The Name of Jesus
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· 13 viewsJesus' name isn't what we call Him: it's about His character, purpose, motive
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THE NAME OF JESUS
THE NAME OF JESUS
Common expression - ask in Jesus’ name, do things in Jesus’ name, believe for something in Jesus’ name, declare something in Jesus’name. We give glory and honour to name of Jesus.
Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
John
John 16:23-24
In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
Does this actually mean any request is granted, as long as we put Jesus’ name on it? Is His name a stamp to authorise God to do what we want? Common sort of illustration - “Father, I ask for a new car in Jesus’ name”. Or job, house - wife/husband.
Just saying the name “Jesus” isn’t enough. His name isn’t a stamp to guarantee something will happen.
Acts 16
Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.
These 5 letters don’t mean anything - sticking “Jesus” onto command didn’t work.
NB - why did it seem to work sometimes, not this time? Language suggests it was happening.
Satan appears as angel of light - tries to pass himself off as better than Jesus - tells his evil spirits to follow his lead. Evil spirits are fallen angels <— disobedience to God, following Satan. This one - perhaps went further. If rebelled against God, why not against Satan who got him to fall in first place?
Barabbas - “son of a father”. Some mss identify him “Jesus Barabbas” - Jesus a common name, Gk equiv to Joshua. Also Elymas the sorcerer, called Bar-Jesus - son of Jesus. So simply even being called Jesus isn’t the important issue. It’s what we do with the person, not His name.
“Paul I KNOW ABOUT … Jesus I KNOW” - while not worshipping Jesus, at least recognised the Jesus who the exorcist meant, acknowledged authority of Jesus. In effect, “you USE His name, but you don’t COME IN His name.” You don’t come representing who He is.
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,
Eph 3:14-15
“Every family” - or “the whole family” - family name <— God the Father ??? Who has a surname “Father”? Or, as Christians, do we belong to the Godfather family? But to Jews, “name” isn’t ID, isn’t what we call some one - it’s who a person is, character, what motivates, nature. We sing “Jesus is the greatest name” - not the 5 letters - anybody can have them - but that He is the greatest reason for living <== He is life. Gives purpose. His will for mankind is perfect, complete, totally selfless. Family named after God - really, getting its name and character from God the Father - gets its reason for being from Him. As He is totally loving, dependable, seeking best for family members - so too is the earthly family who lives in Him - or the whole family of believers. Derives its function and purpose from the nature & character of God the Father.
Eph - family name <— God the Father ???
As Christians - God’s people - we misunderstand Name of Jesus - but in daily life we really understand what a name means. “He’s got a good name” - doesn’t mean alphabetical portrayal of sounds that make up an ID tag. Means reputation, character - how he or she behaves, what kind of community standing they have. E.g. “he’s a Smith” -
but many are called Smith. “Taylors” - have a good name. The “other” Taylors - … Smith and Taylor are obviously different names as ID. But a Smith can have the same name as a Taylor, e.g. regarding a good or bad reputation, selfish/unselfish, stingy/generous.
having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
The New American Commentary: John 12–21 (3) The Power of Believing (14:12–14)
Mere reciting of the name of Jesus must not be understood as a mantra of magical power that provides the petitioner with his heart’s desire. A “name” in the Semitic context carries a special sense of the nature of the name bearer. Accordingly, from Adam and Eve through Abram/Abraham to Jacob/Israel and Joshua/Jesus, names are purposive designations of important realities. So to pray in the name of Jesus implies that in the praying one recognizes the nature of the name the praying person is using
He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
Name is more excellent - i.e. “Jesus” is better name than “angel”. Perhaps for a boy … but see following vv
The New American Commentary: John 12–21 (3) The Power of Believing (14:12–14)
Mere reciting of the name of Jesus must not be understood as a mantra of magical power that provides the petitioner with his heart’s desire. A “name” in the Semitic context carries a special sense of the nature of the name bearer. Accordingly, from Adam and Eve through Abram/Abraham to Jacob/Israel and Joshua/Jesus, names are purposive designations of important realities. So to pray in the name of Jesus implies that in the praying one recognizes the nature of the name the praying person is using
The New American Commentary: John 12–21 (3) The Power of Believing (14:12–14)
Mere reciting of the name of Jesus must not be understood as a mantra of magical power that provides the petitioner with his heart’s desire. A “name” in the Semitic context carries a special sense of the nature of the name bearer. Accordingly, from Adam and Eve through Abram/Abraham to Jacob/Israel and Joshua/Jesus, names are purposive designations of important realities. So to pray in the name of Jesus implies that in the praying one recognizes the nature of the name the praying person is using
For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”? And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.” Of the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds, and his ministers a flame of fire.” But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.” And, “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.” And to which of the angels has he ever said, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”?
