Is Messiah's Name Yeshua or Jesus

Dan Corner


Why did Jesus come to Earth?

Jesus or Yeshua -- What Is Messiah's Name?

What is the Messiah's name? Approximately 30 years ago, I first started to notice the word Yeshua being used in place of the name Jesus. As far as I can remember, I had never heard anyone using the Hebraic word, Yeshua, even suggest that Jesus is not correct. They used these as though they were both equally correct to identify Messiah, the Savior from Nazareth. That seemingly equal status, however, that I thought existed has drastically changed over the years as the following emails we have received will prove.

Furthermore, the same type of materials are found on the world wide web and therefore there is much misinformation being circulated about the term Yeshua, as well as the precious holy saving name of Jesus. Please notice the following emails:

HERE Is A Question The Yeshua People Can NOT Answer!

Actual Emails Containing FALSE Information
About The Name Jesus and Yeshua

Good to hear from you, and hopefully you are reading and learning the Hebraic ways of G-d. Yeshua is the recognized Hebraic name for the one who never left Israel, or ever taught outside of his land of birth. "Jesus," is of Greek origin, and in actuality derived from the pagan source of Isus ....

Instead of the false name "Jesus," which evidence suggests has pagan origins, I use Messiah's actual Hebrew name, Yeshua/Yahshua (Yay-shoo-ah or Yah-shoo-ah).

The name of Messiah is a separate issue, since we know FOR CERTAIN that his name is NOT "Jesus"; thus, a false name for Messiah is DEFINITELY being knowingly promoted. I use "Yeshua" and "Yahshua" interchangeably (capital emphasis in original).

If we read no further, it should now be apparent that at least some of the people who use Yeshua look down on, to say the least, the usage of Jesus. To them it has pagan roots and is a false name! To such Jesus is not Messiah!

More False Information About
Jesus Real Name and Yeshua

Next we have the following question and supplied answer from the web [not from Evangelical Outreach]:
Question: Where did the name "Jesus" come from if his real name is Yeshua?

[Answer] The Bible was not written in English. What we read in English today are translations from other languages. The "New Testament" was written in Greek. Hence, the name "Jesus" is found nowhere in the Scriptures - it is a translation of the Greek name "Iesous" (pronounced "[ee]yeh-sooce"). "Iesous" came over into the Latin "Jesu" (pronounced "yehsoo") and finally into English as "Jesus." So in the most technical sense, saying "Jesus" is saying a twice-removed translation of the name we find in the "New Testament" Scriptures (emphasis in original).

So now we are presented with another attack on the holy name of Jesus. Again, this person is teaching:
"Iesous" came over into the Latin "Jesu" (pronounced "yehsoo") and finally into English as "Jesus." So in the most technical sense, saying "Jesus" is saying a twice-removed translation of the name we find in the "New Testament" Scriptures.
Anyone with even a most basic understanding of the New Testament Scriptures and how the original Greek language was translated into English knows the fallacy of the above authoritative declaration. In contrast to what some so-called Messianic Jews are teaching, our English translation of the New Testament did NOT come from the Hebrew or the Latin!
The New Testament was translated directly from the Greek and the Old Testament directly from the Hebrew and Aramaic. Hence, our English NT translation is not a twice-removed translation of the name or anything else
.

The same source went on and wrote about what they call the evolution of the name of Jesus from Hebrew to Greek to Latin to English. Sometimes rubbish, like that statement, is found on the web, so beware dear reader. It seems that these present-day Yeshua people are similar to Paul before he became a Christian, who stated that at that time I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth (Acts 26:9).

