In ancient times names were more important than they are today. Back then a person’s name usually had a specific meaning tied to their family’s hopes and expectations for them. The meaning attached to people’s names was common knowledge. Look at how often in the Bible a person’s name was immediately followed by the meaning. If it’s in the Bible that way it must be important to God. God doubles down on the importance of names by changing the names of several of the important players in the Bible narrative: Abram became Abraham, Sarai became Sarah, Jacob became Israel, Saul became Paul and Simon became Peter.
I count 120 different names for Christ in the Bible. Each name for Jesus is a reflection of one of his attributes and when viewed together give us a picture of who Jesus is. All the names of Jesus together cannot do justice to the glory, honor and majesty of Jesus Christ. God is revealing to us what he wants us to know about Jesus down here on earth. In heaven we’ll know a lot more about our Savior than we know now. When I reflect on the names of Jesus Christ I’m thrilled. I’m like a kid in a candy store. My soul rejoices! Imagine how much more joy we’ll experience in heaven as we learn more about the Lord Jesus for an eternity. You can find all 120 names for Jesus in a good Bible guide. In this blog I’ll just list twelve of my favorite names for Jesus:
1. Son of God – Matthew 16:16 – Simon Pewter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
2. Christ – Matthew 1:16 – And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of who was born Jesus who is called Christ.
3. Messiah – Daniel 9:25 – Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; the street shall be built again, and the wall.
4. Son of Man – Matthew 16:27 – (Jesus speaking) – For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.
5. Lion of the tribe of Judah – Revelation 5:5 – But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.”
6. King of Israel – John 1:49 – Nathaniel answered and said to Him. “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”
7. King of Kings – Revelation 19:16 – And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
8. Son of the Most High – Luke 1:32 – He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.
9. Heir of all things – Hebrews 1:1-2 – God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds.
10. Judge – Acts 10:42 – And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead.
11. Advocate – ! John 2:1 – My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
12. Redeemer – Isaiah 60:16 – You shall drink the milk of the Gentiles, and milk the breat of kings; You shall know that I, the Lord, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.