The Holy Name of Jesus

This eighth day of Christmas we head back to Bethlehem, to the humble dwelling where Joseph and Mary took up temporary residence during the Roman taxation. Dr. Luke tells the story of excitement eight days before, among temple shepherds, who barged in uninvited into the tender moments following childbirth. The loud and precocious pre-teens came to check out a story of miraculous childbirth told them by a multitude of angels lighting up the night sky. Then they noisily went about telling others about their angelic visit. If they were around today they might describe it as “awesome” or even “epic.” I get the feeling they may have been more impressed with the messengers than the subject of the message.

Mary, on the other hand, quietly pondered the entire experience, keeping her thoughts close to her heart. All this pondering has my wife convinced Mary is a true introvert. For the previous eight days Mary has been quiet, pondering, and receiving the guests who would customarily visit every day until the traditional circumcision and naming ceremony. She has been on her child-bed, receiving constant attention from the midwife and women in the family. Her newborn has been picked up at the slightest whimper, passed around from one to the other, adored as the cutest baby ever seen, and kissed until his skin is raw.

On this eighth day Jewish custom permits Mary to get out of bed, to go into the mikveh bath for ritual cleansing, and to get ready for the circumcision and naming ceremony. As Jewish custom requires, the rabbi will be by today to circumcise the child into communion with the Jewish people, and inquire of the name he shall be called.

Circumcision was an initiation rite into Judaism going back to Genesis chapter 17. Since that time every male born to Jewish parents had to have the foreskin removed precisely on the eighth day. It could not be rescheduled at convenience. It was a sign of covenant with God, and a visible reminder of that covenant. Our time-honored Christian practice of infant baptism is inherited from this ancient rite of extending covenant to the newborn.

By the first century the official naming of a newborn was put off until circumcision eight days after birth. The rabbi would ask what the child would be called, and that statement, made in front of a house-full of guests, would be the birth certificate and legal record of the child’s name as he entered into covenant with the greater community. Normally first-born males were named after their father or grandfather. The infant’s father, as head of the house, had the final say and would pronounce the name. When the question was asked, Joseph did as the angel instructed. He told the rabbi, “He is to be called JESUS.”

From this the church gives us January 1, the eighth day of Christmas, to observe the Feast of the Holy Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are to think about significance of the name of Jesus. It must be important if God himself wanted to ensure the circumcising rabbi recorded that he would be called Jesus. So he directed Joseph to name him accordingly.

Of course, the name Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew Yeshua, which means “Jehovah saves.” The very name Jesus means salvation and restoration, and he is named for what he will accomplish. The angel told Joseph he would save his people from their sins. His naming ceremony, full of joy and celebration at the time, is in reality a death sentence. He will become, as Paul explained, “obedient to death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8).

But the Holy Name of Jesus means much more. Paul goes on to triumphantly declare, “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11).

Now, as we carry out the work of God’s kingdom through the community called church, we are said to pray, preach, and work in Jesus’ name. That means we are diligent to discern what Jesus is doing among us, and to follow him in that work. Our words and deeds must always reflect him, honor him, promote him. We, like John the baptizer, learn to decrease so he can increase.

Following Christ as his disciples we are baptized into his name, forsaking the past and pressing forward into the kingdom. We join others in worship and thanksgiving through the name of Christ, remembering that as we gather in his name he is with us. We draw strength from Jesus’ name, knowing that everything we ask in his name and for his purpose is granted. We serve in his name, showing his love and pointing to his kingdom through acts of love and service to the world around us. The apostle Paul reminds us, “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3:17).

The Holy Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, predestined at the foundation of the world, prophesied by angels and pronounced at his birth by Joseph among us. It was rejoiced and recorded by witnesses in that tiny home with little clue of what it all meant, except for Mary, who had pondered its meaning in hear heart. The Holy Name of our Lord Jesus Christ has been preached and proclaimed by the church is the means of salvation and restoration to God’s love. As the psalmist declared, “O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth!” (Psalm 8:1, 9).

Eternal Father, you gave to your incarnate Son the holy name of Jesus to be the sign of our salvation: Plant in every heart, we pray, the love of him who is the Savior of the world, our Lord Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen. (BCP)