Introduction
The title “Does the Meaning of Emmanuel Refer to Jesus? – Matthew 1:23” raises a fundamental question about the identity of Christ. Many interpret this name as a confirmation that Jesus is God Himself, while others see a different meaning within the biblical context. But what does “God with us” truly mean? Does the name “Immanuel” describe Jesus’ nature, or does it refer to a specific event? As we explore the Scriptures, we will examine the true purpose of this name and how it fits into the story of salvation.
The Birth of Jesus
Part of the first chapter of the Gospel of Matthew recounts the story of Jesus’ birth. In this chapter, the evangelist mentions that an angel appeared to Joseph, announcing the conception of Jesus and clarifying that Mary, his betrothed, had not committed adultery but had conceived by the Holy Spirit of God. In the biblical account, Matthew quotes a prophecy from the prophet Isaiah, showing that this event fulfilled what had been foretold:
Matthew 1:22-23 – “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘Behold, a virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel,’ which means, ‘God is with us.’“
This passage describes that a virgin would give birth to a son, and he would be called “Immanuel“, meaning “God with us“. The central question revolves around the significance of “Immanuel” as it relates to Christ. Many interpret this passage as evidence that Christ is God, arguing that the text explicitly states He is “God with us“. For them, the meaning of this name confirms that Jesus is the God of the Bible who became man to die in our place.
But is this truly the correct interpretation of “God with us“? Does this name specifically refer to the person of Christ?
There are Different Interpretations of The Meaning of Emanuel
Does the meaning of “Emmanuel” refer to Jesus? What many people don’t realize is that this is not the only way to interpret this text. There is another way to understand this name given to Jesus. First, let’s begin by reading the verse that precedes the passage we presented:
Matthew 1:21 – “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name JESUS, because He will save His people from their sins“
The Messiah is to be called “Jesus“. Notice that the angel provides a reason for why He must receive this name. The explanation given is that “He will save His people from their sins“. But what is the connection between “saving His people from their sins” and the name “Jesus“? This is because names in the Bible have meanings.
The Meaning of the Name in Hebrew
The name Jesus in Hebrew is “Yeshua“, and this name is composed of two parts: YE-SHUA. The first part, “YE“, refers to the name of God, YHWH, while the second part, “SHUA“, is derived from the word “save“. Therefore, the name “Yeshua” means “YHWH saves“. It was through Jesus’ sacrifice that God would accomplish the salvation of His people (John 3:16), and in this way, Jesus would also become our Savior. This is why the angel said that the child should be named Jesus.
Analyzing the Meaning of Other Names
Names in the Bible have meanings. This is not exclusive to the names of Jesus or Immanuel. Many other names with meanings also appear in the Bible. To correctly understand the application of the meaning of Immanuel to Jesus, we need to analyze other examples. But can we apply the meaning of names directly to the people who receive them? Let’s analyze a few cases:
- Jehu – Jehu was one of the kings of Israel (2 Kings 10). His name means “Yahweh, he is“. Can we say that Jehu was Yahweh himself, the eternal God?
- Absalom – Absalom was one of David’s sons. In Hebrew, Avshalom means “Father of Peace“. Absalom was really the “Father of peace“?
- Elkanah – Elkanah was the father of the great prophet Samuel. His name in Hebrew, Elkanah, means “Jealous God“. Could we say that Elkanah was the jealous God?
- Eli – Eli was the grandfather of the prophet Samuel. His Hebrew name is Elihu and means “He is God“. Was Eli really God?
- Maer-Salal-Has-Baz – Son of the prophetess foretold in the account of Isaiah 8:3-4. The meaning of his name is “He hurried to plunder“. Was the boy by any chance a thief to receive that name?
- Lo-Ammi – Son of the prophet Hosea, reported in his book in chapter 1:9. This name means “No my people“. But wasn’t the boy part of the people of Israel?
As you can see, in many situations, the meaning of a name does not necessarily refer to the person who receives it. The parents may have chosen the name for different reasons. Many times, it reflects a desire or hope they had for their child, as was the case with Absalom (“Father of Peace“). In other instances, like those of the prophets Isaiah and Hosea, the meaning of the name relates to an event or prophecy at the time.
Reanalyzing the Meaning of the Name Emanuel
Knowing that parents do not always give a name to a person because of themselves, but because of an event or situation the people are experiencing at that moment, it becomes easier to understand the text of Matthew 1:23, where Jesus is called “IMMANUEL“, “God with us“.
First, let us recall the situation of Israel. God had not manifested Himself to His people for a long time. Approximately five centuries had passed since He had communicated through prophets like Daniel and Jeremiah. Because of their countless transgressions against God’s Law, the people had distanced themselves and broken the covenant they made with Him. As a result, God withdrew His blessings and protection and allowed them to be delivered into the hands of the wicked. They were taken into captivity. Even after the period of captivity ended, they remained under the rule of foreign empires, and at the time of Jesus, they were under Roman rule.
Everything suggested that God could have abandoned them. In addition, nearly 4,000 years had passed since the fall of Adam. Had God forgotten the salvation He had promised to Adam and the other prophets? Why had God been “silent” for so long?
Taking this entire situation into account, we realize that the names given to Jesus made perfect sense. The name Immanuel, “God with us“, showed that God had not abandoned His people. He was still with them, no matter how difficult the situation they were facing. He had not forgotten His promises to save humanity from sin. God is with us, and this was proven by sending His most precious gift to save us-His Son. At the same time, Jesus, whose name means “YHWH saves“, demonstrated that He is with us by giving His life for our salvation.
Conclusion: The Meaning of Emanuel
We conclude that the correct application of the meaning of Immanuel is not referring to Jesus directly, but rather to the event itself that is occurring. Jesus is Immanuel because God is with us, providing us with salvation!
Another point that supports this interpretation, in line with the biblical context, is the understanding that the God of the Bible is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and that Jesus is His beloved, only begotten Son. With this in mind, it becomes evident that the meaning “God with us” should not be applied to Jesus directly, because our God is His Father.
May God bless the reader.
