With Opened Bible
Messiah was not called Emmanuel but Jesus
“The virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel.” (Isaiah 7,14)
With the fourth Sunday of Advent, we are close to Christmas. The first reading and the Gospel also give us a
glimpse into the identity and mission of the Messiah. He is Emmanuel (God-with-us), but above all, he is Yeshua or Jesus (which means God saves). Seven hundred years before the Messiah's birth, the prophet Isaiah prophesied his identity. He is Emmanuel (Isaiah 7:14). But at the fullness of time, when the Virgin Mary gave birth to him, the Messiah was not called Emmanuel but Jesus. Why is this change of name? What does it signify?
Emmanuel, God-with-us, is a prophetic name. But what is a prophetic name? It is a name that announces a
significant event or person in accordance with God's plan. Emmanuel is the one who comes to tell us that from now on, "God dwells in the midst of his people." Through his way of being, his miracles, and his message of compassion and peace, Jesus is the presence of God (Shekinah) in the world. Now, why is he
called Jesus?
To Joseph, the angel declared, "You shall name him Jesus." (Matthew 1:16) Jesus is his mission’s name. That explains his reason for being in the world. This name reminds us that he is the sacrifice through which God saves us and proves his love for us. "God so loved the world he gave his only begotten Son" (John 3:16). Jesus was never called by the prophetic name "Emmanuel," not even once. But his mission’s name (Jesus) continues to draw down blessings and peace upon the world. For "There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved." (Acts 4:12) May his name be blessed now and forever.
