He Called His Name Jesus

In the two separate angelic appearances to Joseph and to Mary, there are many differences: but the one thing both events have in common is the insistence that the child's name be Jesus, which means "Savior."This was a common name for a Jewish boy (the same as "Joshua" in Hebrew), but clearly this is no ordinary boy! On one hand God is determined for us to see the humanity of Jesus, beginning the gospel Matthew with the meticulous tracing of his human ancestry; on the other hand, God wants us to know from the outset that Jesus is no mere human, even in his birth. Jesus was a real man, but more than that – he is the God-man! To those who trust in him for salvation, the name of Jesus signifies total salvation from every sin.