The Most Holy Name of Jesus
Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.
He has remembered his loving kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Burst out and sing for joy, yes, sing praises!
Sing praises to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the voice of melody. With trumpets and sound of the ram's horn, make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord.
The next day, he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, 'After me comes a man who is preferred before me, for he was before me.' I didn't know him, but for this reason I came baptizing in water, that he would be revealed to Israel." John testified, saying, "I have seen the Spirit descending like a dove out of heaven, and it remained on him. I didn't recognize him, but he who sent me to baptize in water said to me, 'On whomever you will see the Spirit descending and remaining on him is he who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.' I have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God."
What strikes me most about celebrating the Most Holy Name of Jesus is how it reminds us that names matter deeply. In our culture, we might casually throw around names, but in biblical times, a name revealed someone's very essence and mission. When the angel told Mary and Joseph to name their child "Jesus" – meaning "God saves" – they weren't just picking a nice-sounding name. They were proclaiming his identity and purpose.
John the Baptist understood this perfectly. When he sees Jesus approaching, he doesn't just say "there's a good teacher" or "here comes a holy man." He declares, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" John recognizes that Jesus embodies what his name promises – salvation for all humanity.
What I find beautiful here is John's honesty about his own journey of recognition. He admits, "I didn't know him" at first. Even this great prophet had to grow in understanding of who Jesus truly was. It took the Spirit descending like a dove for John to fully grasp Jesus' identity. This gives me such comfort when I think about our own spiritual journey. We don't have to have it all figured out immediately.
The psalm captures the joy that should flow from recognizing Jesus for who he truly is. When we really understand that God has entered our world to save us, our response should be like an orchestra tuning up – trumpets, harps, voices all joining in celebration.
In our ordinary moments today – signing our name on documents, introducing ourselves to others, calling our loved ones by name – we can remember the power and beauty of the name Jesus.
How does knowing the meaning of Jesus' name change how you hear it throughout your day? When have you experienced your own "I didn't know him, but now I see" moment of recognition?