{"id":483,"date":"2013-06-22T19:24:53","date_gmt":"2013-06-22T23:24:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bethadonai3.web802.discountasp.net\/wordpress\/?page_id=483"},"modified":"2013-06-22T22:01:24","modified_gmt":"2013-06-23T02:01:24","slug":"yeshua-or-jesus","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/bethadonai.com\/?page_id=483","title":{"rendered":"Yeshua or Jesus?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Yeshua or Jesus?<\/span><\/b>
\n<\/span>by Sandy<\/span><\/p>\n

When coming to a Messianic Congregation, one of the first things I noticed was they worshipped in the name of Yeshua, and questions arose in my heart as to what name I should use \u2013 Yeshua or Jesus? \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0I am a Christian and it was puzzling and new to me as I wanted to know more, so I began to meditate and research the ancient roots of my faith and both names. \u00a0What\u2019s in a name? \u00a0In our society, we do not look at the meaning behind the name, but Judaism thinks about what the name means, as a characteristic of that person. \u00a0So, when we think about the name of God\u2019s only Son, we have to look at it from different perspectives. \u00a0The most confusing scripture to me, as it relates to what His name should be, was Acts 4:12.
\n<\/span>\u201cSalvation is found in no one else, for there is <\/span><\/i>no other name<\/span><\/i><\/b> under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” -Acts 4:12 (NIV)<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

In the English Bible He is referred to as Jesus. \u00a0But in the Complete Jewish Bible, He is referred to as Yeshua, wherein this same scripture and the one before it states:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis <\/span><\/i>Yeshua<\/span><\/i><\/b> is the stone rejected by you builders which has become the cornerstone. <\/span><\/i>There is salvation in no one else<\/span><\/span><\/i>! \u00a0For there is <\/span><\/i>no other name<\/span><\/i><\/b> under heaven given to mankind by whom we must be saved!\u201d \u00a0-Acts 4:11-12 (CJB)<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

One of the questions I had coming from a Gentile (Christian) background is, <\/span>\u201cWhat name do I call Him by?\u201d<\/span><\/b> \u00a0He was called \u201cJesus\u201d, in the Bible I used, which was the NIV (New International Version). \u00a0I chose this one after I had difficulty with the KJV. \u00a0Before coming to Beth Adonai, I had rarely heard the name Yeshua and suspected it was His Hebrew name, yet I didn\u2019t know much more than that.<\/span><\/p>\n

I decided to look at the meaning of those names, and briefly what I discovered was: \u00a0To the Christian, Jesus means Savior<\/span><\/span> and He is their Christ. \u00a0To the Messianic Jew, <\/span>Yeshua means Salvation<\/span><\/span> and He is their Atonement and promised Messiah. \u00a0Then more questions arose \u2013 Are they not one in the same? \u00a0Do they not mean the same thing?<\/span><\/p>\n

I dug a little deeper and found that, \u201cYeshua\u201d is a Hebrew name which has been transliterated into Greek. The English “Jesus” comes from the Latin transliteration of the Greek name. \u00a0While some might argue that the name Jesus was mis-translated, you will be pleased to know that I will not bore you with 100\u2019s of pages of information I have researched on this subject, but suffice to say, there is much controversy surrounding which name should be used.\u00a0 Still, it is most proper to call Him Yeshua, for it was indeed His proper name, given to Him by His parents.<\/p>\n

After this discovery, I wasn\u2019t satisfied with whether I should begin to call Him Yeshua and not Jesus. \u00a0I still had questions. \u00a0I had grown up hearing the name of Jesus as the only Son of God. \u00a0It was the name used for God\u2019s Son and the Messiah in the Bible I read; and the name that I was baptized in (as well as the Father and the Holy Ghost), after accepting Him as my Savior. \u00a0Wait a minute I just realized I have another question! \u00a0I was baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. \u00a0There it is again, \u201cname of the Son\u201d \u2013 but which name? \u00a0Good question isn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n

It was very hard for me to feel comfortable calling Him any other name, since that is the only name I had ever known Him by. \u00a0I wanted more proof that this was in fact His real name and that is what I should call Him. \u00a0Then I remembered a story of the Tower of Babel. \u00a0I went and read Genesis 11:1-8. \u00a0The short version of the story says, \u201cNow the whole world had one language and a common speech. (11:1)<\/span><\/i> \u00a0\u00a0Because of what they did in building a tower and disobeying God to fill the earth versus settling in one place, <\/span>\u201cThe Lord confused the language of the whole world.\u00a0 From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.\u201d (11:8)<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Did you catch that? \u00a0\u00a0He <\/span>\u201cconfused their language so they will not understand each other.\u201d (11:7)<\/span><\/i><\/b> God confused their language, so that they would not understand each other, and that is why you can\u2019t just look at a mis-translation of a word and say that one is right over another. \u00a0Things began to take on new meaning with the names.<\/span><\/p>\n