Shockingly, on one of these Yeshua sites, the following is given for Matt. 1:20,21, but without mentioning what version:

Yosef (Joseph), son of David, do not be afraid to take Miryam home with you as your wife; for what has been conceived in her is from the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit). She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Yeshua because he will save his people from their sins. Mattityahu (Matthew) 1:20b-21
Notice that Yeshua was used in the place of Jesus! How some of these Messianic people seemingly hate the name of Jesus is amazing. The following is from another email:
I would very much like to use your article entitled ... on my web site. However, I would like to change Jesus to Yeshua, and Christ to Messiah in it. I am Jewish trying to reach my people, and the Greek name turns them off because of all the evil done in our Saviour's name. I will not change anything else, just the names. If this will be ok with you please let me know? It's a great article, thank you.
I wrote that person back about some of the things Yeshua people have written to us. Her response follows:
You are surely right about many messianics who think the names of Jesus is [sic] wrong, but we do not believe this, nor do we teach this junk. Jesus was a Jew, and as a Jew his name was a Hebrew name. I am sure His mother Mariam (Mary) never called her son by a Greek name, it was Yahoshua, which = Yeshua (meaning; Salvation - God Saves). Even Simeon understood his name by his statement; "For mine eyes have seen Thy Salvation." I prayer [sic] in the name of Jesus or Yeshua, it makes no difference [to] God, it means the same thing. One in Greek and the other in Hebrew. All I am trying to do is get my people passed [sic] a name that [has] been used by boastful christians to kill them. Once they come in, most have no problem with the name. May I make the changes?
Please note, this Messianic Jew wrote:
Jesus or Yeshua, it makes no difference [to] God, it means the same thing.
So I wrote her back and said if they mean the same thing, then use Jesus as the article already reads. This caused her to lose interest. Did you notice what else she wrote:
... a name that been used by boastful christians to kill them [the Jews].
She was probably referring to what happened when the Jews were persecuted and killed during the time of Constantine in the fourth century, which is not relevant.

Who Is Jesus Christ?

Is Jesus a False Messiah?

Next is another email we received, which also came from material on a web site:
Why the "name" Jesus is promoting a false name (and a false Messiah) for the sake of (antitorah, antijewish) tradition?
Not only is Jesus now called a false messiah, but it is supposed to be for antijewish tradition! So this whole Yeshua thing is getting further and further from the truth. He went on to write:
"Jesus" is NOT a [sic] english translation of the hebrew name Yashua; it's A BRAND NEW NAME (early pronounced "Yeesoos," a false name with roots in greek-hellenistic Paganism)!!! This FALSITY OF "JESUS" AS THE NAME OF THE MESSIAH can be proven from the New Testament ... (capital emphasis his).

...The Angel of Yahweh commanded Joseph to name the child "Yashua." The origin of his name is in Heaven. It's not a man made name. Who on earth has the autority [sic] to rename HaShem's Messiah?

Another wrote:
... the biblical name of the biblical messiah is Yeshua not Jesus.
Then we received this email too:
Fixing our eyes on Yeshua, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down (been positioned) as the right hand of the throne of G-d. Romans 8v34. Who is the one who condemns? Yeshua Ha Mashiach is He who died, yes rather who was raised, who is as the right hand of G-d, who also intercedes for us.

No Scripture Identifies Yeshua as Messiah

Yeshua people are trying to build a case with no proof from the New Testament. Again, the New Testament was not written in Hebrew but rather in Greek and translated directly into English for our English speaking society to read. So Almighty God wanted the known Greek speaking inhabited world at that time of the first century to know the name of Messiah, which brings salvation, healing and power over demons, to be "Iesous" (or Jesus in English) and not "Yeshua."
If God wanted the Jewish writers of the New Testament to use Yeshua they would have but they didn't. To say Yeshua means "salvation" is not a clear connection to the Savior from Nazareth. It doesn't identify the one who shed his blood on the cross of Calvary, rose from the dead and is coming back again, as the NT identifies Jesus of Nazareth.

Jesus has the name that is above every name (Phil. 2:9). It, therefore, should be used unashamedly in our English speaking society in spite of all the lies and fabrications being spread around by Messianic Jews. It is also noteworthy to consider that Paul was a Hebrew of Hebrews (Phil. 3:5), yet wasn't off on some strange fictional concept that Iesous (Greek for the English equivalent Jesus) was inferior or of pagan roots like some Hebrews of our day that claim to believe in the Messiah of Christianity.

Have Messianic Jews Reintroduced DEADLY Galatianism? Find Out!

