Thursday 01 January 2015

Psalm: Psalm 8

Background

We seem to be working backwards after Sunday's passage but thereason that these verses are chosen for today is that 1 January iskept as the Festival of the Naming of Jesus. Luke's Gospel recordsthat, in conformity to the Jewish tradition, the baby of Bethlehemwas circumcised and given his name on the eighth day of his life.Why both Genesis (Genesis 17:12) and Leviticus (Leviticus 12:3) prescribe the eighth day is notknown: perhaps there was a sense that the fragile new life wassecure after surviving the first week or perhaps it was only aftera week that was a reminder of the seven days of Genesis 1 that itseemed appropriate to mark out one of God's chosen people from therest of humankind.

We can note three significant points about the naming ofJesus:

• Luke's Gospel reminds us that this was not a name chosen byJoseph and Mary but given by God before the baby was conceived (Luke1:31): this ceremony, therefore, accords with God'spurposes.

• What those purposes are is implied in the name. Jesus is aGreek form of the Hebrew name 'Joshua' which means 'The Lordsaves'. The name has echoes both of the successor to Moses whoestablished the people in their promised land and a mysteriousfigure in the book of Zechariah who symbolised a new future afterthe exile.

• However, 'Jesus' or 'Yeshua' would have been a common name in1st-century Palestine. The message of the incarnation for Luke'sGospel is about the identification of the Son of God with ordinarypeople.

To Ponder

• Do you know the meaning of your first (or Christian) name? Doesit matter what your name signifies? Why?

• In Spanish-speaking countries many boys are still named'Jesus'. Do you find that odd? Or does it say something helpfulabout Jesus being one of us? What are your thoughts?