WHAT'S IN A NAME?

 

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).