TORAH STUDIES: LINKING SCRIPTURES

HISTORY OF THE NAME 'JESUS'

Imagine being granted thechance to travel back in time, standing in the dusty streets ofancient Judea, where you hope to encounter the man known to you asJesus. You approach people in the bustling marketplace, eagerlyasking, "Have you seen Jesus?" or perhaps "Is theresomeone here named Jesus?" The locals look at you with puzzledexpressions, some shaking their heads or even laughing softly. Tothem, no such person exists by that name—only a man named Y'shuawalks these streets, a name unknown to you.

Undeterred, you continue searching, trying todescribe him to passersby. "He's a healer," you insist, "ateacher, known for his wisdom and miracles." Yet your words fallflat; no one seems to understand. The disconnect between languagesand cultures leaves you feeling like an outsider, almost like aperson out of touch with reality. What you thought was a simplejourney has now made you an enigma, revealing how names carry deeproots and meanings that, when lost or changed, risk transforming eventhe most familiar faces into strangers.

In this article, the History of the Name ofJesus is broken down in detail to reveal its evolution andthe importance of preserving the original name. The goal here issimple but profound: that we should retain and honor the true name.Ignorance of the name is one thing, but once we know the truth, weare called to follow it and speak it faithfully.

In Hebrew culture, names hold deep meaning and areconsidered reflections of one's essence and purpose. Thissignificance is rooted in the call to remember YHVH in all aspects oflife, including the names we give our children, often incorporatingYHVH's name to honor and keep it ever-present.

Holding fast to Y'shua's original name reminds usof the connection to YHVH and the cultural tradition that views namesas integral to identity and relationship with YHVH.

HISTORY OF THE NAME

1. Original Name: Y'shua (Hebrew/Aramaic)

Hebrew Origins: The original nameof Jesus in Hebrew is "Y'shua " (יֵשׁוּעַ),a common name in ancient Israel. "Y'shua " is a shortenedform of "Yehoshua" (יהושע),which means "YaHaVaH is salvation" or "YAH saves."

Aramaic Usage: During Jesus' time,Aramaic was widely spoken in the region, and "Y'shua " wasthe Aramaic pronunciation of his name.

2. Greek Translation: Iēsous (Ἰησοῦς)

Greek Influence: The New Testamentwas written in Greek, the lingua franca of the Eastern Mediterraneanat the time. When translating Y'shua's name into Greek, translatorsrendered it as "Iēsous" (Ἰησοῦς). This translationwas influenced by the linguistic conventions of Greek, which lackedthe "sh" sound found in Hebrew and typically added an "s"ending to masculine names.

Septuagint and Consistency: TheGreek translation of the Old Testament, the Septuagint, had alreadyrendered the name "Yehoshua" as "Iēsous" whenreferring to figures like Joshua, maintaining consistency in thetranslation.

3. Latin Translation: Iesus

Latinization:
As Christianityspread throughout the Roman Empire, Latin became the dominantlanguage in the Western Church. In Latin, "Iēsous" wastransliterated as "Iesus."

No "J" in Early Latin: EarlyLatin did not have a "J" sound, so the name "Iesus"was pronounced with a soft "I," similar to the English "Y."The spelling "Iesus" was used throughout the Middle Ages.

The Introduction of the Letter "J"and Its Influence on the Name Jesus

Early Use of the Letter "I