For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”? And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.”
Heb 1:5-
Heb 1:5-
These are aspects of his NAME that mean more than His ID tag.
But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”
Heb 1:
And, “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.”
Heb 1:10-
How do we use “the name of Jesus”?
How do we use “the name of Jesus”?
“Take the Lord’s name in vain” - i.e. don’t apply His name carelessly, to suit our agenda, to do something He’s not in.
Mere reciting of the name of Jesus must not be understood as a mantra of magical power that provides the petitioner with his heart’s desire. A “name” to the Jews carries a special sense of the nature of the name bearer. ... names are purposive designations of important realities.
So to pray in the name of Jesus implies that in the praying one recognizes the nature of the name the praying person is using
Borchert, G. L. (2002). (Vol. 25B, p. 119). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
“Ask in His name” - see Or ANYTHING we do in His name, anything we SAY about His name
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
Ask in His name = ask according to His will.
Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Ps 37:4
Not about better cars or bigger houses - but increasingly prosperous relationship with God. “Delight yourself” - set hearts on what pleases Him - that in itself is our greatest desire. That is “asking in His name”
“Live in and for His name” - live to serve Him and know Him more deeply. “Come in His name” - represent His purpose, mission, will. “Ask in His name” - in accordance with His purpose and will.
“Come in His name” - represent His purpose, mission, will. “Ask in His name” - in accordance with His purpose and will.
“Come in His name” - represent His purpose, mission, will. “Ask in His name” - in accordance with His purpose and will.
“Ask in My name” - “Jesus lived in the will of the Father, and the Christian is duty bound to live in the will of Jesus … the guiding principle of the believer’s prayer must be the same principle that Jesus followed throughout his life. That principle was the glorification of the Father in and through everything done by the Son”
the guiding principle of the believer’s prayer must be the same principle that Jesus followed throughout his life. That principle was the glorification of the Father in and through everything done by the Son
the guiding principle of the believer’s prayer must be the same principle that Jesus followed throughout his life. That principle was the glorification of the Father in and through everything done by the Son
Borchert, G. L. (2002). (Vol. 25B, p. 119). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
So … “name of Jesus” isn’t simply about the 5 letters. It’s not about J-e-s-u-s being better letters than S-m-i-t-h.
Lifting His name high doesn’t mean shouting it more loudly. We can treat the name of Jesus the way some wear a cross - as an ornament that somehow gives us recognition - or an ornament that just looks pretty but really means nothing.
“No other name by which we can be saved” -
By His name - means by His service, humility, suffering, by how He identifies with us - and by US identifying with HIM, HIS purpose, character, nature. We can’t bypass the cross in our salvation experience just <— put “Jesus” into a prayer formula. Jesus lived for what cross meant - so too should we.
Asking, living, doing … in name of Jesus - means doing these in light of how Jesus lived, before and after Calvary. His purpose was to please the Father, to give himself for Father’s glory and our life. When our desire is to do God’s will, to sacrificially give ourselves for Father’s glory, to allow His life to flow to others - this is giving glory and honour to name of Jesus.
OTHER TEXTS - will they do this just <— we say “Jehovah” or Yahweh or God?
- All Paul has to do is say “Jesus” - if “name” is literally what someone is called by.
- many curse using Jesus’ name, but aren’t persecuted.