3-6 “Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments” all these pictures, stained glass windows, and statues of some blood hair blue eyed Jesus is exactly what God commanded for us not to do anyway.
The first question I need to answer is the Importance of Knowing the Real Name - Yeshua. As Hebrews who have had their identity stolen, who have been shipped to a land that is not theirs, had their children sold and they could do nothing, their families torn apart, who were raped, beaten, emasculated, murdered, enslaved, mentally, physically, and spiritually abused for centuries, we have been told we were less than human, that we had no culture, no heritage, we were worthless, literally had every curse of Deuteronomy 28 fulfilled in us. Understanding our Cultural Identity, our Heritage, our Physical Connection, our Spiritual Relationship is Paramount first and foremost and understanding Yeshua’s name helps maintain the continuity of the Hebrew identity and heritage that it rightfully ours. It causes us to truly be able to understand the benefits of the promise of God to walk in and truly fulfill our purpose, realizing that we are in relationship with Him knowing with assurance as Romans 11:1 says “Hath God cast away His people? God forbid, For I also am an Israelite of the seed of Abraham” pertains to you and me personally, that we are not an afterthought, or someone that has been grafted in, but are in fact the Children of God, the Amam, the people of the Covenant, a Royal Priesthood and a Chosen Generation. Therefore for US, the Hebrews, knowing the name YESHUA is of the utmost Importance.
Christ’s Real Name
Christ’s real name is Yeshua pronounced Yeh-SHOO-ah, it is the original name given to him by his parents, Mary and Joseph, who were observant Jews living in first-century Judea. This name isn’t just a word; it’s a promise, it’s a divine declaration of salvation that echoes through the ages. It’s a testament to the divine promise of salvation and deliverance. Yeshua represents not just an individual but the very embodiment of salvation for humankind.
Derived from the verb Yasha meaning to save or to deliver it signifies God’s engagement in the world to save humanity from sin and spiritual death. Yeshua is the bridge between the Old Testament prophecy and the New Testament fulfillment, where Yeshua serves as the culmination of God’s redemptive plan for humanity.
The name Yeshua is also tied directly to this Hebrew noun Yoshia, meaning “salvation,” “deliverance,” “help,” or “victory.” This word shines throughout the Old Testament, describing God’s amazing acts of rescue. Remember Moses at the Red Sea? He told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance (Yeshuah) the LORD will bring.” Exodus 14:13. And the prophet Isaiah rejoiced, Isaiah 12:2 “Surely God is my salvation (Yeshuah)… he has become my salvation (Yeshuah)”. It meant rescue from danger and spiritual freedom.
This all comes together so beautifully in the angel’s message to Joseph about Mary’s baby: Matthew 1:21 “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus [Yeshua], because he will save his people from their sins”. Anyone hearing that in Hebrew or Aramaic would have instantly understood the powerful connection. The angel was saying, “Call Him ‘Salvation’ (Yeshua), because He will save (Yoshia) His people”.
This wasn’t just a name picked out of a hat or out of thin air. God Himself gave this name. It was a Divine Declaration of purpose right from the very start. It tells us His mission. Later, Zechariah prophesied that John the Baptist would prepare the way by giving “knowledge of salvation (yeshuah)” Luke 1:77 – the salvation found in Yeshua. And when old Simeon held baby Jesus in the Temple, he praised God, saying, Luke 2:30-31 “My eyes have seen your salvation (yeshuah).” He was literally holding Salvation. The name itself shouts His purpose.
Theres so much comfort and hope in this name. It tells us God’s plan from the very beginning was about rescue, deliverance, and making things new. And this plan wasn’t just an idea; it became a Person, Divinely named Yeshua - “Salvation.”
WATCH THIS: - Luke 1:26-33 “Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming in, he said to her, Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you. But she was very perplexed at this statement, and was pondering what kind of greeting this was. And the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you shall name Him Yeshua (Jesus). He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”
This was the famous announcement that the angel Gabriel made to Mary… you shall name him Yeshua (meaning, salvation). So often we read something and miss the importance of culture and heritage and in so doing we miss some things that are vital to the story and to history. Understand that women were the primary name givers of the family at this time. Although naming wasn’t exclusive to women, it was more often than not that the mother was tasked with naming the child.
