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The Names of Jesus: Who is Jesus According to the Scriptures?

“He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.” (Colossians 1:17 NLT)

He – Jesus – holds all things together. It’s Jesus that holds the entire Bible together, from Genesis to Revelation. The entire Word of God is the story of Jesus, and it’s by reading the scriptures that we’re able to come to know Jesus. And when we come to know Jesus, it’s through him that we’re saved. From the book of Genesis where we learn that Jesus will crush the serpent’s head to the book of Revelation where we read that Jesus will reign forever, we read about many different names of Jesus. It’s those names that teach us who Jesus Christ really is, what he came to do, and what he can do for you.

As you go through these names of Jesus, open your heart and let the Holy Spirit reveal more of who Jesus is to you, and spend some time worshiping and adoring the Savior who left heaven to come back to save you.

The Names of Jesus: Who is Jesus According to the Scriptures?

The Names of Jesus Christmas

Emmanuel

“Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” (Matthew 1:23)

Emmanuel – God with us. Christ, who was born in a manager in Bethlehem, was God Himself in the flesh. He took on the form of a man so he could live with His people. In human form, he was able to face the same temptations that we do, and today, because of His sacrifice we are able to experience “God with us” in a personal way.

Advocate

“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:” (I John 2:1)

Jesus – the Advocate – pleads our case before God when Satan brings accusations against us. Jesus has set us free, He’s the atoning sacrifice for us, and He has declared us righteous.

I AM

“Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” (John 8:58)

Jesus used this title to describe himself, and when He did, the Jews actually tried to stone Him, accusing him of blasphemy. They understood that Jesus was saying that He was the eternal God, the same unchanging Yahweh from the Old Testament who said he was the “I AM” to Moses in Exodus 3:14.

Lamb of God

“The next day John seeing Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29)

We know that Jesus Christ was slain as an innocent, blemish-free sacrifice for the sins of the entire world. His blood and His life were given as a ransom for all mankind, and He – the Lamb of God – was the ultimate sacrifice. Through Him we have redemption and life, and no other sacrifice is needed.

Chief Cornerstone

“And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;” (Ephesians 2:20)

Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of the church, bringing together Jews, Gentiles, men, women, people of every race – saints from all places and of all ages to one faith in Him. And He is also the foundation of our Christian faith.

Light of the World

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

Jesus is the one that lights every man – the true light of the world. He lights the pathway of salvation for us, showing us who God is and the way to becoming children of God.

Prince of Peace

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)

While Jesus did not come into the world to remove war (we still see wars today) and Jesus didn’t free the Jews from the Romans as so many thought the Messiah would, what Jesus did do is bring peace between God and man. We had been separated by sin, but by the death of Jesus, we are reconciled to a holy God, and we have peace with our creator.

Judge

“And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.” (Acts 10:42)

It is Jesus who will judge the people and the nations according to their deeds. Jesus will judge us. He doesn’t just look at our words, but at our actions, and everyone will be rewarded according to those actions and whether we have chosen to believe in him.

Son of God

“And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:35)

“Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel. (John 1:49)

Jesus was God’s only begotten son, and the phrase “Son of God,” which is used 42 times within the New Testament, reminds us of the deity of Jesus Chris.

Son of Man

“And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.” (John 5:27)

Although Jesus is often referred to as the Son of God throughout the New Testament, he’s also talked about as the Son of Man, a term that emphasizes his humanity, which exists with his divinity. It’s also used in Daniel as one of the messianic titles for Jesus.

The Word

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)

Here “The Word” is referring to the second Person form of the triune God, who spoke everything into existence out of nothing at creation, who was there in the beginning with God the Father, who was God, and through Him everything was created. Jesus is the Word who also became flesh, and within Him is all the knowledge and wisdom of God.

Alpha and Omega

“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.” (Revelation 22:13)

Jesus is both the beginning and the end. Alpha is the first letter in the Greek alphabet and Omega is the last, and Jesus was present both at the very beginning of time and He’ll be there in the end. He’s both the author and the finisher of our faith.

Man of Sorrows

“He is despised and rejected of me; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” (Isaiah 53:3)

Jesus took our pain, our sickness, and our sin upon himself in order to bring us deliverance and healing. He suffered rejection, grief, and sorrow for us.

