What’s In A Name?

Refuting the claim that the Hebrew “YESHUA” is the only valid pronunciation of our Savior’s Name

John 19:19-20
And Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross.
And the writing was, JESUS THE NAZARENE THE KING OF THE JEWS.
This title then read many of the Jews;
for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city;
and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin.

Isn’t it strange that the Holy Spirit moved John to record the fact that the Savior’s name was posted on the cross by Pilate in three different languages?

How can it be possible that the ONLY VALID PRONUNCIATION of the name of Christ is the Hebrew YESHUA, seeing that we are informed by God – through the writing of the Apostle John – that this precious name was indeed written in two other languages and placed on the cross by Pilate?

If this was a mistake, and something that was not valid and should never be repeated or copied, then this was the perfect place to inform the readers of scripture. However, no such admonition is present, leaving us with the assurance that the Lord recognizes His Name in whatever language it is written or spoken.

On the Day of Pentecost, the newly converted disciples of Jesus were heard and understood by Jews belonging to 17 different named ethnic groups, each of which had a unique language!

Acts 2:5-11
And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together,
and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another,
Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia,
and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene,
and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.

It doesn’t matter what language you use to call on JESUS – He knows and understands all languages!

• Hebrew: Yeshua [ישוע]
• Greek: Iesous [Ιησούς]
• Latin: Iesu
• English: Jesus
• Spanish: Jesús
• French: Jésus

All these are different forms of the same name and are equivalent.

There is no scriptural basis whatsoever for the claim that the name of our Savior must ONLY be invoked in the Hebrew language [Yeshua].

Pastor Tim D. Cormier
Bristol, Tennessee