She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The name "Jesus" isn't just a label; it's a divine declaration of purpose. The angel's instruction to Joseph emphasizes that this child's very identity is tied to His mission: He is here to save His people, not merely from external threats, but fundamentally, from the grip of their own sins.
She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse follows Joseph's dream where an angel assures him not to fear taking Mary as his wife because her pregnancy is by the Holy Spirit. The angel then reveals the child's name, Jesus, and its profound meaning: salvation from sins. This announcement directly addresses Joseph's inner turmoil and sets the stage for the fulfillment of prophecy concerning the Messiah's purpose and identity.
Why was Jesus given this specific name? It wasn't just a random choice.
A Name with Purpose
The name 'Jesus' (or Yeshua in Hebrew) literally means 'Yahweh is salvation.' This wasn't a name Joseph or Mary came up with; it was divinely appointed. The angel explicitly states, 'You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.'
A Loaded Name
This name was deeply significant, echoing the name of Joshua, who led the Israelites into the Promised Land. But Jesus' mission was far greater. He wasn't just a temporal deliverer; he was appointed to save humanity from a much deeper problem: sin.
What does it truly mean to be saved 'from' our sins, not just 'in' them?
A Greater Rescue Mission
The angel's statement highlights the core purpose of Jesus' coming: salvation from sin. This isn't just about escaping punishment; it's about deliverance from the power and dominion of sin itself.
A Spiritual Kingdom
Many Jewish people at the time expected a Messiah who would liberate them from Roman oppression. However, Jesus' salvation is primarily spiritual. It's about freeing us from sin's guilt, its pollution, and its tyranny, enabling us to live a life rightly related to God.
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Understand the original words
Iēsous · Greek Noun
The personal name given to the Son of God, meaning 'The Lord is salvation.' It signifies His mission to rescue His people from the penalty, power, and presence of sin.
sōzō · Greek Verb
To deliver, rescue, or preserve from danger, destruction, or, most importantly in a biblical context, from the consequences and dominion of sin.
hamartia · Greek Noun
Missing the mark of God's moral law or standard; an act or state of rebellion that alienates humanity from God and requires atonement.
The name 'Jesus' itself, a variation of Joshua meaning 'Yahweh saves,' directly points to His mission. This was not about political liberation from Roman rule, as many Jews might have expected, but a profound spiritual rescue from sin itself.
c. 1400 BC
Joshua leads Israel into the Promised Land
The Old Testament figure Joshua (Jeshua in Hebrew), whose name means 'Yahweh saves,' led the Israelites into the Promised Land, mirroring Christ's role in bringing His people to their ultimate inheritance.
c. 520 BC
High Priest Jeshua oversees Temple rebuilding
Jeshua the high priest, another prominent figure with the same name, played a key role in rebuilding the Temple after the Babylonian exile, symbolizing a restoration and a new beginning for God's people.
c. 740 BC
Isaiah prophesies Immanuel
Prophet Isaiah foretells the birth of a son named Immanuel ('God with us') to a virgin, signifying God's presence and salvation for His people amidst political turmoil.
c. 6 BC - 4 BC— this verse
Joseph receives angelic visitation
An angel appears to Joseph in a dream, confirming Mary's pregnancy is by the Holy Spirit and instructing him to name the child Jesus, meaning 'He will save.'
c. 20 AD
Jesus begins His public ministry
Jesus's life and ministry powerfully demonstrate His saving work, delivering people from the power and dominion of sin through His teachings, miracles, death, and resurrection.
This prophecy foretells the virgin birth and names the child Immanuel ('God with us'), directly connecting to the identity and purpose of Jesus announced in Matthew 1:21.
Luke 1:31The angel Gabriel gives a similar instruction to Mary, telling her to name her son Jesus, reinforcing that this divine naming and purpose were established from the very beginning of the conception.
Joshua 1:1-9The Old Testament figure Joshua, whose name is the Hebrew equivalent of Jesus, led God's people into the Promised Land, prefiguring Jesus' role in saving His people and leading them to their ultimate spiritual inheritance.
Zechariah 3:1-10This passage describes Joshua the high priest, standing accused but purified and clothed in clean garments by God, foreshadowing Jesus as the true High Priest who saves His people from their sins and Satan's accusations.
Acts 4:12This New Testament passage explicitly states that salvation is found in no one else but Jesus, echoing the angel's declaration in Matthew 1:21 that He alone would save His people from their sins.
barnesMatthew 1:21: "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins."
His name Jesus - The name Jesus is the same as Saviour. It is derived from the verb signifying to save, In Hebrew it is the same as Joshua. In two places in the New Testament it is used where it means Joshua, the leader of the Jews into Canaan, and in our translation the name Joshua should have been retained, Acts 7:45 ; Hebrews 4:8 . It was a very common name among…
pulpitMatthew 1:21: "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins."
Verse 21. - The first half is almost verbally identical with the promise to Mary in Luke 1:31. It is, perhaps, hypercritical to see anything more than a coincidence when such common terms are used, but it was not unnatural that the communications of the angels to both Mary and Joseph should be purposely clothed in language similar to that used of Sarah (Genesis 17:1…
The name "Jesus" isn't just a label; it's a divine declaration of purpose. The angel's instruction to Joseph emphasizes that this child's very identity is tied to His mission: He is here to save His people, not merely from external threats, but fundamentally, from the grip of their own sins.
This verse follows Joseph's dream where an angel assures him not to fear taking Mary as his wife because her pregnancy is by the Holy Spirit. The angel then reveals the child's name, Jesus, and its profound meaning: salvation from sins. This announcement directly addresses Joseph's inner turmoil and sets the stage for the fulfillment of prophecy concerning the Messiah's purpose and identity.
This verse follows Joseph's dream where an angel assures him not to fear taking Mary as his wife because her pregnancy is by the Holy Spirit. The angel then reveals the child's name, Jesus, and its profound meaning: salvation from sins. This announcement directly addresses Joseph's inner turmoil and sets the stage for the fulfillment of prophecy concerning the Messiah's purpose and identity.
"She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”" — The name "Jesus" isn't just a label; it's a divine declaration of purpose. The angel's instruction to Joseph emphasizes that this child's very identity is tied to His mission: He is here to save Hi…
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Last reviewed October 2026