Rock

“And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.” (I Corinthians 10:4)

Jesus Christ, our rock, is the foundation of our lives and what we believe in. Like the parable of the rock and the sand, we can know our house and our lives will stand firm when we build on the Rock, even when storms come.

High Priest

“Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.” (Hebrews 6:20)

Jesus acted as our high priest by offering blood – His own blood – as the eternal, perfect sacrifice for his. He gave Himself on God’s alter to wash away our sins and our shame.

Bread of Life

“And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35)

Jesus gave Himself to be both the food and drink – spiritually – for all mankind. Once we eat and drink of Jesus, our sins will be forgiven and we can become one with Jesus. We will never hunger or thirst once we ‘taste’ of Jesus.

Living Water

“Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.” (John 4:10)

Jesus is the one that gives us the streams of living water that quench that thirst and longing in our soul. As that passage goes on to say, he that drinks of the living water will never thirst again.

Bridegroom

“And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.” (Matthew 9:15)

The church is referred to as the Bridge and Jesus as the bridegroom. He prepares the church to be perfect and blameless as a bride that will be by His side forever. This picture of Jesus as our bridegroom reveals the incredible relationship between Christ and the church, and when we accept Jesus as our savior, we are bound together in a covenant of grace – one that will not be broken.

The Door

“I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” (John 10:9)

It’s Jesus that is the door through which we must go to have a relationship with God the Father, becoming the children of God. When we enter this ‘door’ – Jesus Christmas – that’s when we find true life and meaning.

Author and Finisher of Our Faith

“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2)

Jesus died for us and called us to follow him, beginning our faith. But He doesn’t leave us on our walk of faith alone – He walks with us and helps us on our path of righteousness until we make it safely to eternity with him. From first to last, it’s Jesus that’s both the source and the sustainer of that incredible faith that saves us from sin.

Deliverer

“And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:” (Romans 11:26)

Just like the children of Israel needed God to deliver them out of bondage when they were in Egypt, all humanity needed a deliverer to rescue us from the bondage of sin. Jesus is that deliverer who made the sacrifice so we could be delivered.

Mediator

“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;” (I Timothy 2:5)

Jesus is the mediator between us and God, and he gave his life for us in order to provide us with forgiveness. This allows us to have a relationship with God the Father.

Good Shepherd

“I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11)

In Biblical times, a shepherd was willing to risk his life in order to keep the sheep protected from predators. Jesus is our shepherd, and he willingly gave us life for us – the sheep – on the cross. He continues to feed us and nurture us as our shepherd. We also read of Jesus as a shepherd in Psalm 23. “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

Savior

“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11)

Jesus came to save His people by coming as a baby and then dying to redeem them. He gives us the power to overcome spiritual enemies, sustains us through trials, gives us power over death, and will raise us up at the last day. He saves us from our sins and Satan’s power over us.

Resurrection and Life

“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” (John 11:25)

After Jesus went to the cross, he rose from the dead, and now He gives eternal life to those who believe in him. Through his resurrection power, we have the strength to experience His victory in our own life and over death.

Way, Truth, Life

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)

It is only through Jesus that we can get to God – He’s the only path. In a world full of lies created by sun, Jesus is the only Truth. And, He’s the only one who can give us eternal life when we believe in Him.

True Vine

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.” (John 15:1)

God the Father is the husbandman, Jesus is the vine, and we as Christmas are the branches. When we stay in Him, we’ll bear fruit to God’s glory. Through the True Vine, we have everything needed to produce the fruit of the Spirit.

Messiah

“Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.” (Daniel 9:25)

Jesus – the Messiah – was the long expected Savior that Israel and the entire world waited for, and he was promised by the Old Testament prophets hundreds of years before he was born.

Rose of Sharon

“I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.” (Song of Solomon 2:1)

Jesus is the most beautiful, lovely person there is, and He is the one who brings healing to both our bodies and souls.

Teacher

“The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.” (John 3:2)

Jesus Christ the teacher gives us insights and wisdom needed to live a holy, fruitful live with His joy and peace.

The Beloved

“To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” (Ephesians 1:6)

Jesus is the beloved Son of God, He’s the one who reveals to us the love and heart of our Father in heaven, and through the beloved we are made acceptable in the sight of God.

