CHAPTER 9
THE NAMES OF JESUS CHRIST
Theme Verse
"Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:"
— Philippians 2:9 (KJV)
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Chapter Overview
Throughout the Old Testament, God progressively revealed His character through many names. Each name unveiled another aspect of His holiness, power, faithfulness, mercy, righteousness, and love.
When we arrive at the New Testament, those revelations are not abandoned—they are fulfilled.
Jesus Christ is the complete revelation of God to mankind.
Every title given to Jesus reveals another facet of His divine nature and His mission to redeem sinners. He is the promised Messiah, the eternal Word, the Good Shepherd, the Bread of Life, the Light of the World, the Lamb of God, the Resurrection and the Life, the Alpha and Omega, and the King of Kings.
Together these names do not describe different persons.
They reveal the many glorious aspects of the same Lord and Savior.
To know Christ is to know the Father who sent Him.
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Emmanuel — God With Us
Centuries before the birth of Christ, Isaiah prophesied,
"Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."
— Isaiah 7:14 (KJV)
Matthew later declared the fulfillment of this prophecy.
"They shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."
— Matthew 1:23 (KJV)
No title better captures the wonder of the incarnation.
The Creator entered His creation.
The eternal One stepped into time.
The holy God walked among sinful people.
Jesus did not merely bring God's message.
He was God dwelling among us.
When we look upon Christ, we see the perfect revelation of the Father.
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Messiah and Christ — The Anointed One
The Hebrew word Messiah and the Greek word Christ both mean "Anointed One."
Throughout the Old Testament, prophets, priests, and kings were anointed for God's service.
Jesus alone perfectly fulfilled all three offices.
He is the final Prophet who perfectly reveals God.
He is the Great High Priest who intercedes for His people.
He is the eternal King who reigns forever.
Peter boldly confessed,
"Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."
— Matthew 16:16 (KJV)
Everything the Old Testament anticipated finds its fulfillment in Him.
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The Son of God and the Son of Man
Two of Jesus' most frequently used titles reveal both His deity and His humanity.
The title Son of God proclaims His divine nature.
He possesses the very nature of God.
He is one with the Father.
He receives worship.
He forgives sins.
He exercises divine authority.
The title Son of Man emphasizes His identification with humanity.
Jesus willingly took upon Himself human flesh.
He experienced hunger.
Weariness.
Sorrow.
Temptation.
Yet without sin.
Because He became truly man, He is able to represent mankind before God.
Because He is truly God, His sacrifice possesses infinite worth.
In Christ, perfect deity and perfect humanity meet in one glorious Person.
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The Word
John begins his Gospel with breathtaking simplicity.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
— John 1:1 (KJV)
The Word—Logos—is God's perfect self-revelation.
Through Christ, God speaks His final and complete message.
John continues,
"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us..."
— John 1:14 (KJV)
The invisible God became visible.
The eternal Creator entered human history.
The One who spoke creation into existence now spoke words of grace and truth among mankind.
Everything God desires us to know about His character is perfectly revealed in Jesus Christ.
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The Lamb of God
When John the Baptist first saw Jesus, he proclaimed,
"Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."
— John 1:29 (KJV)
This title reaches back through the entire Old Testament.
The Passover lamb.
The daily sacrifices.
The Day of Atonement.
Every altar pointed toward Christ.
Unlike the sacrifices offered year after year, Jesus offered Himself once for all.
His blood accomplished what the blood of animals could never accomplish.
Complete forgiveness.
Full reconciliation.
Everlasting redemption.
The Lamb who was slain has become the Savior of the world.
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The Bread of Life
After feeding the five thousand, Jesus declared,
"I am the bread of life."
— John 6:35 (KJV)
Bread sustains physical life.
Christ alone sustains eternal life.
Just as Israel depended upon manna in the wilderness, believers depend completely upon Christ.
He satisfies the deepest hunger of the human soul.
Nothing else can.
Wealth cannot.
Success cannot.
Pleasure cannot.
Religion cannot.
Only Christ satisfies the longing of the heart because only He gives everlasting life.
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The Light of the World
Darkness throughout Scripture often represents sin, ignorance, and separation from God.
Jesus declared,
"I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."
— John 8:12 (KJV)
Light exposes truth.
It reveals danger.
It provides direction.
Christ does all three.
He reveals God's truth.
He exposes sin.
He guides His people into righteousness.
No darkness is too great for His light.
Where Christ enters, hope enters.
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The Good Shepherd
Throughout the Old Testament, God described Himself as the Shepherd of Israel.
Jesus fulfilled that image perfectly.
"I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep."
— John 10:11 (KJV)
Unlike a hired servant, the Good Shepherd never abandons His flock.
He knows every sheep by name.
He leads them.
Protects them.
Feeds them.
Searches for the wandering.
And ultimately lays down His life for them.
His care is personal.
His love is sacrificial.
His faithfulness never fails.
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The Resurrection and the Life
Standing before the tomb of Lazarus, Jesus declared,
"I am the resurrection, and the life."
— John 11:25 (KJV)
Death is humanity's greatest enemy.
Yet Christ possesses authority over death itself.
He not only raises the dead.
He is the source of life.
His own resurrection forever changed history.
Because He lives, believers possess the certainty that death will never have the final word.
Every funeral for a believer is lived in hope because the Resurrection Himself has conquered the grave.
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Alpha and Omega
The book of Revelation reveals Christ saying,
"I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end..."
— Revelation 22:13 (KJV)
Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet.
Omega is the last.
Together they declare Christ's eternal sovereignty over all history.
Nothing precedes Him.
Nothing outlasts Him.
Creation begins with Him.
History unfolds under His authority.
Eternity belongs to Him.
He is the Author and the Finisher of our faith.
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King of Kings and Lord of Lords
Scripture reaches its climax with the triumphant return of Jesus Christ.
"And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."
— Revelation 19:16 (KJV)
Every earthly kingdom eventually falls.
Every ruler dies.
Every empire fades.
But Christ's kingdom shall never end.
He alone possesses absolute authority.
Every knee shall bow.
Every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
His reign will be righteous.
His justice perfect.
His peace everlasting.
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Every Name Finds Its Fulfillment in Christ
As we have journeyed through this study, we have discovered many beautiful names of God.
Jehovah Jireh.
Jehovah Rapha.
Jehovah Shalom.
Jehovah Rohi.
Jehovah Tsidkenu.
Jehovah Sabaoth.
Jehovah Shammah.
Each revealed another aspect of God's character.
When we come to Jesus Christ, we discover that every one of those revelations finds its fullest expression in Him.
He is the ultimate provision.
He is the Great Physician.
He is our peace.
He is the Good Shepherd.
He is our righteousness.
He commands Heaven's armies.
He dwells with His people forever.
To know Jesus is to know the God who has been revealing Himself since the opening pages of Genesis.
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Reflection
• Which title of Jesus speaks most deeply to my present circumstances?
• How has this study deepened my understanding of Christ's divine nature?
• In what ways can I more faithfully reflect His character in my daily life?
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Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for revealing Yourself so perfectly through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Thank You that every promise, every prophecy, and every revelation of Your character finds its fulfillment in Him.
Help me to know Christ more deeply, to love Him more faithfully, and to follow Him more completely each day. May my life continually proclaim that Jesus Christ alone is worthy of all worship, honor, and praise.
In His holy name,
Amen.
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Looking Ahead
In our final chapter we will consider why Scripture declares that Jesus has been given "the name which is above every name." We will discover what it means to live under His name, pray in His name, proclaim His name, and joyfully await the day when every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.