Matthew 1:21 21She will give birth to a son; and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
This is one of the most significant verses in the opening chapter of Matthew. It reveals the purpose for the birth of the Son. The verse is organized into three parts. The first statement is the promise that assured Joseph that God was doing something big, a miracle beyond imagination. This son will be unique in all of time. No other child has been born through the special agency of the Holy Spirit through a virgin. Joseph may not have realized the significance of who this child really was but he would come to know through other revelations and confirmations from God.
The second phrase reveals the special name for this baby boy. Jesus in Hebrew, Yeshua, is the equivalent to Joshua. The pronunciation of the English has been influenced through the Greek and European languages. It is interesting to hear how various languages actually pronounce this name. The name Jesus is the most special of all, the name above all names (Philippians 2:10). A name represents the power and presence of that person. Praying in Jesus’ name brings answer to prayer (John 14:14). Miracles happen through Jesus’ name (Acts 3:6).
The name of a person in the Bible often describes a characteristic of that person. In the third phrase we find out the meaning of the name Jesus, which means “the Lord saves.” Jesus came as the savior of the world. The big problem of humanity is sin. Sin separates us from God and leads to our judgment and condemnation. Sin is rebellion against God, often seen in idolatry in its various forms or rejection of God’s laws by immorality or dishonesty. Sin often happens because our natural desires are twisted by self, and so we end up loving ourselves more than loving God or other people. This self-love is shown through doing things that benefit our comforts or protects our possessions.
Jesus came to reverse the sin problem and reveal what true and genuine love is. He laid down his life so that the sin penalty could be removed in the justice of God. He is the only answer to the deep human problem. The reference to his people refers in the original context to the people of Israel, but the idea could be expanded to include all the people of the earth. This salvation is not an exclusive privilege of a few (1 John 4:14).
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