For example:
• Lot’s daughters named their sons, Moab and Ben-ammi (Genesis 19:37-38)
• Leah (wife to Jacob) named her sons Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun (Genesis.29:32-33, 34-35; Genesis.30:18, 20). She named her daughter, Dinah (Genesis. 30:21)
• Leah also named Gad and Asher (sons of Jacob and his concubine-wife Zilpah) (Genesis 30:11-12)
• Rachel (wife to Jacob) named her son Joseph (Genesis 30:22) and, on her death-bed, she named her youngest son, Ben-oni, but his father renamed him Benjamin (Genesis 35:18)
• Rachel also named Dan and Naphtali (sons of Jacob and his concubine-wife Bilhah) (Genesis 30:3-8)
• Judah’s Canaanite wife named their three sons Er, Onan, and Shelah (Genesis 38:2-5)
• Pharaoh’s daughter named the boy she drew out of the water, Moses (Exodus 2:10)
• Manoah’s wife named her son Samson (Judges 13:24)
• Hannah named her son Samuel (1 Samuel 1:20)
• Phinehas’ widow named their son, Ichabod (1 Samuel 4:21-22)
Gabriel told Mary what she should name the child she was expecting and that was Yeshua. To Joseph, Gabriel announced that the people would call this child, Immanuel “God with us” which was the term prophesied by Isaiah 7:14. Yeshua was the name His mother (Mary) would use when calling Him home for supper, or when she kissed Him goodnight, or greeted Him when He returned home from His many travels. This was the cherished name she gave to her son, and it meant “salvation”. Yeshua is the name His father (Joseph) called him when he taught him how to use a tool or catch ball or fish and everything a father teaches his son how to be a boy. It is the name God and the Angels in Heaven call Him Yeshua for that is the Hebrew name the Heavenly language. Yeshua (Salvation) is the name He lived up to.
A Common Name
It is important that you understand that the name Yeshua, was a common Jewish name around the time Yeshua (Jesus of Nazareth) was alive. Experts who study names from that time consistently find Yeshua (or its Greek form Iesous) was one of the top names. Archaeologists have actually found the name carved into 71 burial caves in Israel, dating from the time the historical Jesus of Nazareth would have been alive. This leads to the question of why, if there were so many men named “Yeshua” running around at the time of the Messiah why then is it so unique.
BECAUSE: - Yeshua powerfully shows us the reality of the Incarnation that the Son of God truly became one of us. He didn’t come with some strange, otherworldly name that set Him apart. No, He stepped fully into our world, into a real culture, at a real point in time, with a real name shared by many others. This highlights His genuine full humanity, His connectivity, His willingness to be right there with the people He came to save.
So, when the Bible says His name became “the name that is above every name” Philippians 2:9, it’s not because the name itself was unique in its sound, but, entirely because of the unique, Divine Person who carried that name Yeshua – the Son of God. The commonness of the name emphasizes how humble God was and how much He loves us to become one of us. So often in the Old Testament include various messianic prophecies that indicate the coming of a Savior, for example in Isaiah 9:6, where the prophet speaks of a coming “child who will be a Wonderful Counselor and Mighty God”. Then in the New Testament, we see Theanthropos the God/Man Yeshua fulfills both to His human and divine nature in these prophecies. Yeshua, during His time on Earth, got involved in the lives of those around Him. He performed miracles, taught profound wisdom, and ultimately laid down His life to atone for humanity’s sins. His resurrection solidified His divinity, offering believers a tangible assurance of God’s promises, bridging the gap between sinful man and a Holy God. He became one of us, a descendant of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob a Hebrew/Jew even sharing a common name, so He could save us, lift us up to and bring us back to God. That’s Amazing Grace – That’s YESHUA.
Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.
