Matthew 1: 18-25 (What's in a name?)
The
angel in verse 21 instructed Joseph to call the child's name Jesus, "because
he shall save his people from their sins."
But in verse 23, we read of
another name for Jesus:
"Behold, the virgin gives birth to a son, and they shall call his name Emanuel, which means God is with us."
There
is no contradiction or inconsistency here.
Jesus had many names or titles; each of which describes a certain function
of his ministry, or aspect of his character, or a specific revelation associated
with his presence. Names are useful guides
because they help us sinners grasp, however weakly, God's nature and grace as
revealed in his son. See 50 names or
titles for Jesus here, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/believe/jesus/50-names-for-jesus
See
also, Genesis 2:19, "And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and
every bird of the air, and He brought them to the man to see what he would
name each one. And whatever the man called each living creature, that was its
name," and Exodus 3:13-14, "Moses said to God, 'Suppose I go to the
Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and
they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them? God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM. This is
what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
Notably,
Joseph did as he was told without muttering or complaining or doubting (see
Matthew 1:24 and 25), even though the message was given to him not in person but
in a dream. He took Mary as his wife (no
doubt opening himself up to charges of cavorting with an adulteress and the
like), and he named their child Jesus (which was probably viewed as
somewhat odd by his friends and relatives, compare Luke 1:59-61, the naming of
John the Baptizer).
