We have all heard the expression “in the name of Jesus Christ.” However, it is highly unlikely that this was even the real name of the central figure of Christianity. Scientists say that he was known by another name in his native tongue that sounded nothing like the one we use today. While he was born in Nazareth in Galilee, scholars believe that he and his disciples lived in Judeah, where the native language was Aramaic. While scholars cannot be sure what language he actually spoke, given his upbringing in Nazareth, they assume the language he used daily was Aramaic. So, what was Jesus’ real name, then?
What Was Jesus’ Real Name?
Ancient papyrus documents from Galilee have shown that Aramaic was the most commonly spoken language among the Jewish population at that time. Additionally, early Greek translations of the scriptures recorded God’s son speaking certain phrases in Aramaic. Furthermore, the hard “J” didn’t appear in written texts until 1,500 years after the death of the individual now known as Jesus. Therefore, it is more likely that he would have been called Yeshua or Yeshu, two commonly used names in that region at the time.
Some people also mistakenly think that the son of God’s surname was Christ. However, it is actually an honorific title which means “God’s anointed one.” It comes from Christos, a Greek word that is a translation of the Hebrew word Mashiach (or Messiah). The reality is that he wouldn’t have had any special title as a poor Jewish person, but would have been known either by his place of origin or parentage. So, for instance, you may hear of John, the son of Zebedee, or in this case, Jesus Of Nazareth (or “Yeshu Narazene” in anciet Aramiac to be more precise).
How Did Yeshua Become Jesus?
Along with his teachings, Yeshua’s name travelled across the globe, changing as it passed through different languages over time. In the older Hebrew texts, the name Yehoshua pops up quite regularly. However, it was eventually shortened to Yeshua in everyday speech and commonly used in Jesus’ time by the Jews. When the Greeks translated the scriptures into their own language, the name needed to be adapted. This is because Greek didn’t have the “sh” sound in its own language. So, in Greek, the name transformed into lesous (which is pronounced “yay-soos”.)
By the time the name reached Roman territories, it morphed into “lesus” in Latin. After the introduction of the letter “J” in 16th-century English, the name once again changed from lesus to Jesus. However, the other Yeshuas and Yehoshuas simply became the anglicized “Joshua”, a name which we see in the Bible today. According to an expert on early Christianity from the University of Birmingham, Professor Candida Moss, “This is a story of transliteration and of rendering a name into several different scripts from Aramaic to Greek, from Greek to Latin, and finally from Latin to English.”
Is the Name Important?
While it may not seem like much of a big deal, learning the true name of Jesus provides us with more context about the time and place in which the religious figure was believed to have lived. Nowadays, when we think of Jesus, we picture a blonde-haired figure with blue eyes, wearing a robe. Just as with his name, his image has changed over time to better fit within the cultures that have embraced him. However, Yeshua would have looked Middle Eastern, followed Jewish customs, and likely spoken Aramaic.
This image is very different from the one that people typically envision when thinking about Christ. Even his birthdate is now known to not have actually occurred on the 25th of December. In fact, this day wasn’t celebrated as his birthday until church officials decided it should be a holiday in the fourth century. There is no actual record or mention of his birth date in the Bible. Celebrating the 25th of December as Jesus’ birthday only first appeared in the Roman calendar in AD 33. Yet, many people would argue that while these aspects may be important to historians and scholars, most believers simply care about the message he shared.
The Bottom Line
By understanding the origins of this historical figure’s name, we get a clearer picture of the person behind one of the world’s largest religions. While we think of a light-skinned being called Jesus Christ, he was known simply as Yeshua of Nazareth in his own time. Yet, over the centuries and through many translations, his name, image, and even birthplace have changed to better fit more modern times and languages. However, for many of his followers, it is not really these small details that matter to them. It is the message that remains the same through the centuries, no matter whether you call him Jesus or Yeshua.
Read More: 2,000-Year-Old ‘Jesus Boat’ Discovered Near the Sea of Galilee