The name Jesus is the name above all names. It’s no secret that God has many OT or Hebrew names, i.e., I Am, Adonai, Elohim, Yahweh, Jehovah, et al. However, we must acknowledge the name that He made known to the church, His bride. To begin, let’s explore the superior name, Jesus.
If you believe Jesus is God, you should also believe God’s name is Jesus!
Created: Monday, December 18, 2023
The Name ‘Jesus’ Is Superior, And It’s God’s Name
STM Bible Lesson
Lesson focus: Philippians 2:6 and 9. Bible lesson background Philippians 2:5-11:
Jesus is God, however: (1) He humbled himself and became human (2:6-8). (2) So God put him in a place of honor and respect (2:9-11).
The name Jesus is superior to all names
- Philippians 2:6 and 9 [read Philippians 2:5-11 (6 and 9)]
- 6 Though he (Christ Jesus) was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, (NLT)
- KJV: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
- Thayer’s Greek Lexicon: Huper – above (for Philippians 2:9)
- G5228 ὑπέρ huper (hï-per’) prep. superior to every (other) name.
God: Elohim and Theos
The first Hebrew name for God in the Bible is Elohim. In standard Greek, it is ‘Theos’.
‘The Word’ (Jesus) was God (Elohim)
- Genesis 1:1 [read Genesis 1:1-31 (1-2)]
- In the beginning Elohim created the heavens and the earth. (TS2009)
- KJV: In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
- John 1:1 [read John 1:1-5 (1)]
- In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with Elohim and Elohim was the Word: (ECB)
- KJV: In the beginning was the Word [the Word already existed; ‘the Word’ refers to Jesus, God’s revelation of himself], and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The name: ‘I Am’
God revealed His name to Moses before anyone else.
God is eternal
- Exodus 3:14 [read Exodus 3:1-22 (14)]
- Elohim answered Moses, “Ehyeh Who Ehyeh. This is what you must say to the people of Israel: ‘Ehyeh has sent me to you.’” (NOG)
- KJV: And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
Jesus is eternal
- The Believer’s Study Bible: His claim is inescapable: Jesus is God, the Yahweh of the O.T.
- John 8:58 [read John 8:48-59 (58)]
- “I’m telling you the solemn truth,” replied Jesus. “Before Abraham existed, I Am.” (NTFE)
- KJV: Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
One Savior
- The Lord (God) says He is the only savior.
- Isaiah 43:11 [read Isaiah 43:1-21 (11)]
- I myself am the Lord. I am the only Savior. (ICB)
- KJV: I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.
No other savior
- Hosea 13:4 [read Hosea 13:1-16 (4)]
- I, the Lord, have been your God since the time you were in Egypt. I am the only God you know, the only one who can save. (CEV)
- KJV: Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me.
Fact: Jesus is the Lord God
- So since Christ the Lord is our Savior, then Jesus is God. If Jesus is God, then Jesus is God’s name!
- Luke 2:11 [read Luke 2:8-20 (11)]
- Today your Savior is born in the city of David. He is Christ the Lord. (NET)
- KJV: For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
- Jesus, the promised savior.
- Acts 13:23 [read Acts 13:13-41 (23)]
- [Now] it was this David’s descendant Jesus who was sent to Israel as their Savior, just as God had promised. (AUV)
- KJV: Of this man’s seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus [Isaiah 11:1–16]:
- Yeshua (Jesus in Hebrew)
- G2424 Ἰησοῦς Iesous (yee-sous’) n/p. Thayer’s: Jesus = “Jehovah is salvation”; Yahweh saves; God incarnate (possessing or existing in bodily form).
- This unique name of God, Yeshua, (one of many and yet, the most significant) means salvation.
Those who believe Jesus is God should also believe Jesus is God’s name!
The Name Jesus
- God became a man (flesh) to save us.
- Matthew 1:21 and 23 [read Matthew 1:21 (21 and 23)]
- 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Yeshua, [(Jesus); His Hebrew name which means ‘Adonai saves,’] because he will save his people from their sins.” 23 “The virgin will conceive and bear a son, and they will call him ‘Immanu El.‘” (The name means, “God is with us.”) (CJB)
- KJV: 21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins. 23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
- Compare Isaiah 7:14 (KJV) Therefore the Lord [Adonai; Hashem] himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel [Immanu-El – This translates to “G-d is with us”].
Salvation in the name of Jesus
- Acts 4:12 [read Acts 4:5-12 (12)]
- Jesus is the only one who can save people. His name is the only power in the world that has been given to save anyone. We must be saved through him!” (ERV)
- KJV: Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Sins forgiven in His name
- Luke 5:20-21 [read Luke 5:17-26 (20-21)]
- When Jesus saw that they had faith, he spoke to the man. He said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” 21 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to think, “Who is this fellow who says such an evil thing? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (NIRV)
- KJV: And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?
- 1 John 2:12 [read 1 John 2:12-14 (12)]
- I am writing to you, little children (believers, dear ones), because your sins have been forgiven because of Jesus’ name. (HCSB)
- KJV: I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.