No Bible Verse Tells Us
Messiah's Name Is Yeshua

I like to ask the Yeshua people the following: Would you please give us a Bible verse from the Hebrew Scriptures that tells us Messiah's name is Yeshua? None have ever done so or ever will since Yeshua is never found in the OT or NT in reference to Messiah. Messiah is never identified by name in the Hebrew Old Testament Scriptures.

Regarding the Jewish Messianic ministries, we have learned that some of them emphasize the word "Yeshua" to such a degree that they say this is the name in which salvation is found and not Jesus. (Furthermore, many of them also believe in the heresy of the eternal security doctrine!)

In an article entitled, We Call Him Yeshua it was written:

One of the aspects of Messianic Judaism that stands out the most is the fact we usually refer to the Messiah as Yeshua instead of Jesus. Here is why.

Messianic Jews tend to refer to Messiah as Yeshua. Why do we do this? To put it simply, in calling Him Yeshua we are restoring to Him His Jewish identity. Yeshua was and is the name He was called when He walked on this Earth.

But what does Jesus' Jewish identity have to do with anything? This is never magnified in the New Testament. Jesus is the Savior of all who will repent and submissively trust in him. Rev. 7 states there will be people in God's kingdom from every tribe, people, language and nation all redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus. Of what nationality Messiah was as He walked the earth is totally irrelevant.

A Real Jew

Perhaps some Hebrews are implying since the Savior was Jewish they themselves are special people in God's sight. In contrast, God wants all to know the following:
A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man's praise is not from men, but from God (Rom 2:28,29).
Hence, in this manner all Christians are this type of Jew because their hearts have been circumcised by God's Spirit. This is what the greatest example of Christianity ever produced wrote, who also happened to be of Hebrew descent.

Moreover, consider what John the Baptist said to Jewish people in his day who thought they were special because of their nationality:

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham" (Mt. 3:7-9).

The Name of Jesus

The eternal record reveals the following about the name of Jesus. Ponder these Scriptures carefully please:
She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins (Mat 1:21).

Do not stop him, Jesus said. No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me (Mark 9:39).

You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus (Luke 1:31).

On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived (Luke 2:21).

But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name (John 20:31).

Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk" (Acts 3:6).

By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see (Acts 3:16).

Then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed (Acts 4:10).

Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus (Acts 4:18).

Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus (Acts 4:30).

His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go (Acts 5:40).

But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women (Acts 8:12).

Because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 8:16).

But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus (Acts 9:27).

So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days (Acts 10:48).

Men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 15:26).

She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that moment the spirit left her (Acts 16:18).

On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 19:5).

When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor (Acts 19:17).

Then Paul answered, "Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus" (Acts 21:13).

To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ - their Lord and ours: (1 Cor 1:2).

I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought (1 Cor 1:10).

When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present (1 Cor 5:4).

And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God (1 Cor 6:11).

always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Eph 5:20).

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth (Phil 2:10).

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him (Col 3:17).

We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Th 1:12).

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us (2 Th 3:6).

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips that confess his name (Heb 13:15).

And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us (1 John 3:23).

To the millions of people that have been saved, healed and delivered from sin, sickness and demons because of the precious name of Jesus these aforementioned types of attacks on the Savior's name are most disturbing. I for one am no longer passive about this as I once was. At least many, if not all, Yeshua people are spreading amazing lies, fabrications and misinformation about the name that makes demons shudder and brings salvation and therefore they need to be corrected and opposed. Don't wonder anymore if asked, what is Jesus real name or what is the Yeshua meaning?

For The Record About The Holy Name of Jesus

It is important to remember the aforementioned about Messiah's name in our day with so many Yeshua people attacking the holy name of Jesus Christ.

OTHER TOPICS:

Good News For Jews

Could This Be The Great Apostasy?

Six Facts For Saturday Sabbatarians To Ponder

The Wicked Dead - Will They Experience Annihilation or Eternal Torment

Galatianism Reintroduced (Messianic Jews and Yeshua People Beware!)

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