It is difficult to give an exact figure of the number of languages that exist in the world, because it is not always easy to define what a language is. The difference between a language and a dialect is not always clear-cut. It has nothing to do with similarity of vocabulary, grammar, or pronunciation. Sometimes, the distinctions are based purely on geographical, political, or religious reasons. \u00a0It is usually estimated that the number of languages in the world varies between 3,000 and 8,000. \u00a0But there are 6,912 cataloged known languages in the world. \u00a0Wow! \u00a0Add to that the miscommunication between husbands and wives when one says \u201ctomato and the other hears tomatoe\u201d, then you\u2019ve got even more differences on your hands!<\/p>\n

It occurred to me that the God who created the universe and all that ever was separated us and confused our language for a purpose beyond what we can understand. \u00a0I don\u2019t think it was just because of our disobedience alone. \u00a0I believe it had to do with teaching us how to truly communicate and become one again. \u00a0When I think about what caused me to come to a Messianic Congregation in the first place, it was because I was seeking to learn more about the Hebrew roots of my faith, and I felt drawn by the Spirit there so strongly. \u00a0But, when I stepped into the doors something happened to me that I wasn\u2019t expecting. \u00a0The first thing I heard was liturgy and blessings in both Hebrew and English, and then I saw such awe and reverence for the Torah. \u00a0It\u2019s hard to explain it but I was able to, for the first time, actually see Him as the Messiah through every word written about Him. \u00a0For I felt that I had stepped back through the pages of history and see Him as they actually did. \u00a0When they said the name \u201cYeshua\u201d, it was as if lightning hit me.\u00a0 My heart leapt into my throat, and I knew I\u2019d never be the same or look at things the same. \u00a0It was a feeling like I\u2019d returned from a long journey in a distant land and had heard the name of my Lord for the first time! \u00a0I was thirsty and hungry when I walked in and was suddenly filled.<\/p>\n

When the blessings were recited I joined in and it was familiar to me but I didn\u2019t know how. \u00a0As the music played and the words to the music were on the screen, I opened my mouth and sang Hebrew as if it were my native language. \u00a0I couldn\u2019t believe my own ears! \u00a0My heart overfilled with joy and felt as if it were about to burst out of my chest. \u00a0And when I said, \u201cYeshua\u201d I cried, for I felt that He was standing right there beside me. \u00a0It was then that I knew without any doubt, that I was where I was supposed to be. \u00a0I was standing amongst my brothers and sisters and it was different than I\u2019d ever felt before.<\/p>\n

We all were truly speaking the same language and worshipping in Spirit and in Truth. \u00a0I experienced something I had searched my whole life for \u2013 complete and total acceptance and belonging. \u00a0It wasn\u2019t anything anyone did or said, it was observing and participating in worship of God and Yeshua, the way that has been done for thousands of years that touched my heart.<\/span><\/b> \u00a0The love for our Messiah and honor of His Word (especially the Torah), which I witnessed, was more than I could fathom. \u00a0Never had I seen the likes and felt it so powerful. \u00a0It was as if I had come home! \u00a0I felt like a prodigal child that had returned home and was bathed in love by Yeshua Himself, and this happened as I sang and recited blessings in Hebrew.<\/span><\/p>\n

As I stood there Jew and Gentile worshipping together as one, I finally understood what it meant to be grafted in and equal heirs of His promised inheritance in Yeshua (Galatians 3:29, Ephesians 2:14-3:6, Titus 3:3-7, Hebrews 6:17-20, Romans 10:12)<\/span><\/i>. \u00a0We were fulfilling His prophecy to be gathered together in His name <\/span>(Romans 11:11-24)<\/span><\/i>. \u00a0I finally felt completed and that\u2019s all I needed to know, <\/span>He became Yeshua to me that first day and I will never be the same! <\/span><\/b>\u00a0For that I will eternally Praise Adonai from the rising of the sun, to the going down of the same! \u00a0From this Gentile\u2019s perspective, I testify, <\/span>there is no other name by which we are saved, and Yeshua is His name!<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Yeshua or Jesus? by Sandy When coming to a Messianic Congregation, one of the first things I noticed was they worshipped in the name of Yeshua, and questions arose in my heart as to what name I should use \u2013 Yeshua or Jesus? \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0I am a Christian and it was puzzling and new to me […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":180,"menu_order":6,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/bethadonai.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/483"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/bethadonai.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/bethadonai.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/bethadonai.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/bethadonai.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=483"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/bethadonai.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/483\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":597,"href":"http:\/\/bethadonai.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/483\/revisions\/597"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/bethadonai.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/180"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/bethadonai.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=483"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}