Names of Jesus in John 1 (Part 3)
What’s in a name? In the Bible the Holy Spirit often reveals an attribute or role of a person through names. In addition to “Jesus”, John 1 uses at least 19 different names for Jesus. Each of these names reflects an important and particular characteristic of Jesus that the Holy Spirit through John wants us to know. John introduces Jesus to us and reveals who He is before he presents the rest of the gospel.
The Lord
(John 1:23)
After being questioned by a counsel of Jews and Levites, John the Baptist pointed to the One True Lord by quoting Isaiah 40:3, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make Straight the way of the Lord.’
This clearly connects an Old Testament prophecy with its fulfillment. (John 13:13) The use of the word Lord (Greek- Kyrios) shows that Jesus was on a level higher than his disciples and shows (the disciples and us) Christ’s humility when he stooped down to wash their feet.
“HUMILITY is evidently one part of the lesson. If the only-begotten Son of God, the King of kings, did not think it beneath Him to do the humblest work of a servant, there is nothing which His disciples should think themselves too great or too good to do.” -J.C. Ryle
Rabbi (Teacher)
(John 1:38,49)
While John shows that Jesus is recognized as a teacher, Jesus’ authority is far greater than other teachers: “And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.”
Earlier in John 1:33 John baptizes Jesus and the Holy Spirit confirms Jesus’ divinity (Matt 7:28,29), is it any surprise that Jesus teaches as one who has authority unlike the scribes?
Later in the gospel, (John 12:49) says: “For I [Jesus] have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak.”
Son of Man
(John 1:51)
This is the first appearance of the title “Son of Man” in John’s Gospel and Jesus applies this name to Himself. Elsewhere this phrase often distinguishes mere human beings from God (Ps 8:4; Ezek 2:1). However, John’s infinitely greater Son of Man is no mere human as Daniel describes a clear symbol of divine authority; Daniel the prophet tells us who this Son of Man is--The Everlasting King of Kings whose dominion never ends.
[13] “I saw in the night visions,
and behold, with the clouds of heaven
there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the Ancient of Days
and was presented before him.
[14] And to him was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
that shall not be destroyed.
(Daniel 7:13-14)
To Jewish people, the apocalyptic Son of Man (Dan 7:13–14) would not die (John 12:34). Jesus was enlarging the concept of “Son of Man” by applying it to the whole of his work: his true humanity, his suffering, his exaltation, and his judicial work.
Messiah/Christ
(John 1:41)
The terms Messiah and Christ both mean “anointed.” In the NT and early Judaism, “Messiah” is a summary term that gathers up many strands of OT expectations about a coming “anointed one” who would lead and teach and save God’s people, especially the great King and Savior in the line of David whom the OT promised (2 Sam 7:5-16; Ps 110:1-4; Isa 9:6-7).
Christ is not in effect the last name of Jesus, but a descriptor much like “Lamb of God,” “Son of Man,” or “Son of God.”
The Journey Research Team
John Notes #3 - "Names of Jesus in John 1" Part 2
John Notes #2 - "Names of Jesus in John 1" Part 1
John Notes #1 - "10 points on the disciple John, son of thunder..."