"THOU SHALT CALL HIS NAME JESUS"
H.J.Taylor
I have a very simple desire, beloved, to speak about Jesus and about the name Jesus and about the use of the name Jesus, as in the hymn that we sang (No.445). We use that name freely in our hymns. I have the impression that the Holy Spirit is encouraging the saints just simply to use the personal name Jesus more frequently. We address our glorious Saviour as Lord: how right that is! Many other names and titles we use – as in our opening prayer, the Christ. We speak of Christ Jesus, we speak of the Son of man, we speak of the Son of God – a glorious title that is! Each of these names and titles radiates some glory of His person, distinctive to Himself which no other can bear; and as of the personnel of the assembly how we delight to say Lord Jesus, a name which Scripture tells us can only be rightly used in the power of the Holy Spirit. But there is something very attractive about the simple name Jesus. We would use it only with affection and the deepest reverence, and indeed in a worshipful spirit, because the very name implies who He is in His person, for He is Jehovah the Saviour. It is a name, Jesus, so attractive to the youngest, so comforting to the oldest.
The word here to Joseph is "thou shalt call his name Jesus", and at the close of the chapter "he called his name Jesus". In Luke's account the same direction is given to Mary: "thou shalt call his name Jesus" (chap 1: 31), and on the eighth day the name given to Him was Jesus. So we think of that blessed Man here, growing up to boyhood, manhood; in the setting of the family in which He was and among those who knew Him in Nazareth He would be known simply as Jesus; and in His public service as recorded for us in the gospels, how the gospel writers delight to say Jesus! Peter sums up that wonderful life of service when he says "Jesus... who went through all quarters doing good, and healing all that were under the power of the devil" (Acts 10: 38), and we never forget that it was Jesus who was on the cross. He was there for us. It was Jesus who, at the ninth hour, said "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?", Matt 27: 46. But we have been singing triumphantly that 'Jesus, the Lord, is ris'n'. How Peter testifies to that. He says "this Jesus whom ye have crucified" God has made "both Lord and Christ", Acts 2: 36. It is the same blessed Man, known by this attractive name of Jesus. That is the One we are looking for to come. "This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven, shall thus come in the manner in which ye have beheld him going into heaven" Acts 1: 11. We are looking for Him, our glorious Saviour, the One we delight to own as Lord, yet we delight in this personal name Jesus.
As we go through the Scriptures, how freely the writers speak of Jesus! It has often been noticed how in the epistle to the Hebrews the writer just says 'Jesus'. I think it is very attractive. The more we think about it, indeed the more one speaks about it, the more delightful it is. Great and glorious Person as He is, yet we can just speak of Him as Jesus. So the writer of that epistle says "we see Jesus... crowned with glory and honour", chap 2: 9. It is a very real matter, is it not, beloved? How real faith is! What a power the power of the Holy Spirit is! We can say "we see Jesus... crowned with glory and honour"; "the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Jesus" (chap 3: 1); "looking stedfastly on Jesus the leader and completer of faith" (chap 12: 2); we "have come to... Jesus, mediator of a new covenant", chap 12: 24. And there are several other references in that epistle: "Jesus, that he might sanctify the people by his own blood, suffered without the gate", chap 13: 12.
Our preacher here on Lord's day read this verse in Matthew. He also read in the second chapter of Philippians, that delightful section of Scripture, so moving, telling us of a Man who in His person is "over all, God blessed for ever" (Rom 9: 5), and yet who "humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, and that the death of the cross. Wherefore also, God highly exalted him, and granted him a name that which is above every name", Phil 2: 8,9. And what is that name? Is it King of kings, Lord of lords? "Granted him a name, that which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow". The New Testament is just full of Jesus, right on to the last page: "I Jesus... testify these things to you in the assemblies", Rev 22: 16.
So it is just this thought, beloved; others may have observed it, that the Spirit is encouraging us in a suitable, affectionate and reverential way to take upon our lips more freely the name Jesus. May we be helped in it for His Name's sake.
LONDON
22 April 1986