Jesus means in Hebrew: "God saves." At the annunciation, the angel Gabriel gave him the name Jesus as his proper name, which expresses both his identity and his mission. - Luke 1:31 - Since God alone can forgive sins, it is God who, in Jesus his eternal Son made man, "will save his people from their sins" - Matt. 1:21 - In Jesus, God recapitulates all of his history of salvation on behalf of men. - CCC 430 -

In the history of salvation God was not content to deliver Israel "out of the house of bondage" by bringing them out of Egypt. He also saves them from their sin. Because sin is always an offense against God, only he can forgive it. - Ps.5:4,12 - For this reason Israel, becoming more and more aware of the universality of sin, will no longer be able to seek salvation except by invoking the name of the Redeemer God. - Ps. 79:9 - CCC 431 -

The name "Jesus" signifies that the very name of God is present in the person of his Son, made man for the universal and definitive redemption from sins. It is the divine name that alone brings salvation, and henceforth all can invoke his name, for Jesus united himself to all men through his Incarnation, so that "there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." - John 3:18; Acts 2:21, 4:12, 5:41, 9:14; Rom. 10:6-13; James 2:7 - CCC 432 -

The name of the Savior God was invoked only once in the year by the high priest in atonement for the sins of Israel, after he had sprinkled the mercy seat in the Holy of Holy with the sacrificial blood. The mercy seat was the place of God's presence. When Saint Paul speaks of Jesus whom "God put forward as an expiation by his blood" he means that in Christ's humanity "God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself." - Ex. 25:22; Lev. 16:2,15-16; Num. 7:89; Sir. 50:20; Heb. 9:5,7; Rom. 3:25; 2Cor. 5:19  - CCC 433 -

Jesus' Resurrection glorifies the name of the Savior God, for from that time on it is the name of Jesus that fully manifests the supreme power of the "name which is above all name." The evil spirits fear his name; in his name his disciples perform miracles, for the Father grants all they ask in his name. - Phil.2:9-10; John 12:28; Acts 16:16-18, 19:13-16; Mark 16:17; John 15:16 - CCC 434 -

The name of Jesus is at the heart of Christian prayer. All liturgical prayers conclude with the words "through our Lord Jesus Christ." The 'Hail Mary' reaches its high point in the words "blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus." The Eastern prayer of the heart, the 'Jesus prayer' says: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner." Many Christians, such as Saint Joan of Arc, have died with the one word "Jesus" on their lips. - CCC 435 -

The word "Christ" comes from the Greek translation of the Hebrew 'Messiah' which means "anointed." It became the name proper to Jesus only because he accomplished perfectly the divine mission that "Christ" signifies. In effect, in Israel those consecrated to God for a mission that he gave were anointed in his name. This was the case for kings, for priests and, in rare instances, for prophets. - Ex. 29:7; Levi. 8:12; 1Sam. 9:16, 10:1, 16:1,12-13; 1Kings 1:39, 19:16 -

This had to be the case all the more so for the Messiah whom God would send to inaugurate his kingdom definitively. - Ps. 2:2; Acts 4:26-27 - It was necessary that the Messiah be anointed by the Spirit of the Lord at once as king and priest, and also as prophet. - Is. 11:2, 61:1; Zech. 4:14, 6:13; Luke 4:16-21 - Jesus fulfilled the messianic hope of Israel in his threefold office of priest, prophet and king. - CCC 436 -

To the shepherds, the angel announced the birth of Jesus as the Messiah promised to Israel: "To you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." - Luke 2:11 - from the beginning he was "the one whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world" conceived as "holy" in Mary's virginal womb. - John 10:36; Luke 1:35 - God called Joseph to "take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is the Holy Spirit" so that Jesus, "who is called Christ" should be born of Joseph's spouse into the messianic lineage of David. - Matt. 1:16,20; Rom. 1:1; 2Tim. 2:8; Rev. 22:16 - CCC 437 -

Jesus' messianic consecration reveals his divine mission, "for the name 'Christ' implies 'he who anointed', 'he who was anointed' and 'the very anointing with which he was anointed.' The one who anointed is the Father, the one who was anointed is the Son, and he was anointed with the Spirit who is the anointing." His eternal messianic consecration was revealed during the time of his earthly life at the moment of his baptism by John, when "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power", "that he might be revealed to Israel" as its Messiah. His works and words will manifest him as "the Holy One of God." - Acts 3:14, 10:38; John 1:31; Mark 1:24; John 6:69 - CCC 438 -

Many Jews and even certain Gentiles who shared their hope recognized in Jesus the fundamental attributes of the messianic "Son of David" promised by God to Israel. Jesus accepted his rightful title of Messiah, though with some reserve because it was understood by some of his contemporaries in too human a sense, as essentially political. - Matt. 2:2, 9:27, 12:23, 15:22, 20:30, 21:9,15, 22:41-46; John 4:25-26, 6:15, 11:27; Luke 24:21 - CCC 439 -

Jesus accepted Peter's profession of faith, which acknowledged him to be the Messiah, by announcing the imminent Passion of the Son of Man. - Matt. 16:16-23 - He unveiled the authentic content of his messianic kingship both in the transcendent identity of the Son of Man "who came down from heaven" and in his redemptive mission as the suffering Servant: "The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." - Matt. 20:28; John 3:13, 6:62; Dan. 7:13; Is. 53:10-12 -

Hence the true meaning of his kingship is revealed only when he is raised high on the cross. - John 19:19; Luke 23:39-43 - Only after his Resurrection will Peter be able to proclaim Jesus' messianic kingship to the People of God: "Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified. - Acts 2:36 - CCC 440 -

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Sunday, May 24, 2009

I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!

I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -