A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW 

YOU SHALL GIVE HIM THE NAME JESUS     

Matthew 1:19-21 “Joseph her (Mary’s) husband . . . did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” 

When a wife and her husband learn they are pregnant, one of the traditional activities that ensues is deciding what they will name their child. They may purchase a special book that has countless names from which to choose. They learn in this book not only the names but what they mean. In other cases, in a family there are names that are traditionally passed on from generation to generation. The parents may well decide to follow the tradition.   

In the case of the child Mary carried in her womb, neither she nor Jospeh was given the option to choose a name for the child. When God sent His angel to Joseph to tell him to remain married to Mary, the angel also instructed Joseph regarding the name the boy should be given. The angel said to Joseph, “ . . . you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” 

St. Paul wrote in Philippians 2:9-10 regarding Jesus’ name, “Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” 

“ . . . the Son of Man (Jesus) did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28)  

Prayer: Your name, dear Jesus, conveys to me the forgiveness of my sins You came to earn for me. Praise, honor and glory to You! Amen. 

Jesus! Name of wondrous love, Name all other names above,  
Unto which must ev’ry knee Bow in deep humility. 

Jesus! Name decreed of old, To the maiden mother told,  
Kneeling in her lowly cell, By the angel Gabriel. 

Jesus! Name of priceless worth To the fallen of the earth  
For the promise that it gave, “Jesus shall His people save.” 

Jesus! Name of mercy mild, Given to the holy Child  
When the cup of human woe First He tasted here below. 

Jesus! Only name that’s giv’n Under all the mighty heav’n  
Whereby those to sin enslaved Burst their fetters and are saved. 

Jesus! Name of wondrous love, Human name of God above;  
Pleading only this, we flee Helpless, O our God, to Thee.  (LSB 900)