Image of the Invisible God

“Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:” (Colossians 1:15)

No man has seen God. But Jesus is the expression and reflection of our heavenly father. Through him, we see the image of the invisible God. Jesus is the very essence and miage of who God is.

Kings of Kings

“Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, the Lord of lords;” (I Timothy 6:15)

“And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.” (Revelation 19:16)

Jesus has all authority and dominion in both heaven and earth. He is greater than all rulers and kings, and no one can keep Him from accomplishing His purpose. He is the everlasting King, and one day every knee will bow before Him.

Shiloh

“The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.” (Genesis 49:10)

Throughout most of the Bible, “Shiloh” is the name of a place, except for in this verse (Gen 49:10) where it is used as a Messianic prophesy. “Shiloh” is referring to Jesus here, and the word means “peace.” Jesus would be the one who brought peace, who gathered His people to Himself by offering salvation, and once we accept salvation, we are safe within Him.

Wonderful Counselor

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)

Jesus is also the source of spiritual wisdom. Through Him we’re able to overcome the challenges that come at us in life. And He gives us direction through the Holy Spirit.

Dayspring

“Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,” (Luke 1:78)

Jesus is the dayspring of victory and hope for us – His church. He’s the bright Morningstar who continues to give us hope in the future when he will eventually bring His kingdom to earth.

Prophet

“And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.” (Matthew 21:11)

Jesus is able to express the heart of God perfectly, and He’s the very voice of God in the earth via the Holy Spirit.

Resurrection and Life

“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:” (John 11:25)

Through Jesus, sinners can be resurrected to have eternal life because of His own resurrection from the grave. When He was buried, our sins were buried with him, and when we confess our sins, we’re resurrected to new life in Him.

Light of the World

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

The world was dark because of sin, but when Jesus came, he brought the light of truth and life into the world. When we trust in him, our eyes are opened and we are able to walk in His light.

In Conclusion

Who is Jesus? As I’ve read through and studied these many different names of Jesus, I’ve been overwhelmed. Jesus. His name embodies so much. Light of the World. Son of God. Savior. Bread of Life. Mediator. Lamb of God. The Good Shepherd. Our High Priest. The Deliverer. The I AM. Emmanuel. God with Us. Advocate. The Image of the Invisible God. Prince of Peace. King of Kings. The Messiah.

My heart is full. Tears are flowing down my cheeks, because I’m so humbled in the presence of Jesus. I’m so humbled that Jesus came for me – He came for you.

I hope you took the time and read through the names of Jesus. Thought about them. Let them bless your heart.

Jesus. Never has so much been encompassed in one name. Praise the name of Jesus!

Sheryll

Friday 15th of September 2023

So powerful the name of Jesus. Thank you Lord because you open my eyes to see you, you open my mind to understand and know you , and you open my heart to love you and to give love to others. Thank you Holy Spirit , thank you Father God. Bless my family Lord and to everyone who seek you .

Marion Scarrow Trueman

Wednesday 5th of October 2022

Some of these names I have heard previously, however, the scripture and the explanations were awesome just as our Heavenly Father is awesome. I enjoyed reading each and every Name above all Names. I sometimes am at a loss of words because He is Everything in my life and far passes my understanding. Jesus is the Love Of My Life! And I want to commend the person(s) who wrote this and know it will touch others as it has myself. Thank You

Salome Smith

Saturday 14th of August 2021

Thank you for this article. It has been placed on my heart to look up the names used to describe our Lord Jesus, in order to give me a better understanding of the Glory of God. I knew He is my Saviour, Healer and Protector but it doesn't even come close to describe the Greatness of God.

Rosalie Chapman

Wednesday 28th of October 2020

This article was and is so enlightening I loved it! As a believer we need to know His names.Thank You so much!

Ken

Monday 18th of May 2020

Thank you for such a great article. During this time of world confusion and fear during this pandemic, it is so powerful to meditate on our Lord. The peace we get from the personal knowledge of Jesus as we meditate on the names of Jesus will in fact give us the ability to walk through this valley as we are led by our Savior. If we make Jesus Lord first above all else, we realize our Savior does work for us to the glory of Father God.