“And His Name Shall be Called: JESUS (Matthew 1:18-25)” | 12/25/22

Matthew 1:18-25 | 12/25/22 | Will DuVal

“What’s in a name?”, Shakespeare’s Juliet famously asked. 

“That which we call a rose / By any other name would smell [just] as sweet”. 

It doesn’t matter what you CALL a thing; it just matters what it IS! Juliet is trying to convince herself that just because her beloved Romeo is a Montague, and she is a Capulet - and despite the fact that their two families have been at war with one another for generations now, as Juliet puts it: “’Tis but thy name that is my enemy; Thou art thyself.” I don’t CARE about your name, Romeo; you are YOU, and I love YOU no matter WHAT!


Well, spoiler alert: they both end up DEAD at the end of the play. Turns out, names ARE important! 

And the Bible’s answer to Juliet’s question couldn’t be clearer: “What’s in a name?” A LOT! One scholar writes, “In the Bible… Names were more than just labels. To ancient Hebrews… nothing existed until it had a name. Its name expressed its character.” (Freedman, Christian Science Monitor, https://www.csmonitor.com/2001/0522/p18s1.html#:~:text=Names%20were%20more%20than%20just,the%20child%20to%20be%20graceful.)


So there’s a story in the OT about a guy named Nabal, whose name means “fool”. Indeed, he foolishly insulted King David. But his wise wife Abigail pleaded with David, “Let not my lord regard this worthless fellow, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal[c] is his name, and folly is with him.” (1 Sam 25:25) 

“As his NAME is, so is HE” - his name expressed his character.  

So too Adam’s: “man of the earth”

Abraham: “father of a multitude”

Israel: “he wrestles with God”

Moses: “delivered from the water” - once as a baby, and then a second time to cross the Red Sea.  

David: “beloved” by God

Peter: Jesus’ “ROCK”


Names are IMPORTANT. It was important to ME that my son, Elijah, be named “JOHN WILLIAM Elijah DuVal IV”, because I never want him to forget that adopted or not, he BELONGS in this family. And ALSO, that “Yahweh is his GOD” (“Elijah”).

Previous
Previous

"New Year's Resolutions: Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13)" | 1/1/23

Next
Next

“And His Name Shall be Called: Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6)" | 12/18/22