Wash away sins in His name
- Proof that we must use the name of Jesus when baptizing.
- Acts 22:16 [read Acts 22:1-21 (16)]
- And now, why delay? Go and be baptized and be cleansed from your sins, calling on the name of the Lord. (TLB)
- KJV: And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
Power in the name Jesus
- Mark 16:17 [read Mark 16:14-18 (17)]
- Everyone who believes me will be able to do wonderful things. By using my name they will force out demons, and they will speak new languages. (CEV)
- KJV: And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
Prayers answered
- John 14:13-14 [read John 14:12-14 (13-14); John 15:9-17 (16); John 16:16-24 (23-24)]
- And I will do [for you] whatever you ask in my name [i.e., by my authority], so that the Father may be honored through the Son. 14 I will do anything [for you], if you ask [for it] in my name. (AUV)
- KJV: And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Healing in His name
- Acts 3:16 [read Acts 3:11-26 (16)]
- It was the power of his name that gave strength to this lame man. What you see and know was done by faith in his name; it was faith in Jesus that has made him well, as you can all see. (GNT)
- KJV: And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
Do everything in the name of Jesus
- If baptizing in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost is meant literally, it’s a contradiction to Colossians 3:17!
- Colossians 3:17 [read Colossians 3:12-17 (17)]
- Whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus [and in dependence on Him], giving thanks to God the Father through Him. (AMP)
- KJV: And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
The Only Creator
- Yahweh (the LORD) said He alone (i.e., without help) made all things.
- Isaiah 44:24 [read Isaiah 44:24-28 (24); see Isaiah 45:1-13 (12) and Jeremiah 51:1-58 (15)]
- Thus says Yahweh, your Redeemer, and the one who formed you from the womb, “I, Yahweh, am the maker of all things, Stretching out the heavens by Myself And spreading out the earth all alone, (LSV)
- KJV: Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;
‘The Word’ (Jesus) created everything
- John 1:3 [read John 1:1-5 (3)]
- All things were made by him [‘him’, refers to ‘Jesus’] and nothing was made without him. (NCV)
- KJV: All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Jesus Is God
The following scriptures convey the fact that Jesus is God.
- John 1:18 [read John 1:18 (18)]
- No man has seen God at any time; but God the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known. (RKJNT)
- KJV: No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
He is God the Father
- Isaiah foretells that Jesus is God the Father.
- Isaiah 9:6 [read Isaiah 9:1-7 (6)]
- For to us a Child will be born. To us a Son will be given. And the rule of the nations will be on His shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful, Teacher [Counselor], Powerful [Mighty] God, Father Who Lives Forever, Prince of Peace. (NET)
- KJV: For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
- (OJB:) For unto us a yeled is born, unto us ben is given; and the misrah (dominion) shall be upon his shoulder; and Shmo shall be called Peleh (Wonderful), Yoetz (Counsellor), El Gibbor (Mighty G-d), Avi Ad (Possessor of Eternity), Sar Shalom (Prince of Peace).
You see me, you see the Father
- John 14:7-9 [read John 14:7-11 (7-9); compare John 8:13-20 (19)]
- If you really knew me, you would know my Father, too. But now you do know him, and you have seen him.” 8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father. That is all we need.” 9 Jesus answered, “I have been with you a long time now. Do you still not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. So why do you say, ‘Show us the Father’? (NCV)
- KJV: If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. 8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. 9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
The great God
- Titus 2:13 [read Titus 2:11-15 (13); 2 Peter 1:1-4 (10]
- while we wait for Jesus Christ to appear in his glory. That is our blessed hope. Jesus is our great God and Savior. (RAD)
- KJV: Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
- Romans 9:5 [read Romans 9:1-5 (5)]
- They are the descendants of our great ancestors, and they are the earthly family of Christ. Christ is God over all. Praise him forever! Amen. (ICB)
- KJV: Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
The true God
- Jeremiah 10:10 [read Jeremiah 10:1-16 (10)]
- The Lord is the only true God. He is the living God and the everlasting King. When he shows his anger the earth shakes. None of the nations can stand up to his fury. (NET)
- KJV: But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.
- 1 John 5:20 [read 1 John 5:18-21 (20)]
- And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life. (NLT)
- KJV: And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
God said to His son
- Hebrews 1:8 [read Hebrews 1:5-14 (8)]
- But this is what God says to his Son: ‘You are God and you will rule as King for ever! You will rule your kingdom in a completely good way. (EASY)
- KJV: But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
This lesson was unique as it gave many scriptures showing the parallels between YHWH and Jesus to help prove that they are the same. So many believe that Jesus is God but do not believe that God’s name is Jesus. Hopefully, this lesson has convinced you.
Final thought: If the name Jesus is above every name, then it must be God’s name! Thank you for taking the time to read this Bible lesson. I urge you to make full use of it. Blessings to you and your loved ones—♥ Tim. ☺
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